No step appears to have been taken in consequence of this discovery, and five more years had passed away before additional particulars were obtained through the medium of two naval officers, Sir Thomas Staines and Captain Pipon, commanding respectively the Briton and the Tagus. In a letter to the government, the former details the circumstances which led to his discovery of the island, the actual position of which was found to be nearly two hundred miles farther east than it was marked in the charts of those days. The captain, in a private communication, enters into fuller details, and expresses the surprise they experienced when, on approaching the land, they saw a few huts neatly built amidst plantations laid out with order and regularity. This convinced them that it could not be Pitcairn's Island, because it had always been described by navigators as uninhabited. Presently they observed a few natives coming down a steep descent, with their canoes on their shoulders; and in a few minutes perceived one of these little vessels darting through a heavy surf, and paddling towards the ship; but their astonishment was extreme when, on coming alongside, they were hailed in the English language, "wo'n't you heave us a rope now!"

A young man, who sprung with extraordinary alacrity on board, upon being asked who he was, replied, that he was Thursday October Christian, son of the late Fletcher Christian, by an Otaheitan mother; that he was the first person born on the island, and that he was so called because he was brought into the world on a Thursday in October. He soon satisfied the two officers that he was the individual he represented himself to be, and that he was fully acquainted with the memorable history of the Bounty. At this time he was about twenty-four years of age, fully six feet high, with dark hair, and an open, extremely interesting countenance. As he wore no covering except a piece of cloth round his loins, and a straw hat ornamented with black feathers, his fine figure and muscular limbs were dis

played to the greatest advantage. His body was much tanned by exposure to the weather, and his countenance had a brownish cast, unmixed, however, with that tinge of red so common among the natives of the Pacific islands. Added to a great share of good humour, they were glad to trace in his benevolent countenance all the features of an honest English face. The ingenuous manner in which he answered all questions put to him, created a lively interest among the officers, who could not but regard him with feelings of tenderness and compassion; his manner, too, of speaking English, was exceedingly pleasing, and correct both in grammar and pronunciation. He was accompanied by a companion, a handsome youth of seventeen or eighteen years of age, named George Young, son of the unfortunate midshipman. When Sir Thomas Staines took them below, and set before them something to eat, they both rose up, and one of them placing his hands together in a posture of devotion, asked a blessing on what they were about to receive. They were, it may well be imagined, not a little surprised at the sight of so many novel objects, the size of the ships, of the guns, and every thing around them. Observing a cow, they were at first somewhat alarmed, and expressed a doubt whether it was a huge goat or a horned hog, these being the only two species of quadrupeds they had ever seen. A little dog amused them much. "O what a pretty little thing it is," exclaimed Young. "I know it is a dog, for I have heard of such an animal." They informed the commander of many singular events which had taken place among the first settlers, but referred them for farther particulars to an old man on shore, whose name, they said, was John Adams, the only surviving Englishman that came away in the Bounty, at which time he was called Alexander Smith.* Adams, upon receiving a visit from Sir Thomas and Captain Pipon, showed some apprehension that they

The Eventful History of the Mutiny and Piratical Seizure of H. M. S. Bounty; its cause and consequences, 12mo, pp. 289, 290. London, 1831.

should carry him away a prisoner for his share in the mutiny. They soon, however, set his mind at ease; observing, that although in the eye of the law they could only consider him in the light of a criminal of the deepest dye, yet it would have been an act of the greatest cruelty to have taken him away from his little family, who, in such a case, would have been left to experience the utmost misery and distress, and ultimately perhaps to perish of want. The interesting little colony was now found to contain forty-six individuals, including a few infants. Their personal attractions, which were great, excited less admiration than their virtuous conduct. The officers were assured that not one instance of immorality had occurred among the young people since their settlement in the island. Their native modesty, aided by the precepts of religion, had hitherto preserved them from any approach to irregularity. The young women told Captain Pipon with much simplicity, that they were not married, and that their father, as they called Adams, had told them it was right they should wait with patience till they had acquired sufficient property to bring up a young family, before they thought of marrying; and that they always followed his advice, because they knew it to be good. "But what delighted us most," says the same officer, "was the conviction which John Adams had impressed on the minds of these young people of the propriety and necessity of returning thanks to the Almighty for the many blessings they enjoy. They never omit saying grace before and after meals, and never think of touching food without asking a blessing from him who gave it. The Lord's prayer and the creed they repeat morning and evening."

