Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-09-16
WOMEN IN GREAT
NEED OF CLOTHES
SKIPPER OF VESSEL IN NEW
YORK WILL TAKE TO THEM
ANYTHING THAT is GIVEN
THREAD AND NEEDLES WANTED
Capt. Griffthe Makes Report Of
Recent Visit There on Voyage
From Australia.

New York Women OF Pitcairn
Island, through Capt. Grifliths OF the
ship Port Hardy. have made an appeal
10 their American sisters for clothing,
thread, needles, for while The iuhabl-
tants OF this picturesque spot are
amply supplied with food and other
necessarIes, the women have been re-
ducei 10 the necessity of tashionlng
their garments from the castU1 cloth
ing OF the men.
The port Hardy plies between New
York and Australia, returning BY way
OF London Capt. Grittiths had visited
Pitcairn Island in 1891 and, having =
desire 70 revisit 1t. touched there on
his last voyage out. The island, 4
mere speck in the vast eXpanse Of the
Pacific Ocean, lies about halfway be
tween the western extremity Of the
Panama Canal and New Zealand.
The island is a rocky promontory
rising from 1000 to 1000 feet above the
sea level II is about two and a half
miles long and one mile wido. Il = well
wooded and covered with luIurlant
tropical vegetation. The sides are sheer
rock cliffs and there IS no harbor or
anchorage for ships, though blight in
the coast line is known a, Bounty Bay.
The Port Hardy though nomlnally
touching, did not anchor but merely
lay to- OF shore. That was a suf-
ticient invitation 10 number OF the
ISLANDERS, men. women and children,
TO come aboard. The inhabitants, $50
in round numbers, were amply sup
piled with food. but madly in need OF
clothing, especially the women.
The people Of the island also need
other articles. such as writing paper,
pencils, states for school children, par
ranne, oil, soap and nails. all OF which
the captain has promised to take back
to them il they are given - him.
Concernin, the people OF Pitcairn.
Capt. Gritfiths said that the women
were dusky hued. like their Tahitian
maternal ancestors, but he men have
more OF the European colorlng, They
speak no other language than English,
and excellent English, too. They were
strictly honest and exceeding religious.
In religion they are Seventh Day Ad-
ventists. Their religious ideas appear
to have been derived from Alexander
Smith, one OF the original settlers.
who afterward changed his name 10
John Adams and endeavored t. atone
for his mutinous conduct by educating
and civilizing the rising generation.
There is one church and one school
house on the island and the children
seem to be well instructed.
The story OF Pitcairn Island is one
of the strangest in history. TIL island
was discovered by Carteret in 1888 and
named by him after one Of his officers,
but 1t was not again visited by Europe
ans until il was taken possession OF by
some OF the Bounty mutineers. Will
liam Blghan, English naval officer,
was sent out in December, 1787, TO
Tahiti, in command Of the ship Bounty
to collect brea 1fruit trees for trans.
planting in the Tahiti in October, 1888,
and remained there six months. She
set sail for Jamaica April 4, 1883.
Bligh was tyrannical officer and the
men under him had been captivated
by the easy life in Tahiti. On April
% they mutinled, cast Blish and Is
other men adrift in the ships launch
and sailed back to Tahiti. Blgh and
his companions reached the Island or
Timor on June II after sailing $500
nautical miles in an open boat and
suffering dreadful privations.