spot, ten thousand miles away from home, spirits from the root of a plant in the island. where were their anxious families and friends, How strongly this cause operated in promotand where also resided those who doubtless were sending forth scouts to scour the ocean in quest of the guilty occupants of that island, and bring them home to suffer a just and ignominious death! Christian and his friends were not, however, the first occupants of the island, for they found indubitable traces of ancient predecessors, savage and idolatrous; hatchets; spear-heads of hard stone; a large stone bowl; carvings of the sun, moon, and stars; four images six feet in height; and a number of skulls, buried, each having a pearl under it. The new-comers found no other traces of man on the island; they were the only living human occupants. MURDERS. Fearful times awaited the mutineers and their companions. Christian retained for a while the position and authority of head of the community; and his mind seems to have been occupied with efforts to preserve order and peace, which were hourly interrupted by his turbulent and savage companions. Much of his time, however, was spent on a spot on the top of a high rock, which he called his "look-out," ," whence he would anxiously survey the ocean, to see whether it bore along its bosom the coming avenger! What thoughts must have been his on these occasions of mournful solitude! What would he then have given to undo all that he had done! Shortly after their landing they broke up the Bounty, and so condemned themselves to perpetual imprisonment in the island. There were sanguinary frays incessantly arising between the Europeans and the savages; and at length the Otaheitan men entered into a plot to destroy their European companions. The wives of the latter, however, discovered it, and disclosed it to their husbands on the eve of the projected massacre. The result, however, may be anticipated. Within a year's time, Christian and four of his companions were murdered by their Otaheitan companions, all of whom were in turn slain the same year! One of them was killed with an axe by Mrs. Young, the midshipman's Otaheitan wife! As soon as she had done this, she signalled her husband, and he immediately shot the sole surviving Otaheitan! In the year 1794, there were only four of the Englishmen alive, one of whom was Mr. Young; and the five skulls of the murdered Englishmen, including Christian, were kept by the women of the place as trophies; and they were afterwards, only with much difficulty, prevailed on to give them up to be buried. One of the survivors was unhappily acquainted with the art of distilling; and, having converted a copper boiler from the Bounty into a still, he made ardent ing turbulence and bloodshed may be imagined. He himself, in a fit of delirium tremens, committed suicide-throwing himself from a rock into the sea; another was killed by Mr. Young and one John Adams, in self-defence; and of all the fifteen unhappy men who had landed from the Bounty, only two died a natural death - Young, of asthma, in 1800; and Adams, in the year 1829. The last survivor of those who had come in the Bounty was Mrs. Young, who died at an advanced age in the year 1850. From all this it may appear that the mutineers must have found the barren. rock to which they betook themselves become a very hell upon earth. THE ISLAND PATRIARCH. The last male survivor was the John Adams above mentioned, a seaman; and marvellous, indeed, was the change which reflection and merciful experience contributed to effect in his mind and character. He had lived not only among scenes of violence and blood, but in constant terror of being discovered by some ship approaching the island, and taken home to be hanged. As a sample of his sufferings on this score, in the year 1795 a ship was seen coming near the island, on which he and his brother mutineers hid themselves in the bushes, in great terror. When at length they dared to venture out, they stole cautiously to the landing place, and found that the ship had disappeared; but as a knife and some cocoa-nuts were lying near the water's edge, it was clear that some one had landed, but, doubtless, not having seen any traces of occupation, had left, and the ship had proceeded on its voyage. In the year 1800, Adams, then only thirtysix years old, found himself the only man in the island - his companions being twenty of the children of his deceased comrades; but they had come to regard him as their common father, with reverence and affection. He was providentially possessed of one solitary copy of a Bible, and of a prayer-book, which had belonged to the Bounty, and of these he made unceasing use. Two remarkable dreams occurred to him in the year 1810, which he always regarded as having been designed to awake in him reflection and repentance; and he became a very devout man training up in Christianity the young semi-pagans who surrounded him. He had