Pitcairn's Island  Notes  Source  Whalesite

      Our readers will have become acquainted with the amiable Pastor of Pitcairn's Island from the memoir of him which we gave (vol. iii. p. 102) from the Rev. T. B. Murray's work on Pitcairn. The following passages from letters which have been lately received by Mr. Murray from the Rev. G. H. Nobbs, cannot fail to prove interesting

      "It has pleased our heavenly Father to permit me to return in safety to my island-home; and to a happy meeting with my family. I arrived here in H.M.S. Portland on the 15th of May, bringing with me my son and daughter. Admiral Moresby has continued to the last an untiring benefactor, to myself in particular and the islanders in general. The expense and trouble he has put himself to on our account would almost exceed belief; his reward is with Him who doeth all things well. We landed on the Sabbath; and after the evening service, when Mr. Holman

preached his farewell sermon, I read from the pulpit my ordination letters and licence as Chaplain of Pitcairn's Island, granted me by my honoured patron, the Lord Bishop of London. The Portland remained off the island four days, and then left us for the Gambier Islands. The next day after her departure, the influenza made its appearance; and as there were two or three persons on board the Portland who were affected with bronchitis, I am inclined to think the germs of the disease were derived from them. Unfortunately, the wind was from the northwest, and the atmosphere was very dense and heated; which acted as fuel to the contagion; and so rapid was its progress, that in one week there were not ten persons capable of attending to their own wants. It was the most severe attack since 1840, the date of its first appearance among

      After an absence of nine days, the Portland returned; and the people on board her observing a flag flying on the shore, supposed it to be an intimation that the surf was too heavy to admit of boats landing; and the vessel was in the very act of sailing away, when they providentially observed our boat coming off. On their making known to the Admiral our sad condition, he humanely lay by all night (it being very late when our boat got on board), and in the morning sent Captain Chads, and his Secretary, with one of the ship's surgeons to our assistance; as my small stock of tea and sugar was almost exbausted by imparting to those that had none, the Admiral sent on shore

a good supply, and the officers also contributed biscuits and other necessaries. I attribute the severity with which the disease was felt to the debilitated state of the community, owing to the scarcity of food which prevailed for some months prior to my arrival, when they had been reduced to great straits in consequence of the want of rain, which had prevented their planting their usual crop of sweet potatoes. It was for some weeks almost actual starvation; their only resource being half-grown pumpkins. My dear wife, while relating to me the history of their privations, said the circumstance which used to affect her most was, that the younger children would wake up about midnight, and cry for hours from sheer hunger, so unsubstantial was the fare they had partaken of previous to their going to bed. And I well know, when my children cry from hunger, their good mother's sufferings mentally and bodily must have been very great. After remaining with us twenty four hours the good Admiral was constrained to leave us, by reason of the water on board for drinking getting short; his destination was Callao. Myself and my son and daughter, who came with me, escaped the epidemic, and the rest of the community have nearly recovered; no deaths have occurred; so that we are able to sing of mercy and judgment.

      I have administered the holy Sacrament once since my return, and design (D.V.) to do so monthly. We have about 75 communicants. The number of inhabitants amount to 172; 85 males, 87 females. A

dreadful accident cccurred during my absence. H. M. S. Virago was just on the point of quitting the island, most of the community were on board taking leave; the few who remained on shore had assembled round the Bounty's gun, with the intention of firing a farewell salute. Matthew M'Coy was employed ramming home the cartridge, when the gun accidentally exploded; the poor man was dreadfully injured, and survived but a few hours, although he had the attendance of two surgeons from the Virago. He left a family of nine children to mourn his loss. Two other persons were badly wounded, and it was doubtful for some time if they would survive: one of them still suffers from his wounds.

      I should be very thankful for some copies of some small work upon the Holy Communion: from not having been in a capacity to administer it hitherto, I feel that my flock have not had so much instruction from me on this very momentous subject, as they ought to have had. Should you see or write at any time to the Lord Bishop of London, will you ' present my humble respects, and assure his Lordship I shall most rigidly adhere to his advice and instructions, and most grateful do I feel for the many favours received at his hands."

