But a brighter prospect was to dawn on the future condition of the island-one which would consign to the fading memories of the past, the recollection of those dark deeds which had sullied the early annals of this little colony.

followers are from the pen of a friend, and pastor of the Pitcairn colony, whose valuable services will be prominent in the future pages of this volume.

CHAPTER II.

DISCOVERY OF THE RETREAT OF

THE MUTINEERS · - VISITS OF CAPTAIN FOLGER AND OTHERS - ARRIVAL OF JOHN BUFFETT - JOHN EVANS G. H. NOBBS - DEATH OF JOHN ADAMS.

TWENTY years had elapsed before the mystery which had hung over the fate of the 'Bounty' and the mutineers became gradually revealed. The first gleam of light on this subject appeared in the log-book of Mayhew Folger, the master of an American ship, named the 'Topaze,' and dated September, 1808.1

The Topaze' was short of water, and approaching a rocky island laid down in her chart as lat. 25° 4′ s., long. 130° 25′ w., the attention of the master was attracted by seeing smoke rising from it, besides other signs of habitation. The shore, on which a tremendous surf was breaking, appeared inaccessible, but a canoe was presently to be seen approaching from it, and soon to the great astonishment of all on board they were hailed by the occupants in good English, with offers of assistance if any of her people desired to land. The captain declined doing so, but one of the sailors, an Englishman, volunteered to go in the canoe, provided the ship stood in sufficiently near to the land, that he might swim back to her in case of being attacked.

1 Forwarded to the Admiaalty by Sir Sydney Smith on the authority of Lieutenant Fitzmaurice, then at Valparaiso.

This adventure was followed by another strange discovery. The first person by whom he was accosted on landing was a man who called himself Alexander Smith, telling him that he was one of the crew of the 'Bounty,' and the only survivor of the party of nine Englishmen who had left Tahiti in her; that some of the children of the mutineers were now grown men and women, and that, including himself, the population of Pitcairn Island amounted to thirty-five persons, of whom he had been for many years the sole guardian and instructor. With this unexpected piece of intelligence the sailor returned to his ship, and Captain Folger landed immediately. Smith gave him a short account of the feuds among his companions and the Tahitian men and women they had brought with them, ending in the violent deaths of so many, that only Edward Young (the midshipman) had died a natural death. Smith, in return, eagerly inquired as to the course of events during the twenty years of his seclusion from the world. Captain Folger gave him a rapid sketch of the breaking out of the French Revolution, of the progress of the war, and of the glorious series of naval victories achieved by England which had ensued,-the Nile, Trafalgar, &c., on hearing which Smith was unable to restrain his enthusiasm, and throwing up his cap, gave a loud "hurrah!" exclaiming, "Old England for ever!"

Captain Folger reports this extraordinary discovery in a letter, concluding with many encomiums on Smith for his excellent moral and religious training of the little community; and it was accompanied by the

chronometer1 and azimuth compass of the 'Bounty,' presented to him by Smith. The arrival of this unexpected intelligence in England re-awakened public curiosity, and the newspapers and periodicals teemed with the story, forming, as it does, an interesting episode in English naval history. Again, however, public interest in it subsided. No further steps were taken to communicate with the newly-discovered colony, as our ships of war were fully occupied in cruising, in convoying fleets of merchant-men, and in blockading the enemy's ports.

At length, and again by mere accident, Pitcairn was visited by two frigates,-the 'Briton,' commanded by Captain Sir F. Staines, and the 'Tagus,' by Captain Pipon, who were in search of an American ship, the 'Essex,' which had been seizing some English whalers. They were on their way to Valparaiso, from the Marquesas Islands, when they suddenly came in sight of an island which was not laid down in their charts; for Pitcairn was nearly two hundred miles distant according

1 This chronometer had been twice carried out by Captain Cook on his voyages of discovery. It was supplied to Lieutenant Bligh when fitting out the 'Bounty,' and the mutineers carried it with them to Pitcairn Island. Captain Folger stated that it was taken from him by the Governor of Juan Fernandez in 1808, then sold in Chili to A. Caldeleugh, Esq., of Valparaiso, and purchased by Captain (afterwards Admiral) Sir T. Herbert, for fifty guineas. That officer took it to China with him in the 'Caliope,' and in 1843 brought it to England. He transmitted it to the Admiralty, who presented it to the United Service Museum in Great Scotland Yard, London. It was known to have belonged to the Bounty' by the name of Kendall the maker being on it, and in further proof of the authenticity of Folger's statement, the name of Alexander Smith was found on the list at the Admiralty of the ship's company of the 'Bounty.'

to their reckoning. It was evening when the island was first seen, and they deferred a nearer inspection until daylight, as it seemed to them in all probability a new discovery.

Those on the island had observed the approaching strangers, and when at daybreak the order was given to stand in for the land, the sailors perceived a number of inhabitants who had assembled on the rocks to watch their proceedings. Very soon two men were seen rapidly descending to the shore, with canoes on their shoulders. One of these canoes was boldly launched among the breakers, and then dextrously paddled through the surf alongside of the Briton.' "Won't you heave us a rope now?" was the request from the canoe, and a rope being thrown out immediately, a fine young man sprang actively on the deck. His athletic figure was quaintly attired in a vest without sleeves, and trousers to the knee; and he wore a hat jauntily decked with black-cocks' feathers. He answered the question, "Who are you?" with an ingenuous frankness: "I am Thursday October Christian, son of Fletcher Christian, the mutineer, by a Tahitian mother, and the first born on this island."

The handsome youth who accompanied him was Edward Christian, son of the midshipman of that name in the 'Bounty,' and was eighteen years of age. Thursday October Christian was, of course, so named from the day and month of his birth. He had attained the age of twenty-four, and was married to Susannah,'

1 She died in 1850, and was then the sole survivor of the original party.