constant morning and evening prayers, and was never tired of reading to them the Scriptures, in which they took such a delight, that, on one occasion, two of the lads having earned a little present of gunpowder-a very precious commodity there as a reward for their labor in preparing the ground for planting yams, proposed that, instead of the present, he should read them some extra lessons from the Bible! He be- lemnly say, " For what we are going to receive, came, in truth, as he has since been called, the Lord make us truly thankful!" On accoman island patriarch. panying them back to the island, and accomIn the year 1808 an American captain plishing the landing with no little difficulty, landed at the island, not a little to Adams' Sir Thomas was charmed with the scene and alarm, und, on quitting, took with him a the reception which awaited him. Poor old chronometer and compass which had belonged Adams and his wife, who was blind and into the Bounty, and forwarded them to the firm, conducted their great guests to his snug Admiralty-being, of course, acquainted and neat house, and spread out for them a with the story of the mutiny. No steps, how- little repast of yams, cocoa-nuts, and fine fresh ever, were taken by the British government; eggs. They found the settlement to consist but, six years afterwards, Adams beheld with of forty six grown-up young people, with a dismay two men-of-war approaching the number of infants. The young men were all island, and he reasonably apprehended that fine, athletic fellows, their faces full of frankat length his hour was come, for the two ness; but the young women excited great adcaptains, with some officers and men, were miration. They were tall and finely formed; seen descending the ships' sides, and immedi- their faces beaming with smiles, but wearing ately landed. Adams made no attempt to an air of modesty and bashfulness that would conceal himself-resigned to his destiny; do honor to the most virtuous nation on earth. but was quickly comforted by the tidings that Their teeth like ivory, even, regular, and he was not to be arrested; that a quarter of a beautiful, without a single exception; and all century had passed away, and his presence of them, both male and female, had the most was considered useful to the young islanders. marked English features." Their little houses Then, indeed, a mill-stone fell from his neck. were models of comfort and cleanliness, and How the weight of it had worn him may be the grounds all around were carefully cultiguessed from the fact, that Sir Thomas Staines, vated. They were very systematic in conone of the captains, styled him, in his despatch, ducting their little affairs. Old Adams, for "a venerable old man' whereas he was instance, kept a careful register, containing then only fifty years old! Sir Thomas added, the times and account of their work, and "His exemplary conduct, and fatherly care of what each had acquired by it; and they had the whole little colony, could not but com- a regular system of barter- as of salt for mand admiration. The pious manner in fresh provisions; vegetables and fruit for which all those born on the island have been poultry, and fish, &c. All were engaged in reared the correct sense of religion which the cultivation of the ground (growing chiefly has been instilled into their minds by this old yams) and fishing; and when one had cleared man, has given him the preeminence over the a sufficient quantity of ground, and had stock whole of them who look up to him as the enough to maintain a family, he was allowed father of the whole, and one family." When to marry but always with the consent of Sir Thomas and his companions saw the island Adams. The utmost harmony prevailed in they did not suppose it inhabited, and were their little society. They were simple, singreatly surprised to observe, as they ap-cere, affectionate and pious, and most excmproached, plantations laid out, and very plary in discharging their religious duties. neatly-constructed huts and houses! When Thus matters continued till the year 1825, within two miles from the landing-place, some when Captain Beechey visited the island, in natives were observed bringing down their the Blossom, and has left on record an affectcanoes on their shoulders, in which they ing picture of their primitive simplicity and dashed through a heavy surf, and pulled off to happiness. They were still under the cure of the ships. What was the astonishment of the their old patriarch, Adams. "These excellent sailors to hear one of the two savages exclaim, people," said Captain Beechey, appear to on approaching the ship, "Won't you heave live together in perfect harmony and contentus a rope, now?" And who should these ment; to be virtuous, religious; cheerful and prove to be, but a son of Christian, twenty- hospitable even beyond the limits of prufive years old, and of Young, eighteen years dence; to be patterns of conjugal and