      "The Dido has just arrived, bringing your letter dated 18th June, which is the only one I have received since leaving England. She has brought large quantities of stores for us, both from the Government, yourself, and

      others; but we shall not have an opportunity of opening them before the Dido leaves, so I cannot add anything to the accompanying letter, but as soon as possible after the division of articles among the families, I shall trouble you with an account of our proceedings. You would be amused to see what a state of excitement our people are in. I think it must in some degree resemble the first opening of the Crystal Palace.

      I trust you will excuse this hasty and perhaps unsatisfactory scrawl; But I have twenty letters to write; the Captain of the Dido to accompany in his visits to the several families; and also to attend the landing of the goods."

      We are glad to learn that the Chaplain's want of certain books had been anticipated; a supply of works on the Holy Communion, the Bishop of London's Family Prayers, and other useful publications for the Island, having been despatched, as a grant from the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, in July last.

      Four Editions of the Rev. T. B. Murray's "Pitcairn, the Island, the People, and the Pastor," have been published in little more than a twelvemonth; 9,000 copies having been printed. The price of the work is now much

reduced; the Committee of General Literature and Education, under whose auspices it appeared, being desirous of giving it a yet more extensive circulation. Some of the new matter, which has been inserted for the first time in the present impression, will be acceptable to our readers.

      The Rev. G. H. Nobbs, chaplain of Pitcairn's Island, on his attending the Meeting of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, in December, 1852, informed the Board, that John Adams, whom he had known in the latter period of that extraordinary person's life, had been very fond of reading a book published by the Society, entitled, "The Knowledge and Practice of Christianity; an Instruction for the Indians, by the Right Rev. Dr. Wilson, Bishop of Sodor and Man."

      With reference to this book, and the mode by which it appears to have reached John Adams's hands, Mr. Murray records the following curious particulars (page 110): —

      "The author has had the satisfaction of finding, by reference to the records of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, that upwards of thirty-five years since, Pitcairn's Island partook of the benefits conferred by that institution. In the transactions of the year 1819, ten years before Adams's death, the following entry appears under the head of the Report from Calcutta; Dr. Middleton being then Bishop of Calcutta, and President of the Diocesan Committee: —

      In July last, an opportunity having occurred of communicating with the little colony on Pitcairn's Island in

the South Pacific Ocean, by the departure from Calcutta of the ship Hercules for that place, the Committee were unwilling to lose so interesting an occasion of adding to the various benevolent contributions made for the use of those islanders. It having been intimated that a supply of Bibles had been furnished by another Committee, the Diocesan Committee made such a selection of other books and tracts as appeared most suited to the situation of these people, which, together with New Testaments, Prayer books, and children's school-books, were placed under the care of Captain Henderson, accompanied by the following letter, addressed to John Adams, and the other islanders: —

      'It is with peculiar pleasure that I take an opportunity of sending to you by Captain Henderson, of the ship Hercules, a small stock of religious books, of which, probably, your society on Pitcairn's Island may stand much in need. They are a present from a Committee of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, established in this country; and I am sure that the prayers of this Committee attend their present, that the books may lead to the advancement of you all in religious knowledge, and in Christian holiness of life. You will find books of instruction fitted for all ages; and may God Almighty prosper you in the use of them!

      'At some future time, perhaps not very distant, you

may find opportunities of imparting the knowledge which you acquire, to the natives of other islands, in which the name of Jesus Christ is not known; and may become blessed instruments in the hand of God for extending the kingdom of His Son our Lord. I trust that you will eagerly seize any such occasion; and that by the example of your own lives, and by bringing up your children in habits of piety and virtue, you will recommend the Christian religion to others, as the only means of attaining true happiness here and hereafter. The Committee would be very glad to hear of the welfare of your little society; and I am, with every good wish and prayer

      There is something very affecting in the above letter, especially when we consider the present state and prospects of this estimable community, and take into account the unwearied efforts of old John Adams in doing that which is here recommended. And who can tell how greatly he was animated and encouraged in his work, by such a wise and affectionate communication as this!

