Pitcairn Island Massacre

**Pitcairn Island Massacre** or to the Pitcairn Islanders "**Massacre day"** took place on the Pitcairn Islands on 20 September 1793.

## Background

After leaving Tahiti on 22 September 1789, Christian sailed _Bounty_ west in search of a safe haven. He then formed the idea of settling on Pitcairn Island, far to the east of Tahiti; the island had been reported in 1767, but its exact location was never verified. After months of searching, Christian rediscovered the island on 15 January 1790,  east of its recorded position. This longitudinal error contributed to the mutineers' decision to settle on Pitcairn.

On arrival, the ship was unloaded and stripped of most of its masts and spars, for use on the island. On 23 January, five days after their arrival, as the seamen discussed whether to burn the ship, Quintal set the ship ablaze and destroyed it, either as an agreed-upon precaution against discovery or as an unauthorised act. There was now no means of escape.

The island proved an ideal haven for the mutineers—uninhabited and virtually inaccessible, with plenty of food, water, and fertile land. For a while, the mutineers and Tahitians existed peaceably. Christian settled down with Isabella; a son, Thursday October Christian, was the first child born on the island, and others followed. Christian's authority as leader gradually diminished, and he became prone to long periods of brooding and introspection.

Gradually, tensions and rivalries arose over the increasing extent to which the Europeans regarded the Tahitians as their property, in particular the women who, according to Alexander, were "passed around from one 'husband' to the other". The lower-caste Tahitian man, Hu, was often a victim of the white men's beatings and abuse. Martin treated the islanders including his wife with disdain, causing increasing discord. McCoy figured out how to distill brandy from ti-root and built a still. He, Quintal, and some of the women were continually drunk.  In 1791, after working side-by-side with the islanders to perform the daily tasks that sustained the colony, some of the seamen decided to loaf in the shade all day while they coerced the Polynesian men to complete the tasks too hard for the women to perform.

## Massacre

On 20 September 1793, Mills and McCoy were leaning against a fence discussing their crop of corn when they heard shots and the distant sound of groaning. Neither are alarmed by the sounds of firearms as they were used to persons shooting at birds or wild pigs. A little uneasily McCoy shrugged and accepted the explanation and they resumed their conversation. Neither had any idea they were the next Europeans marked down for killing. The Polynesian men's plan, made in much secrecy the night before, was to separate Mills and McCoy. Meanwhile Teimua and Niau had carefully hidden themselves along the trail McCoy would take. The ambush was effected when McKoy came running towards them. They both stood and shot at him and both missed. McCoy turned and ran the way he had come only to find Manarii, who was waiting for just such an eventuality, blocking his escape. They grappled, McCoy's brawny arms circled Manarii's waist and, with a strength born of realisation and desperation, he lifted the smallest of the Polynesians into the air and threw him over a fence into a pigsty. He backed away and looked for more attacks, but before the others could close in he doubled back and ran along the path towards Mill's plantation. His legs pumped and he breathed hard thinking his pursuers were gaining. His intention on reaching Mill's plantation was to warn him and raise the alarm among the rest of the settlers. Make some defence. But Mills, forever the trusting soul unbelievably still doubted his loyal servant Manarii would do anything to harm him. McCoy became agitated to the extreme. Meanwhile the Polynesians made their way confidently to the American, Isaac Martin's house who observed their approach and noticed the blood on them. Appearing unconcerned Manarii called out to him, "Do you know what we are doing?"  "No," replied Martin backing away.  "We are killing pigs." They closed on him. Mananii lifted his musket and shot Martin dead Next they took the path to William Brown's plantation. 'Bounty's' assistant botanist, lived near the edge of the cliff. Teinua liked Brown and ran ahead of the others. He explained the situation and shot the botanist with powder but no lead. He told him to lie very still in the long grass and display the powder burns on his black. The others arrived but were not duped by this simple and hopeful ruse. The prone Brown was clubbed to death. His face was buried in the earth as his head was split wide open by the first powerful blow. He died instantly. The four remaining Polynesian men stole muskets and set out to kill all of the Englishmen.Within hours they beheaded Martin and Mills, shot Williams and Brown dead, and fatally wounded Christian in a carefully executed series of murders. Christian was set upon while working in his fields, first shot and then butchered with an axe; his last words, supposedly, were: "Oh, dear!" Three of the Englishmen's wives took revenge, killing Te Moa and Niuha. Teraura, the wife of Ned Young, beheaded Tetahiti while he slept. Quintal killed Minarii in a violent fight.

## Aftermath

Four mutineers survived the initial attack: John Adams (then known as Alexander Smith), Ned Young, Matthew Quintal, and William McCoy.

Young and Adams assumed leadership and secured a tenuous calm disrupted by the drunken behaviour of McCoy and Quintal. The two men and some of the women spent their days in an alcoholic stupor. Some of the women attempted to leave the island in a makeshift boat but could not launch it successfully.

On 20 April 1798, McCoy attached a rock to his neck with a rope and leapt over a cliff to his death. Quintal became increasingly erratic. He demanded to take Isabella, Fletcher Christian's widow, as his wife, and threatened to kill Christian's children if his demands were not granted. Ned Young and John Adams invited him to Young's home. There they overpowered him, and killed him with an axe.

Young and Adams became interested in Christianity, and Young taught Adams to read using the Bounty's Bible. Young died of an asthma attack in 1800. By 1800, only John Adams, several Polynesian women, and their children remained, with Adams transitioning into a patriarchal, religious leader. Adams lived until 1829.

The day became known as Massacre Day due to the bloody and retributive nature of the events that transpired, which also involved violent revenge by the mutineers' Tahitian wives.

## Infobox (civilian attack)

- **title**: Massacre Day
- **image**: Admiralty Chart No 1113 Pitcairn Island, Published 1829.jpg
- **caption**: The map of the island where it took place
- **location**: Pitcairn Islands
- **date**: 20 September 1793
- **target**: Englishmen
- **weapons**: Muskets
- **fatalities**: 5
- **perpetrators**: Polynesian men
- **coordinates**: 25°4′S 130°6′W
- **type**: Massacre
- **victims**: John Mills (Mutineer), John Mills, John Williams (sailor), John Williams, Isaac Martin, William Brown, Fletcher Christian
- **injuries**: 2?
- **motive**: Slave-like Conditions
- **native name**: Massacre dieh (in Pitkern)