, 1860-07-23

the midst Of the South Pacific, lies a little
Island about two miles long and o6e broad,
its entire circuit with one or two exceptions,
ls perpendicular, and will not allow Of any
landing Its center terminates in lofty cliffs,
aoont ,oo0 feet ia hight clothed to their s,lm-
1nifs with the most lu1urlant verdure, while
their bases are ekirted with thickIy branching
eyerg1eens, which afford a welcome retreat
from the burning rays Of tropical sun.
Pitcairn Island derives no ordinary degree
Of interest from the mutiDy Of the Bounty, q
vessel sent by the British Government, in
l788, to bring plants from the bread-frui tree
from 0taheite to the West India Islands. The
Bounty arrived at 0taheite at a wrong season
Tor transp'apting, and was forced to remain
there ei1 months, during which time the crew
formed connections with the natives, the
breaking up Of which caused maoy heart.
aches on both rides. A few days after
sailing, ia Ap:sl, 1883, the crew mutinicd, and
utter they had sent Captain BIigh, and those
who would not join them, adritt in m open
boat, they bore away in the Bounty for Ota-
heite. They reached Toubouai but getting
into difficulty with the natives, they were COM
pelfed to leave, and proceeded to 0taheite
Here Christian and nine others, after the rest
had Landed, induced ten native women and ten
men to come aboard, when they cut the cable
and put to sea, ard were not heard Of for mauy
years
In 1908 Captain Folger, Of Nantucket, while
on eeal'rg voyago in the Pacific, called at
Pitcairn Island, aud supposing it to be un'n-
hablted, was much surprised to see canoe
will two men Of a light brownisll complexion
approach lis vessel, but was still more 80
when they hailed him in good English to
throw them rope, and they asked his per-
mission to come aboard, Their story was
soon told; they were the descendants Of the
remant Of the loDg.lost and long. .searched.lor
Bounty screw.
Determined to cut of all trace Of themselves,
when the mutiueers reached Pitcairn Island,
they searched for I'll only practicable landing
place aud there ran the Bounty ashore, where,
afLer stripping her Of all that might be useful
to them, they burned her. -,
Christian and his associates took the Otahei.
tan women as wives and reduced the men
to bondage. They appear to have got on
we'll for time, and to have cultivated with
success gardens Of considerable extent. But
at length the slares rising, they we're forced
to destroy the whole OF them, not however,
before three Of the masters had been killed in
the affay, among whom was Christian. One
Of the mutlneers committed suicide, and an
other, becoming deranged aud exceedingly
violent, was knocked On the head with an ax,
as a measure Of eelcde!ense BY his compan.
lons~ The rest all died natural deaths, and at
tho time Of Captain Folger's v.ait, Adams was
the only survivor Of the zausineers. He had
been boatswain Of the Bounty, and, If we ex-
ccpt Ills one error, appears TO have been man
Of singular good sense and pie1y. From
well-thumbed Bible he inculcated souad re-
lig'ous ideas among the rising generation To
this day he is regarded BY them as the father
OF thf little community. He drew up very
simple code Of laws to which these people are
much attached, and By which they are still.
governed 0n Christmas Day u chief magis-
trate and councillor are elected for the coming
rear: all over sixteen years Of age, both male
and female, are voters; tho chief magistrate
then chooses his secretary. The duly Of the
magistrate is to convene meeti1gs and hear
cases, which are then left to jury Of five
persons. Punishments are generally by fines
or hard labor.
Notwithstanding the advantages Of soil
and climate in which every tropical fruit mud
vegetable, together with many Of those natu-
raj to colder regions, grows with great luxuri-
ancc, the inhabitants Of Pitcairn Island have
occasionally teen subject to scarcity Of pro.
visions. 1t has been inserted by soma, and
generally believed, that population Of two
hundred is more than the island can support
am Inclined to think, however, that By the
| exercise o4 little foresight and energy, on
the part Of the people, these seasons Of want
! might have been greatly mitigated in severity,
| if not altogether avoided. Be this as ii may,
! tho friends Of the descendants Of the nuti-
| neers, both in the Pacific and in England,
thought that the only sure relief for the p.o.
| pie lay in removing them to some locality
where greater extent Of ground would in
sure them agaiust the risk Of famine in future.
From this ill-coneelved ban violence Of their
] friends they hare become dependent people,
and instead Of relying upon their own e1er.
tious to supply their wants. they look for sup
port from Bishops aud Governors and Admi~
rails Energy aud decision arc qualities gone
from among them. When strangers asserted
that their occasional pravations were caused
| by the tnalloess Of their island, ,bese plant
people listened with difference, md never
thought Of questioning the wisdom If those
whom they recognized as their superiors, pre-
suuing that they kne r the nature Of tier ne-
cessities better thap they did themselves It
was, besides, mora aatter:ng to them to ac-
cnse the poverty Of their eoil than to lay tho
blame Of bad crops upon inferior cultivation.
The small group Of which Norfolk Island is
the principal, lies in the South Pacific about
900 miles east northeast frora Sydney. When
The penal establishment on Norfolk Island was
removed to Port Arthur il YasmAnia, and the
place abandoned, bosa. who interested them.
selves in the welfare Of the Pitcairn Islanders
i procured grant Of it upon certain condition.
from the .Bsitiah Government, and in May
| 1856, the whole Inhabitants Of Pitcairn en-