parentold! They were fine, handsome fellows, tall al affection; and to have very few vices. We and well-proportioned, and their features were remained with them many days, and their those of an honest English face." Their only unreserved manners gave us the fullest oppordress was a piece of cloth round their loins, tunity of becoming acquainted with any faults and a straw hat ornamented with the black they might have possessed." Their reverence feathers of the domestic fowl. When they for the Sabbath would shame many a highlyhad got on board, Sir Thomas Staines took civilized Christian community. It was, inthem down into his cabin to give them lunch, deed, kept holy". -a day of rest, in truth, and was moved with sudden tenderness on and of cheerful reverence towards the Most seeing one of them rise up, place his hands in High. Their services were conducted in strict a posture of devotion, and distinctly and sol-conformity with the usages of the church of England, the prayers being read by old Their only intercourse with the great world Declining gently to the last, this good old man, he died. Old John Adams expired on the 5th March, 1829, in the sixty-fifth year of his age -a sad day for the little community which he had trained into one so exemplary; thereby offering the best atonement in his power for the guilt which had stained his early years. THE PASTOR OF PITCAIRN. Not quite four months-viz., on the 15th November, 1828-before the death of the island patriarch, there arrived at Pitcairn a remarkable man destined to be his successor in the confidence, affection, and government of that little community. He seemed really to have been marked out for the post by Providence. The person here spoken of bears the by no means aristocratic name of GEORGE HUNN NOBBS. He was born in this country in 1799; went to sea at the early age of eleven years, when he became a midshipman in the British navy. He afterwards held a commission in the Chilian navy, under the present Earl of Dundonald (then Lord Cochrane), | and in consequence of his services became lieutenant. He was at length, after a gallant and desperate conflict with a Spanish gunorig, taken prisoner by the troops of the piratical Spanish general, Benevedeis, who was a very fiend incarnate of cruelty. He shot all his prisoners, except Lieutenant Nobbs and three English seamen, all four of whom lay under sentence of death, and in hourly expectation of being shot for three weeks; during which Lieutenant Nobbs daily saw his fellow-prisoners led out to death, and heard the reports of the muskets from which they suffered. This monster Benevedeis would invite the captive officers to an elegant entertainment; immediately after which he would have them marched into the court-yard, and shot their host standing at the window to enjoy the spectacle! Such was the man at whose mercy poor Lieutenant Nobbs lay for three weeks; at the end of which he was suddenly and unaccountably exchanged for 2 prisoner; Benevedeis himself being soon after taken prisoner, sentenced to death, tied to the tail of a mule, so dragged to the Palace Square, and there hanged. After many adventures and much dangerous service, Mr. Nobbs quitted Chili, and returned to England in 1822, in a vessel which had touched at Pitcairn. The captain gave such a description of the happiness of the little community, that Mr. Nobbs became irresistibly impelled to go and settle there, anxious only to pass the remainder of his days in peace and usefulness among his fellow-creatures. Early in 1826, having then been four times round the world, he quitted England, with the intention of going to Pitcairn. He went by way of the at length reached Callao, in Peru, where he Cape of Good Hope, India, and Australia, and met the owner of a launch, who agreed to accompany him in it to Pitcairn, provided Mr. Nobbs would fit her out. This was done; went and these two persons as if emulous of the Some little time afterwards, however, this grateful people placed him on a level with themselves, by assigning him sufficient land for his support. A PITCAIRN DAY. of discomfiting imposture - but Captain Lord | equivalent to informing me that a couple aro Edward Russell, a veritable son of the Duke going to be married!" of Bedford! Mr. Hill was thunderstruck. Lord Edward would have made short work of it, and removed him instanter from the scene of his impudent and mischievous intrusion and imposture. Lord Edward, however, would not do so without orders. But in the ensuing year another ship of war arrived, her captain It may be pleasing to have an idea of a armed with the requisite authority, and re- Pitcairn day. Let it be borne in mind that moved Mr. (or, as he seems to have called there is a difference of nine hours between himself, Lord) Hill to Valparaiso. He never their time and ours; when, for instance, it made his appearance again in the island; it is our four o'clock in the afternoon, it is and