Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-05-27

We cannot follow Lady Bclcher il
the perilOus, danger
Gus and wonderful voyage of this Ov
ercrowdcd boat, until it found a pOr
of safety and its starved people diff
crcnt means of getting back to Eng
land. Suffice it to say that their cs
cape was little less than marvellous
But to follow the
COURSE OF TIE MUTINEER~.
The launch having been set adrilt
the Bounty was cleared of all the
plants and curiosities which had beer
collected, and under the command Of
Christian cruiscd for weeks among
the islands to find a favorable place
for a settlement. The little island OF
ToobOnai, fertile, wooded almost tC
the waters edge, and surrounded by
coral reefs, was chosen. The Bounty
then sailed for Tahiti, where live
stock and provisions were gathered
when she put back to TOobOnai
where she arrived Oh the 23d Of June,
The site Of fort was marked out
but the natives attacked the settlers,
and number of conflicts cn>ucd, in
which Christian and another were Sc.
vcreIy wounded and a number OfthC
natives slain. Many ofthc men also
those especially who had taken no
actiycpart in the munity--wcrc not
TO pass their live, on this
island. So it was decided by Il ma
iOrity of two to one that the Bounty
should return to Tahiti where the
vessel was to be givcn to Christian,
and those who chose to remain with
him; and that everything else should
be fairly divided among all hands,
On the 22d of September, week less
tkan five months after the seizure OF
the ship, the division was made. Six
teen men, among whom were Hey
wood and Morrison, remained at Ta-
hiti. Nine chose to 20 with the
Bounty.
Christian, for himself and his asso-
ciatcs argued thus: "If BIigh reaches
England ship of war will certainly
be sent out in search Of Us. Those OF
YOU who had no share in the mutiny
had better give yourselves up OF the
first opportunity; as foruo who took
part in the seizure of the vessel, We
will find some uninhabitcd island
where we will live the remainder Of
our days without seeing the face OF
any man except ourselves"
Every man of Christian. party had
acquired wife at Tahiti; and they
had also made friend, with ,eycra
natives, who were willing to share
their fortunes. Among the books OF
board the Bounty was Cartaret'
Voyage to the South Seas" wherein
mention was made of Pitcairn Is
land, Il lonely rock seldom seen by
mariners. Christian fixed upon thi,
as his place of refuge, When hi
party were all gathered, there were
himself and his eight comrades, ,i>
islanders, and twelve women, one o
whom had an infant; in all twenty
eight souls. Christian was the las
to embark, He babe farewell tC
those left behind; and at noon of the
23d of September, l7S9, the Bounty
heading northward, was family dis
cemcd in the distance. For twenty
years all on board were lost to hu
man view as completely as thOugl
they had been swallowed up in th'
ocean.
DISCOVERY OF TllE COLO\i.
First in lS0S, the Topaz, Il whale
ship from Boston, discovered a rock!
islct, not set down in the chart, bu
since known as Pitcairn Island
where was found the colony origin
ally founded by these mutinccrS, con
sisting of 81 persons, but with Alex
der Smith alone surviving the mutt
necrs. Then in 1911, the British frig
atcs Briton and TaguS, cruising il
the Pacific in search of the American
sloop ofwar Essex, found the island
from which we have the first full &C
count of the foundation and prOGrcs
of this singular community. Pres
entity two men We're seen launchin
a canoe, into which they sprang an
padded to the ships. won't yo
heave us a rope now" was th
CHEEKY hail. This was done, and
tall young man of fivc-and-twcnt
sprang on board. "WhO are you
was the question. q am Thursda
October Christian, son of FlctchC
Christian, the mutincer, by Taht
tan mother, and the first born of thi
island" The other, a young man {
Is, was Edward Young, son of al
other of the mutinesrs of whom W
have spoken.
The young men were full of woi
der at what they saw. A COW aston
ished and pcrhape frightened them
little. Goats and pigs were the onl
animals they had ever seen. A littl
dog pleased them greatly. "a kno'
that's dog said Edward; Il hay
read of such things Capt. StainC
ordered refreshments to be prepare
for them in his cabin. Before sittin
down they folded their hands an
asked a blessing, which they repea
cd at the close of the meal. The
had been taught to do this, they salt
by their pastor, John Adams; for
appears that Alexander Smit
went also by this name, which W
shall hereafter give him.
THE SINGULAR STORY.
The two captains went on shol
and climbed the steep ascent TO III
village, where the whole communit.
headed by John Adams and his blin
wife, were waiting to receive then
He was something like 30, stout an
healthy in appearance, though with
carcworn expression of countenanc,
lie stood hat in hand, smoothing il
gray locks, as he had been wont, sa
! lor fashion, to do Il quarter of a eel
tury ago, when addressing his of
GERS. On being assured that no harl
should happen to him, he told I'll
story of what had occurred since I'll
Bounty disappeared.
The narrative (Which Barrow II
lates in a somewhat cOntradictor
manner) runs thus: For two mOntl
the Bounty cruised about in scare
of Pitcairn Island. When at la
they discovered it, the vessel WI
dismantled, every movable articl
even to the planks from her side
taken ashore; fire was then set
the hull, and the chawed remain
sunk i'm d IatbOmS of water, III