of the present day; not only were the Polar regions left in blank space, but also the vast and as yet unexplored Southern Ocean.

Some progress had nevertheless been made by Ferdinand Magelhaens (the Portuguese navigator, commonly known as Magellan) who had in 1520 shown the road into the great Southern Ocean, by the strait which bears his name. He had also bestowed upon it its present appellation of the Pacific, not so much from its general character, as from his own favourable impressions while sailing calmly over it with the wind abaft the beam. But no further advance was made in this direction until, in the early part of the 17th century, Quiros, the Spanish navigator, promulgated the opinion (which seems to have been generally adopted) that there must be more land in that ocean than appeared marked upon the charts. A desire of proving the truth of such surmises, and the hope of making some valuable commercial discovery, led to a series of expeditions being sent out from Europe, in which England, under the auspices of the then young monarch, took a prominent part.

The first of these was commanded by Commodore Byron, who circumnavigated the globe. Then Wallis, seconded by Carteret, left England in the summer of 1762, and touching at various points on the South American coast, cleared the Strait of Magellan in April of the following year, but was then separated from his companion Carteret. Pursuing his course in a northwesterly direction, he discovered several small islands; assigned names to them; and unexpectedly arrived at

Otaheite, unknown until that period, but which was destined to form an important scene in the history about to be narrated. Some little delay, arising mostly from foggy weather, prevented Wallis from finding an anchorage at this island until the day after his arrival, when our navigator was surprised at the number and large size of the canoes by which his ship, the 'Dolphin' was surrounded. Her arrival at Otaheite occasioned much astonishment among the islanders, from the simple circumstance that she was the realisation of the prophecy of one of their sages. This person had foretold that in some future age a canoe without outriggers would come to their shores." These appendages, it is well known, are essential to keeping the canoes upright when pressed over by the sail. Here, then, was a fulfilment of this prophecy before them; still it was not until after the hostility of these natives had been checked by the ship's artillery that overtures of peace were exchanged, and traffic was happily established between them and the 'Dolphin.' Matters being arranged, Captain Wallis then landed, and with great state and ceremony took possession of the island for his sovereign, changing its name to King George's Island," while for "Maatavaye Bay," in which the ship was lying, he substituted "Port Royal." These names, however, were soon to be replaced by those originally given by the natives. After discovering some few other small islands, the 'Dolphin,' with Captain Wallis, returned to the Downs in May, 1768.

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2

Meanwhile, Captain Carteret, in the 'Swallow,' which

had been separated from the 'Dolphin' by stress of weather at the western entrance of Magellan Strait, had pursued his course to the northward. The 'Swallow' thus discovered the little island of Mas-a-fuera, where she obtained water. From thence Captain Cartaret looked unsuccessfully for Easter Island, far away in the west, but soon afterwards unexpectedly observed what appeared to him as a great rock rising out of the sea. To this rock he gave the name of Pitcairn, little dreaming how interesting it was to become in subsequent maritime history. We need not follow Cartaret further, observing only that he arrived at Spithead in March, 1769.

1

Captain Cook, on his three voyages of discovery, visited Otaheite on four different occasions, and he confirmed, on his return to England, all that Wallis had stated concerning the beauty and fertility of the island, as also the gentle and amiable character of its inhabitants. The bread-fruit tree had also especially attracted his attention as a staple article of food, inasmuch as it was very productive and continued in bearing for eight months in the year.

Little notice was then taken of his observations on the subject of the bread-fruit, but seventeen years afterwards, the idea occurred to some of our West

1 It may here be observed that the name he gave it originated in a misconception, for it has been shown that the letter "O" in the native dialect is equivalent to the English word "Of.” Thus, when any of the islanders was asked to what place he belonged, he would reply, "O'Tahiti," i. e. "Of Tahiti." This was explained in the vocabularly of the Tahitian language written by Peter Heywood, and presented by him to the Missionary Society in 1792.

Indian merchants that it might prove a valuable addition to the food of the negroes on their plantations.1 The desirability of attempting to introduce these trees into the West Indies was suggested to the Government, and the enterprise received from the King the patronage and encouragement it deserved.

Instructions were accordingly issued to Mr. (after wards Sir Joseph) Banks,2-who, having sailed with Captain Cook on his first voyage, knew Tahiti,-to purchase a small vessel adapted for the purpose. He selected one of 215 tons burden, and appropriately named her ‘The Bounty.' Her complement of officers and men consisted of forty-five persons.

Lieutenant William Bligh, R.N., who was appointed to the command of this expedition, belonged to a Cornish family resident at Tinten (a duchy estate in the parish of St. Tudy, near Bodmin), and was born in 1753. He married the daughter of William Betham, Esq., first collector of customs in the Isle of Man, after the Duke of Athole had sold his manorial rights

1 The bread-fruit tree is a native of the tropics, and although we have a few specimens of it, it is with difficulty kept alive by artifieial heat in England. The tree grows to the height of 30 or 40 ft., and its leaves are so large that the natives of the Molucca Islands use them as table-cloths. The fruit is of the size of a small melon, and constantly in season. Its flavour is said to be like that of the potato, but Captain Cook said it was "insipid, with a slight sweetness, something resembling crumb of bread mixed with Jerusalem artichoke." The tree is valuable for many other purposes, and good cloth is manufactured from the inner bark. For further information, see Sir W. Hooker's account, Botanical Magazine,' with three plates, vol. lv. pp. 2869-70-71.

2 The well-known President of the Royal Society, and a munificent patron of men of learning and science.

to the British Government. Possessing considerable nautical ability, Lieutenant Bligh served for four years with Captain Cook, as sailing master of the 'Resolution,' and in that capacity visited Tahiti and the adjacent islands. The knowledge he had thus acquired led to his being recommended by Sir Joseph Banks to the command of the 'Bounty,' and his wife's connection with the Isle of Man, probably influenced him in the selection of Fletcher Christian as mate, and Peter Heywood as midshipman of that vessel; Christian he had previously known as a good navigator and active officer. There were four other midshipmen appointed, Edward Young, nephew of Sir George Young, Bart., George Stewart, Thomas Heyward, and John Hallett.

Fletcher Christian, mate of the 'Bounty,' was born in 1763, and was fourth son of Charles Christian, Esq., of Mairlandelere, in Cumberland.1 His family were the descendants of a William McChristian, who in 1422 was enrolled as a member of the Manx Parliament (or House of Keys), and several relatives of that name have since held the same honourable appointment, as well as that of Deemster, or Chief Justice. On his appointment to the 'Bounty' he was not more than twenty-four years of age, and he had twice sailed with Lieutenant Bligh. His brother Edward became professor of law at Cambridge, Chief Justice of Ely, and well known as the editor of Blackstone's Commentaries.' The family was nearly connected with the Christian Curwens of Cumberland, and one of them

1 Some part of the family subsequently removed to Douglas, Isle of Man.