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lowed flame on the pure altar of their innocent hearts, none among themselves attempted to claim superiority, and from the death of Adams they continued without a chief, or any authorised check upon disorder. The natural results have succeeded, and the once happy family is scattered and divided.

The island is from six to seven miles in circumference, and contains an area of about 2500 acres, one-twelfth of which only was cultivated at the time of Captain Waldegrave's visit in 1830. The population was then only 79, and Captain Waldegrave computed that the soil, if fully cultivated, would support one thousand souls, which is perhaps an excessive estimate. The soil naturally produces the cocoa-nut, plantains, bananas, yams, sweet potatoes, taro-root, the cloth-tree, the banyan (ficus Indicus), and the mulberry; the breadfruit (brought by Christian), water-melons, pumpkins, potatoes, tobacco, the lemon, and orange, had been cultivated with success.

From remains of ancient morais, or buryingplaces, and some rudely carved images, and hatchets found on the island, it appears to have been formerly inhabited, but abandoned, either from the population exceeding the means of supply, or, which is quite as likely, from the death of all the inhabitants.

The dread of over-peopling their islands seems quite a disease among the inhabitants of the Polynesian islands; and to this may be attributed the institution of the detestable society of Arreoys, whose professed object is to lessen the population, which it does very effectually. Their wars are also a constant drain, and their indolent and intemperate life induces maladies which also serve to thin the population. All these causes have operated so efficiently, that there is every reason to believe that the population of the various islands was as great, if not larger, two or three hundred years ago, as it is at present; yet the dread of over-population still continues.

How different was it with the natives of Pitcairn bred up in temperance and virtue (for the fate of Quintal and M'Koy produced its due effect), they were as remarkable for vigorous health and extraordinary muscular power, as for the rectitude of their moral conduct. It was an easy feat for the men to swim round their island; and the women, whose beauty and engaging man

ners have been already noticed, were scarcely inferior to the men. George Young and Edward Quintal, two of the islanders, have each carried, at one time, a kedge-anchor, two sledge-hammers, and an armourer's anvil, weighing together upwards of six hundred pounds; and Quintal once carried a boat twenty-eight feet in length. They had begun to build regular keeled boats, instead of canoes, and if left to themselves would have found means of emigration when the time came, and a surplus population made such a proceeding necessary; but by their more recent visitors they appear to have been inoculated with this foolish fear of exhausting their resources, and if any are now left they are but a remnant.

In consequence of a representation made by Captain Beechey, a supply of various articles of dress and agricultural tools were sent out from Valparaiso in the Seringapatam, Capt. the Hon. W. Waldegrave, who arrived in March 1830. He found that two new visitors had come among them, John Evans, the son of a coach-maker in Long Acre, and George Nunn Hobbs; this latter had assumed the office of clergyman and schoolmaster, before exercised by Buffett, and had in fact created a sort of schism in the once peaceful society, whilst the religious doctrines he taught appeared to savour more of cant than true piety. Captain Waldegrave found that Adams had died in the preceding year, 1829. The population at the time of Captain Waldegrave's visit was estimated at 79, and already the people had begun to speculate on removing to a larger island. This idea has since been encouraged by the missionaries engaged in the South Sea Islands; and it is understood that, about three years ago, the design was carried into execution, and the inhabitants transported to Otaheite and other neighbouring islands. The destruction of such a society, so pure and so happy, cannot be contemplated without a sigh. Never perhaps was there an instance of such good seed springing from so evil a stock; and the example of Adams, who from a man of violence and blood became the venerated patriarch of a thriving colony, who owed all they knew to his care and instruction, may serve to teach a useful lesson, proving as it does that man, having the will, still has the power to retrace his steps in the path of evil, and to turn them, though tardily yet surely, to the path of good,

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