The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-06-22
CURIOUS STORY ANOTHER PITCAIRN'S
ISLAND AND JOHN ADAMS

Correspondence Of the Boston Trareler1
CAPE Town, South Africa, March 3, lS5S.-In the
South Atlantic Ocean, Ion. u deg, As min. W. lat
81 deg. s., is group of small island, the largest
OF which is called Tristan d'Achuna, las the group
was discovered by Portuguese nearly equ distant
from st. Helena and the Cape of Good Hope, it
beng 800 miles to each, making with the group
nearly equi-lateral triangle Only Tristan d.
Achuna has since been inhabited and this by mere
handful, about equal to the Pitcairn colony of each
island; though inconsiderable in size, its highest
peak rises to the elevation of $3.50 feet above the
level of the sea-
The island is about Is miles in circumference and
the coast on the north rises almost perpendcularly
200 feet. A level then commences, forming ia
BILE land, and extending towards the centre of the
island, from which the central peak RISES not unlike
in appearance to the Peak of Tenerfe, as seen from
the sea. This island has been claimed by the En-
gsh; they did not discover it, and the inhabitants
are American, Dutch and Danes, well as English.
In 1851, there were Is families on the island, num-
bering 36 members; at one time there were 100.
Such was the solitary home of these few and poor
mortas, their nearest neghbors 800 miles distant
cut OIL from all human sympathy, and knowledge,
without society, Friends schools and books, and
llglous instructions and hopes. They always
Obliged to live on the poorest and most stnted fare,
while at times starvation itself stared them in -,
face, for they had but few acres bearing grass and
admitting of cultivation, whose productions they
sold to American whalers who called occasionally
for water and supplies, but whose visits could not
be expected much longer, other whaling grounds
were more inviting. Under these actual sufferings
twenty-five left the island two years since, to seek
their fortune in the United States paying for their
passage in whale ship with their stock of CATTLE
sheep, pigs and potatoes.
Those who remained were reduced to hard straits
and the Bishop of Cape Town last year made
visit to the island in a British man-ofwar to per-
suade them to leave the desolate island for the
Cape, where labOrers were much needed. The OBJ
ject could not be accomplished then but few DAYS
since the Bishop left the Cape again his benevo-
lent mission.
The Bishop found that the only inhabitable plot
upon this small mountain island plain or
shelf of land formed from the debris of the over
hanging cliffs plain about four miles long and
from half mile to a mile wide. The soil is poor
and has been nearly worn out There is good
growth of grass, but hay is made. The islanders
raised some potatoes and other vegetables, and
nave an abundance of the purest water. Besides
this, they have among themselves, numbering IS
souls Z0o head OF CATTLE 300 sheep, 100 pigs, and
900 fowls and ducks, all worth from SIS 900 to
Sc 00O
The island is of volcanic origin and covered with
lava. have heretofore remarked that its highest
peak is more than eight thousand two hundred feet
above the level of the sea, and at the very summit
as the Bishop aflirms, there is a small lake in the
crater of an extinct volcano He and his party at
tempted to ascend it, but after scrambling up 1000
feet they were obliged to rerace their steps, as the
summit became enveloped in clouds, and the rain
poured in torrents The ascent was very difficult,
| and in some places dangerous, while the descent
was hardly less so, the party at one thinking they
must use sounding line, by of the caves and
deep holes and the thick clouds. Half the bows on
the island went up with the party.
On the small plain the Bishop observed very dis
tnctly the craters of several extinct volcanoes
There is only one kind of tree on the island and a
small variety of flowers. A stunted tree-fern is
quite abundant also several varieties of ferns and
heaths, together with geranium bearing very
small Hover, plant of which the islanders make tea
and which they prefer to that of the Chinese plant,
| long grass with which they thatch their houses
the sorre plant. and few others. There are no
islands, and the thrush and partridge are the only
land birds. The albatrOss the Cape hen, and other
| sea BIRDS, are numerous, but worthless. .
There is no bay, and the landing, with a north
wind, is difficult, if not dangerous. Among the
| islanders the Bishop found two old sailors. one 10
and the other 81 years DID, who said they had served
| in the same ship with Lord Nelson, and who were
| unwilling to move to the Cape account of their
| age STILL if the others removed, it would be i'm
possible for them to remain. They have large
families OF grown-up daughters, who do but
little except cultivate the ground. Naturally they
| were anxious to leave. The grown-up sons of
nearly all the families had generally betaken them
selves to the sea for support, leaving female popu-
lation considerably larger than the male The men
are English, American, Dutch and Danes whose
wives have come, for the most part, from the island
OF st. Helena, whose children the Bishop repre-
sents as fine, healthy active and modest young men
| and women. The houses are, for the most part,
about equal to common laborer's cottage in Eng
land, being built of stone, and matched with long
| grass. ..
! The most remarkable member of this little com
munity was a of the name of Taylor He had
| lived In London, and had heard the bishop preach
| there. Apprised of the bishops approach, he and
party of his islanders went to the beach to well
come DIR. Gray. He at once recognized the bishop,
and was overjoyed to find that the reports which
had come to the island respecting the bishops visit
and object were true. 1t seems that this good man,
moved by pious and benevolent heart, years ago
| came to this desoate island for the purpose of
teaching the little community the common branches
of education and religion acting at the same time
the schoolmaster and the missionary.
| Most of the children had been under the instruc-
ton of Mr. Taylor, of whom the greater part could
read fairly, write neatly, and perform the common
operations in arithmetic. He Kept school part
| OF every day, and night school twice a week for
the benefit of the older children who had left the
sehooi. The children were very shy, and when the
snop went in to examine the school it was difficult
70 get them to speak. Mr.. Taylor had been sup
pd;;a py small sum contributed by some generous
ad ~ OF the Cape, which was nearly exhaust.
a. ne had also instructed both the children and
h e parents In religion, making his school room a
excent ono 'u. me Bishop preached every evening
IL one, Whiie he was there, above fifty ipdiyid
hn I a''9nulig all OF whom had Bible and PRAYER
DOCK having made his plans for remnT;na r. lbs.
t% word people to the Cape tbe Risbon left
Ilem, WIN the assurance of speedv ratnrnf anc
tion of Cape Town. q Tue ousy popula
80 solitude! what are thy charms.n ,vbar o,,ov
such rugged natures sigh to quit it? ""en e'ei
Forty-one boxes and fifteen kegs of s;lrou ~.
Frn,, k1,an A~