Mr. Nobbs, having received a pressing their seven o'clock in the morning. They and unanimous entreaty from the inhabitants rise with the light; and the first duty in to resume his old station and duties, complied each house is to read prayers, including two with it, having been absent for the period of chapters in the Bible. After a slight refreshnine months, occupying himself as a teacher ment, the business of the day begins. Chilat the Gambier Islands, which were about dren are forthwith despatched to the school, three hundred miles' distance from Pitcairn. during play-hours amusing themselves with It may be remembered that a child, ten kites and ball; but limited space-less in months old, accompanied the mutineers from extent than Hyde Park and Kensington GarOtaheite to Pitcairn. She afterwards mar- dens put together necessarily curtails the ried a son of the unhappy Christian, by whom diversions of young and old. The men's emshe had a daughter, and that daughter be- ployment consists in cultivating their land, came the wife of Mr. Nobbs, by whom she looking after their gardens, and improving has now eleven children. Since his return on their little houses, fencing-in their plantathe occasion last referred to, this excellent tions, and making hats out of palm-leaves, man has never been interfered with in pur- and fancy boxes for barter with the crews of suing "the even tenor of his way," but has such ships as may call there. At twelve evidently conciliated the ardent affection of all o'clock they have a plain, substantial meal of classes. He acted from the first as their yams and potatoes, made into bread, saying chaplain (as far as, being a layman, he grace before and after meals with scrupulous could), their schoolmaster, their physician, reverence. Both by day and by night they and, in fact, did everything that could be fish in the deep waters for a kind of cod, gray expected from a man of kindly feeling, of no mullet, and red snapper, which, however, are little experience of varied life, of sound educa- scanty, and obtained with some little hazard. tion, and devoted piety. His duties were The second meal of the day (they have but constant and laborious, for all his arrange- two) occurs at seven o'clock in the evening, ments were very systematic, and he adhered consisting of yams, sweet potatoes, and such to them with punctilious exactness. Thus humble fare as may have been prepared by every hour of his time was devoted to the ser- the females of the family. Once or twice vice of the islanders and of his own large only in the week can they afford the luxury family. But how was he himself supported of fish, meat, or poultry. The occupations of all the while it may be asked. Indeed, his remuneration was for years of the scantiest possible character, for the Pitcairn Islanders were, as he knew when he first went, very poor. In 1844, he thus explained, in a letter to a clergyman at Valparaiso, some of the straits to which he was driven: "My stock of clothing which I brought from England is, as you may suppose, very nearly exhausted, and I have no friends there to whom I can with propriety apply for more. Until the last three years, it was my custom to wear a black coat on the Sabbath; but since that period I have been obliged to substitute a nankeen jacket of my own making. My only remaining coat, which is quite thread-bare, is reserved for marriages and burials; so that it is customary to say, when a wedding is going to take place, Teacher, you will have to put on your black coat next Sunday,' which is the women are their household duties, including especially making and mending clothes; and when they have leisure, they manufac ture a sort of cloth out of the bark of the paper mulberry. There are no servants in the island, therefore the wives and daughters do all that is necessary for the family. They do not cook in the house, which, being of wood, might be often endangered, but in ovens at a little distance, let into the ground, big enough to contain a good-sized pig, an animal of which they have but few. They have no candles, but use oil, and torches made with nuts of the dodo tree. They have no glass for the windows, but only shutters, which are closed in bad weather. They occasionally have a modicum of tea as a luxury, but their ordinary drink is pure water, neither wines nor spirits being allowed in the island, except for strictly medicinal purposes. On high If peace and innocence, but he has himself often shed tears of sympathy and respect on receiving the civilities of this lonely but confiding little community, and returned their humble hospitalities with such liberality as his captain felt authorized to admit. It is, however, on the arrival of a queen's ship that the enthusiasm of the islanders is naturally most excited: and who can think unmoved of the twenty-one guns' salute from the stately structure on the bosom of the ocean, returned by the single solitary gun in