The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-06-24
The MntIneers Of the Bounty.

Our readers have no doubt heard Of
the Bounty. a ship sent by the British
government TO transport plants OF the
Tread. fruit tree to the West Indies.
Stopping on the voyage at Tahiti, the
crew came to an understanding with the
natives, and, a few days after sailing,
mutinied, and sent the captain and those
who would not join them, adrift In the
ships launch, with a small supply OF
bread, pork, run and water, and only
a quadrant ard compass to guide them.
The m~utineers then returned to Tahiti.
Here one OF the crew named Christian
and eight Others, induced nine native
men and women to come aboard, when
they put to sea, leaving the rest oil the
crew at Tahiti, and were not heard OF
until 1893. when Captain Folger, OF
Nantucket, on a sailing voyage in the
Pacific, stopped at the small island Of
Pitcairn.
He thought 1t uninhabited, and wa
surprised at being hailed in good Eng
lish by some men in a moe. These
were the descendants Of the long-lost
crew.
Determined to cut of all traces Of
themselves, when the mutineers reached
the island, they had run the Bounty
ashore and burned her. Christian and
his associates took the Tlhitian women
as wives and made slaves of the men.
| They got along well enough for a time,
built good houses and cultivated con-
siderable ground; but at last the slaves
rebelled, and they were forced todestroy
them all.
Some of the masters were also killed,
among them Christian; others died
within the next few years, and at the
time of Captain Folger's visit Adams
was the only survivor of the mutineers.
He drew up a simple code Of laws, and
according TO information recently re-
ceiyed from there, they are still gov
erned by them.
They are simple in their habits, kind
hearted and religious. There are now
on the island ninety (9O) inhabitants,
of whom Twenty-Five (29) have the sur
name OF Young, t~wenty-six (26) that Of
Christian, the remaining families bear,
ing the names of Buffet, Selwyn, War
rem, Downs and Kay.
The Oldest man on the island IS a
grandson of Fletcher Christian, the mu-
tineer, who rejoices in the Christian
name of Thursday October" The
men are occupied in farming, house
building and fishing; the women in sew
ing, cooking and the manufacture Of
hats and baskets.
Notwithstanding the long settlement
Of the island, complaint is made of the
lack of carpenters tools, and of states
and maps for the use of the school there
1t is also mentioned that no work is
done, nor pleasure had on Sunday. Ont
church, fortunately, accommodates tht
entire population.
The produce consists chiefly of swee'
potatoes, yams, beans, plantains
oranges, cocoanuts, carrots, turnips
maize, pineapples and figs. Hardly any
tree is found which is good for timber
but the island blossoms like the garden
ofEden with the most luxuriant flowers
They depend for water upon rains
which fall about once a month. TheiI
principal boast is that they have no in
temperance mol contagious diseases
Twelve deaths have occurred since 1859
Although thus isolated, they are able t.
communicate with the outside world b.
means of vessels which frequently cal
there on their way to and from Sal
Francisco .-GOlden Days.