The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-07-25
A PITCAIRN ISLANDER IN ENGLAND.
London Daily News.

London Daily News.
Russell Mccoy, the first descendant of
the famous mutineers of the Bounty who
has ever visited this country is now on
board vessel in the Birkenhead Docks,
having arrived few days ago from Pit
cairn Island in the American ship, Harvey
Mills in which he intends shortly to re-
turn. He is middle-aged man, standing
about 5 feet 8 inches in heighth, and his
complexion is dark, but he would pass for
native of this country, and his accent is
very like that of the south of England peo-
pie. He says he left Pitcairn Island on
the 18th of January for the purpose of
visiting England, and the Harvey Mills was
accompanied for about ten miles by two
whale-boats containing all the men on the
island, with one exception, and seven of
women When he left there were ninety
five people on the island, but only three
names of the original mutineers now re-
MAN, these being Christian, Young and
Mccoy The oldest inhabitant is daught-
er of John Young, she being also the step
daughter of John Adams. She is now
about ninety years old, and was the second
child born on the island. Mccoy states
that it is an error to suppose that Adams
was the leader of the mutineers, that posi-
ton being always occupied by Fletcher
Christian. The islanders, he states, at
present have sheep, goats, pigs and fowls.
with which they were supplied chiefly by
passing vessels The produce grown con-
sists of yams, sweet potatoes, bananas, ar
rowroot, English potatoes, maize, melons,
and all kinds of ordinary vegetables. There
is no money, the people exchanging one
with another anything they may have.
There is one church on the Island and one
school, and the schoolmaster, Simon Young
also officiates in the church His
| daughter Rosalind Young, assists him in
the school. The church service is conduct
ed according to the English prayer-book
and the marriage ceremony is similar to
ours, except that the wedding can take
place after one publication of the banns.
| Polygamy is, of course strictly forbidden,
and it is even rare occurrence for a sec
| ond wife to be taken should the first die.
| Services are held in the church twice each
| Sunday and the Sunday school meets twice
also The day school is open from a. m.
| to p. m. sometimes o'clock, one hour
being allowed for dinner. On Saturdays
there is holiday. English manners and
customs are followed so closely that the
islanders keep the Christmas, Whitsuntide
| and Easter holidays, and Good Friday is
always observed as a strict fast day. Nc
Coy said the people were always very glad
to hear about the queen, who had been so
kind to them, and an organ which Her
Majesty had presented to them was an OBJ
ject of much veneration. As far as re-
| CARDS food the islanders are well off, but
the supply of clothing is very deficient,
particularly in the case of the female in
habitants. 1t is only from passing vessels
that they obtain supplies of clothes, and
the apparel thus given them is chiefly for
the use of the men, Very few of the peo-
pie have shoes, and those who have them
use them only on Sundays. Mccoy spoke
with much feeling on the relations he had
left behind. He is married man and the
father of nine children. He wears his
wifes wedding ring ON his little finger, she
having placed it there as he was leaving to
keep her ever in remembrance. The ring
has been accidentally broken, but Mccoy
is so fearful of losing it that he is unwil-
ling to intrust it to a jeweler for repairs.
His astonishment at beholding the steam
engines and railway carriages was very
| great He had seen steamers before and
read about locomotives, but had never seen
one of the latter, and he was very deeply
| impressed.