The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-01-01

u Besides the articles given they would nave
been glad of cloth, clothing, paints and oils,
garden and domestic use, For such things
az these they said they would at any time
i pay freclyto passing ships in pigs, poultry,
goats, sweet potatoes, melons. and tropical
r fruits They keep no COWS or oxen. Money
r is Of little use to them except to purchase
u what they need from chance visitors Besides
the useful articles enumerated, Capt Nang-
4 ton and his crew made free gift of con
G siderable portion Of the ships library and all
, the newspapers and periodicals on board.
A busbel or Irish potatoes were given for
seed. They have never been raised on the
island, but il is thought they will do we'll
The business finished and the pull back be
ing long one, the twenty islanders took
their leave Of the crew aud their late guests,
and turned their boats prov HON eward SIS
son Is described as q man of rough manners,
given TO profanity, which accounts for the
Willingness OF his insular hosts to deprive
themselves of his society. The nearest point
of the island from the vessel was twelve
miles, and the scattered settlement of the is
landers could be distinctly seen with good
glass, apparently covering an area of one
mile long by half mile wide, each house
having its own little garden spot and orange
orchard. 1t is to be hoped that the desire Of
the islanders 10 trade will in future be more
regarded by passing ships.
THE STORY OF THE MUTINEERs.
I'd The history of the settlement OF Pitcairn s.
island is as romantic as anything IN the line
of sea adventure. In the year 1887 the mer-
chants and planters of England interested In
the West India plantations petitioned the
king to order the bread.fruit tree to be intro
duced into these islands, and in accordance
with the request the armed transport Bounty
mn tod n N nd N Dari tir
Tor the purpose. Her cabin was fitted with
false floor cut full of holes, sufficient to re
ceiye one thousand or more garden pots. She
was provisoned for fifteen months, and laden
with trinkets for the South Sea Islanders.
She sailed in December, 1887, destined for
Tahiti. Failing in his effort to double Cape
Horn, Capt. Bligh, her commander, turned
eastward, and sailed across the south Allan
tic, approaching Tahiti from the west. He
would not allow the natives to be informed of
the object ofthe voyage, fearing they would
get up corner on Dread-truit trees. He pre-
tended that he was doing them favor in
conveying specimens of their plants to the
king of England, and so was permitted TO
take all he wanted. A tent was erected on
shore ~ receive the trees, and the wor!. OF
potting them proceeded so favorab.y that the
vessel sailed in April, 1889, with 1918 roots
in pots, tubs and boxes. The plants were not
tated to bear fruit in other cllmes While
the ship was lying at Tahiti her crew had
mingled freely with the natives, and formed
ATTACHMENTS FOR THE ISLAND WOMEN
not easily broken. An extraordinary mutiny
planned in secrecy broke out on the 27th.
The whole crew were engaged in 1t except IS
men. Bligh with these eighteen most OF
them officers, was hurried into the launch,
which was cut loose, with $50 barrels OF
bread, % gallons OF water, little rum and
wine, quadrant and compass being added,
A few pieces of pork, some cocOanuts, and
four cutlasses were thrown at them as they
were cast adritt. Bligh was a man OF won
derful energy, and although the mutineers
laughed at the helpless condition OF
the boats crew. others exclaimed, "Pshaw!
he'll find his way home If you give him pen.
Gil and paper" blast him he'll have ii o
vessel built in month" Il is hardly neces- d
sary to follow Bligh on his long voyage In '
an open boat almost without food and water
for 5000 miles over painless seas. He feared
to stop at the islands which lay along his v
course, lest the natives should be found less o
mercful than the ocean. The launch was a
twenty three feet long and deeply laden with o
her nineteen passcngers The fuod was hard b
ly sufficient tor two persons N the contem. D
plated journey. A severe storm marked the S,
of the voyage, which dam. t,
served out 10 each man by the stern comman. a
der was an ounce of bread (ai erwards reduc- Il
ed to 275 grainsD mouthtul of pork and a o
thimbleiul Of rum, ::after bad weather or any "
excessive hardship. Rain water was Gnght s,
during passing showers. A hook was t.olled d
cd for fish, but none were taken. A few fl
birds were captured and eaten raw with t;
blood, bones and entrals. In due time Il
THE WANDERERS II
reached Timar, and, having been generously fl
treated by the Dutch, found their way slowly b
homewards. Bligh published an extended o
narrative VI his voyage and sufferings. A YES C
sci was sent to search for the mutineers, ten p
Of whom were found in Tahiti, taken home n
and executed The remaining eight, under a
The leadership OF John Adams aud Christian, ly
The head and front of the mutiny, had previ- ft
)usly sailed in the Bounty to Pitcairns island II
not long before discovered by Carteret and ia
named after one of that navigator's crew, who Il
mad frs, seen it. They took with them nine Fl
male and nine female Tahitans. They arrived n
N 1890, and burned their vessel, like Cortez, 81
o prevent retreat. They formed settle. o.
nent and prospered, though there were bitter Il
luarrels between the Englishmen and the al
natives. An in,erneclne war of races in time al
arose, in which all the natives, and all but st
our OF the Englishmen were extermiated. |
The children at this time numbered w enty tr
)ne of the three men remaining distilled an h,
liquid from a root growing on 81
he island, drank freely of the fermented I'll
uice, and in fit of deliIlum threw himself III
rom the cliff INTO the sea- Another made
improper oyertures 10 companions wife, lie
md was slain in paroxysm of iealosy. In th
100, nine years after arriving at the island, m
here remained only the TWO men, Young al
nd Adams, with all the women and the Sc
bundant offspring. These male relics of the ID
nutiny were re
sMlrTES WITH RENORsE, oC
nd, as the good fruits of their revival, began m
the children in the elements of 70
'hrisiianiiy and the beginnings of knowl hi
jge. They inaugurated divine worship, pa
which their posterity has ever since continu- IN
q. Young died IN 1901, ana Adams became IN
ole patriarch. He found apt as sistan,s in the tn