the island? anything could raise in our estimation the character of British naval officers, it is the accounts of their doings, in these distant regions, to be found in this little volume. The tears have several times quivered in our own eyes, when reading the extracts here given from the journals and despatches of captains and admirals, all of whom have exhibited a noble spirit of tenderness and dignity in dealing with this little community. We would have every young officer in her majesty's navy read this record of manly sympathy and piety on the part of those intrusted with high and distant commands by the Queen of Great Britain-symbolling at once of the authority and power of the sceptre which she wields, and the gentle spirit of benignity and piety which animates her heart. But we shall let our admiral speak for himself. days and holidays they treat themselves with | means admit of; and not only has there cocoa-nut milk, and water sweetened with never been an instance of Jack for an instant syrup extracted from the bruised sugar-cane. misbehaving himself in this sweet scene of They retire early to rest, after having performed their family devotions. They sleep secure without the protection of locks, bolts, or bars there is not such a thing in the island! Think, then, of a moonlight night at peaceful Pitcairn, Londoner, jaded with the uproar and dissipation of a London day or night! See the moon walking in her brightness, and stars shining, vividly as you never saw them, and both reflected on the illimitable ocean, all calm and beautiful! Not a soul is slumbering there that has not closed his eyes - her eyes - after offering the heart's incense to their almighty Guardian! The Pitcairn people are all well educated, and very fond of reading; but only books of sterling interest, and moral and religious character, chiefly supplied to them by one of the noblest societies which England can boast that for Promoting Christian Knowledge. And now has arrived the time for explaining that our readers are indebted for all the interesting facts which may appear in this paper, as well those which have gone before us those which are yet to follow, to a little volume only just issued by that Society. Its pious and accomplished author is the Secretary of that Society, and, as we learn from its pages, has personal cognizance of many highly interesting facts narrated in it, pledging himself to the authenticity of all, as far as careful inquiry has enabled him to do So. To us it has proved a delightful little volume, and we heartily express our obliga- Before, however, we come to this great tions to the reverend author. It breathes event, we must return for a minute to the throughout a pure spirit of manly sympathy pastor of Pitcairn. On the 20th July, 1847, a and piety. We should like to be at Pitcairn, memorial was addressed to the chaplain of when its simple and affectionate inhabitants H.M.S. Thalia, signed by seven of the islandget their first copy-let us hope as many ers, including the chief magistrate! and the two copies as there are islanders of the volume councillors! (for such they have), explanatory which has presented so endearing a picture of their position and their wants. Their of that distant but really happy family! How prominent want they shall themselves exthey will hang over its pages, by day and by night! But we must proceed. The great event in the Pitcairner's day is the arrival of a ship, for which they are always not, as were those before them, with terror, but with eager hope-on the look-out; and the volume before us contains numerous touching little episodes connected with these few-andfar-between ocean-island visitings. The crews are received with affectionate greetings, and the utmost hospitality which very limited plain. THE ADMIRAL ON THE ISLAND. "One thing more, before we conclude, we earnestly present to your consideration; and, as it comes in an especial manner within the province of your holy office, we would indulge the hope that our application will be attended with success. The case in question is this: Our teacher, who has been with us for nineteen years in that capacity, and whose services to us are invaluable, has never received the license or sanction of the proper authority in that Church of which we are a compo *Pitcairn; The Island, the People, and the Pas- nent part. This circumstance is a source of tor; with a Short Account of the Mutiny of the much anxiety, both to him and us; and as Bounty. By the Rev. Thomas Boyles Murray, our numbers amount to 138 (71 males and M. A., Secretary of the Society for Promoting 67 females), and are rapidly increasing, we Christian Knowledge; and published under the direction of the Committee of General Literature do most urgently, but most respectfully, and Education appointed by the Society. Lon- solicit your application to the proper quarter don: 1853. Pp. 280. for a pastoral letter, inducting or sanctioning |