Captain Beechey (vol. i. p. 104) remarks, that " one interruption only disturbed our first sleep; it was the pleasing melody of the evening hymn, which, after the lights were out, was chanted by the whole family in the middle of the room. In the morning also we were awoke by their morning hymn and family devotion."

The Honourable Captain Waldegrave, who was there in 1830,

In the year 1817, when the condition of the exiles in Pitcairn's Island was made known to the directors in London, the Missionary Society sent for their use a large supply of Bibles, Testaments, and Prayer-books, which were duly acknowledged by John Adams. To these were added some elementary treatises for the education of the young, to whose respectability and comfort such training was indispensable. Some time before the arrival of Captain Beechey, a whaler had touched at the island, and left a person named John Buffet. In this man they fortunately found an able and willing schoolmaster; for being captivated by the behaviour of the people, he resolved to live among them. His mind, naturally serious and devout, urged him to undertake a still more important duty. Besides teaching the children, he regularly performed the offices of a minister, in conjunction with Adams, who, though illiterate, had felt himself bound to assume the patriarchal functions of priest and expounder at the head of his large family. The English officers attended divine service one Sunday, a weekly festival which is kept holy with greater strictness than in more civilized parts of the world. It is devoted entirely to prayer, reading, and serious meditation. No boat is allowed to quit the shore, nor any work

says, "I never was so forcibly impressed with the blessings of a liturgy as I was at Pitcairn's Island. Adams, the patriarch, could read, but, until the latter days of his life, he could not write; yet, after the slaughter of his shipmates and the Otaheitan men, he reared up all the children in the fear of God, through the instrumentality of the Bible and Prayer-book. He could not compose prayers, but he could read them to the little assembled flock; he read those beautiful prayers found in the Prayerbook of the Church of England; from it also he taught the catechism, the commandments, and all the christian duties. So strongly attached are they to this service, that no dissenting minister could be admitted; they draw from it as the wellspring of life, and will not obtain water from any other source."

John Adams died in March 1829. During his life, all obeyed him as a parent.- Father' was his only title. Shortly before his death, he called the heads of families together, and urged them to appoint a chief; but they looked up to him whilst living, and have appointed none since his death.”—Journal of Royal Geographical Society, vol. iii. p. 161.

to be done, cooking excepted, for which preparation is made the preceding evening. At church the prayers were read by Adams, and the lessons by Buffet, the service being preceded by the singing of hymns. The greatest devotion was apparent in every individual, and in the children there was a seriousness unknown to the younger part of our congregations at home. In the course of the litany, they prayed for their sovereign and all the royal family, with much apparent earnestness. Some special appeals to heaven, which were thought appropriate to their particular case, were added to the usual service; and the venerable father, lest he should leave out any thing essential, read several of those occasional forms directed to be used at certain times and seasons. A sermon followed, which was very well delivered by Buffet; and in order that no part of it should escape attention or be forgotten, it was read three times. The whole concluded with hymns, which were first sung by the grown people, and then by the children. About half an hour afterwards, they again assembled for prayers, which were once more repeated at sunset; so that, with their morning and evening service, they may be said to have church five times on Sunday. Their number, when visited by Captain Beechey in 1825, was estimated at sixty-six. In 1831, when removed, at their own desire, to Otaheite, they had increased to eighty-seven; and such, indeed, was the progress of the population, that it must very soon outgrow the means of subsistence. It is perhaps to this cause, implying the necessity of successive emigrations, that we must ascribe the fact of several small isles, which were at one time peopled, being found without inhabitants. This remark is applicable to Easter Island as well as to the one selected by Christian and his remnant of mutineers. At both places colossal figures were found, as well as the ruins of marais, the tombs and temples of the Pacific; and though these relics indicate no progress in the arts, they prove the existence of tribes in places where they are no longer seen. Had the exiles from