Pitcairn's Island  Notes  Source  Whalesite

The Gospel Missionary.

      In the year 1789, as the ship Bounty was returning to England from Otaheite, a mutiny broke out on board. Lieutenant Bligh, and 18 of the officers and crew were forced on the launch, and were deserted by their comrades in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. After enduring wonderful privations they arrived, through God's good Providence, in England.

      For twenty years no one could hear what had become of the ship with the mutineers on board of it. They were guilty of a great offence against the law of God and of their country in rebelling against the commander who was set in authority over them: they had cruelly exposed nineteen of their companions to the peril of starvation, or drowning in the wide sea: and they had laid their hands upon property which did not belong to them when they took possession of the vessel. Many persons thought that some judgment from God had overtaken and destroyed them. But it was not so. God, whose name is Merciful, gave them longer time to repent of their wickedness. They went first to Otaheite, where they took on board a few native men and women; and they then sailed to Pitcairn's Island, of which

you see an engraving. When they landed they broke the ship to pieces, and went to live in concealment among the rocks and woods of the desert island, where no man might see them.

      There they remained for some years, and their families began to grow up. Still, though they had the island to themselves, they could not live peaceably. They forgot God; they did not teach their children to read or to pray. Several of them were murdered in the quarrels which took place.

      At last, old John Adams was nearly the only one of the original crew who was left alive. He had a remarkable dream, which awakened his conscience. He owned an old bible and a prayer book, and he began to read them: by degrees he knew and felt what a sinner he was; he mourned for his wickedness in former days, and prayed to Gob for pardon through His dear Son, Jesus Christ. Then he set himself to teach the children and young persons how to read and to say prayers; and they built a little chapel, in which they all met together to worship God as they were taught to do in the Prayer-book.

      Now it happened that in the year 1815 an English ship, called the Briton, came near this island. The captain saw some natives coming down a steep hill with their light canoes on their shoulders. Two of them got into a canoe and paddled up to the ship. The captain, of course, was very much surprised when he heard one of them call out, in good English, "Won't you heave us a rope, now?" He

took them on board, longing to hear something of their history, which they told him. When he set some food before them and invited them to eat, both rose up, and one, placing his hands together, pronounced with much devotion the words "For what we are going to receive the Lord make us truly thankful." This was "the grace" which John Adams had taught them.

      In the year 1825, four years before John Adams died, the islanders were visited by Captain Beechey, who gives a favourable account of their religious observances: —

      "The Sabbath is wholly devoted to the Church Service, to prayer, reading, and serious meditation. No work of any kind is done on that day — not even cooking. I attended their Church," he says, "and found the service well conducted; the prayers were read by Adams, and the lessons by Buffett, the service being preceded by hymns. The greatest devotion was apparent in every individual; and in the children there was a seriousness unknown in the younger part of our communities at home. In the course of the Litany they prayed for their sovereign and all the royal family with much apparent loyalty and sincerity... A sermon followed, which was well delivered by Buffett, and

lest any part of it should be forgotten, or escape attention, it was read three times! The whole concluded with hymns, which were first sung by the grown people, and afterwards by the children."

      Captain Beechey did not fail to represent to the authorities at home the wants of the islanders in respect to many necessary articles of clothing, as well as of agricultural implements, and the government considerately sent out a store of such things to be despatched to them from Valparaiso. This service was performed by Captain (now Lord) Waldegrave, in the Seringapatum. As soon as he landed in company with the chaplain and some of his officers, finding several persons assembled to meet him, he said, — 'I have brought you a Clergyman.' 'God bless you,' issued from every mouth, 'but is he come to stay with us?' 'No.' 'You bad man, why not?' 'I cannot spare him, he is the Chaplain of my ship; but I have brought you clothes and other articles which King George has sent you. 'But,' said Betty Quintal, 'we want food for our souls.'

      Captain Waldegrave is another independent witness to the amiable character of the Pitcairn Islanders. 'The children,' he says, are attached and dutiful; the parents affectionate and kind: no harsh word is ever heard, and slander is unknown among them.' He was much struck with the strictness of their religious observances, and remarks, as others before him had done, how scrupulously they gave thanks, before sitting down to any meal, while 'on the arrival of any one during the repast, all of them

paused until the new guest had said grace.' Mr. Watson performed evening service on the day of their arrival, and when the general confession commenced, they all knelt down facing the Clergyman, with their hands raised to the breast in the attitude of prayer, and slowly and distinctly repeated the office after him. His sermon on the text 'Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom' being ended, they sang the hymn of departure.

      Captain Worth, who visited the island in 1848, presented to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel a report on their condition. He says: —

      "The form of government consists of a chief magistrate and two councillors; the magistrate, being elected annually, after his election nominates one councillor, the other being nominated by the people. All cases of difficulty are tried by a jury of seven persons, the accuser and accused having the privilege of objecting to any prejudiced person being included in it. George Adams, son of John Adams, one of the mutineers of the Bounty, is the present magistrate. They have church service twice in the week, and private prayers every morning and evening.

      "The children are taught reading and writing, arithmetic, geography, and history, in a spacious and airy schoolroom, which is likewise their church. Their schoolmaster, Mr. Nobbs, (who also officiates as their clergyman and doctor,) conducts their instruction with much ability and decorum.

      "In stature, feature, and complexion, as also in their

conversation, dress, and manner, these islanders so exactly resemble the people of one of our own villages of the better order, that I could scarcely bring myself to believe they were not such. A few of them, however, are rather darker than the generality of English-born subjects, partaking more after their half-Tahitian descent.

      "The usual recreations of the elder branches are, the hunting of wild goats, playing at ball, wrestling upon stilts, (at which they are very expert,) and dancing, for which latter purpose they are allowed to assemble one evening in each week. For the more steady and serious part of the community, they have a very tolerable library, well stocked with books of history, travels, voyages, and likewise works of fiction, by Sir Walter Scott, Marryatt, Dickens, &c., which have been from time to time collected, from gifts and purchases from the different vessels that have called at their island, and to which the officers of the Calypso liberally contributed. Flying kites, and playing in the surf on a board, are favourite amusements with the children, and also swimming and diving."

      In conclusion, we may add that the islanders are much indebted to the kind attentions of the Rev. W. Armstrong, Chaplain at Valparaiso, through whom parcels are frequently sent for their use. The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge has on more than one occasion provided them with serviceable books.

      The Gospel Missionary was the monthly publication of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.

"Pitcairn's Island.
      The Gospel Missionary.
Vol. 1, nos. 4 & 6 (1851)
pp. 49-52;& 85-88

  Notes  Source  Whalesite