      It appears (page 240) that the loyal islanders of Pitcairn have manufactured and forwarded a specimen of their mechanical taste and industry, for presentation to the Queen, and that Her Majesty has received it very graciously "from her subjects in Pitcairn." It was accompanied by the following address: —

"May it Please Your Majesty, —

      "We, your Majesty's loyal and devoted subjects, the inhabitants of Pitcairn's Island, avail ourselves of an opportunity just offered us, to assure your gracious Majesty of our loyal attachment to your person and Government.

      The recollection of your Majesty's ships' visits to our island will be preserved with pride and gratitude; and we desire to express, in the most unqualified manner, our thanks for these gracious marks of Royal favour. We humbly trust we may be allowed to consider ourselves your Majesty's subjects, and Pitcairn's Island a British colony, as long as it is inhabited by us, in the fullest sense of the word.

      Several years since, the Captain of your Majesty's ship Fly took formal possession of our little island, and placed us under your Majesty's protection. And if your Majesty's Government would grant us a document, declaring us an integral part of your Majesty's dominion, we should be freed from all fears (perhaps groundless) on that head; and such a gracious mark of your Royal favour would be cherished by us to an exertion in the discharge of the various duties incumbent on British subjects.

      The Commander-in-Chief for the time being in the Pacific Ocean has permitted a ship of war to visit us occasionally; and we humbly trust your Majesty will be pleased to permit those visits to be continued, if your Majesty's

Government should think fit to remove us to some other place.

      At the suggestion of our worthy benefactor, Rear-Admiral Moresby, we have ventured to present your gracious Majesty with a small chest-of-drawers of our own manufacture from the island wood, The native name of the dark wood is Miro. The bottoms of the drawers are made of the bread-fruit-tree. Our means are very limited, and our mechanical skill also; and we will esteem it a great favour if your Majesty would condescend to accept of it as a token of our loyalty and respect to our gracious Queen.

      In conclusion, we beg to add our earnest desire and prayer that your Majesty may long live to govern those whom God has placed under your Majesty's care and protection. May He strengthen, protect, and prosper you, is the earnest desire of

by themselves. This lovely and fertile island is situated on the 29th parallel of south latitude, to the northward of New Zealand. The author further informs us that it had been in the contemplation of the British Government to remove the people of Pitcairn to Norfolk Island, for their sole use and occupation, as soon as all the convicts should have been conveyed from thence. But these measures have been indefinitely postponed, in consequence of certain difficulties with regard to the entire evacuation of Norfolk Island, than which there could not be a worse place for the pure and amiable Pitcairners, unless it were completely cleared of such of its unhappy occupants as still remain upon it.

      Since the general expression of the view of government with regard to this transfer, it has been suggested by the Bishop of New Zealand, that his Melanesian college, for the instruction of the natives of the Southern Pacific Islands, might also be properly established on Norfolk Island. Whatever changes may be in store for the people of Pitcairn, it is fervently to be hoped that their blameless and peculiar paths of life may not be broken in upon, and that their communications with strangers may not be such as to efface, or even impair the distinctive character now belonging to the inhabitants of Pitcairn. Wherever they may settle, they ought to have free access to the sea. Their entire command over the difficult landing-place at Pitcairn has been one of their chief enjoyments and advantages.

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

      Rev. Thomas Boyles Murray, M.A., Nov. 16, 1798 - Sep. 24, 1860, was Secretary to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge from 1832 for twenty-eight years.

"Pitcairn's Island.
      The Gospel Missionary.
Vol. 4, nos. 42 & 46 (June and October 1854)
pp. 87-91;& 150-156

  Notes  Source  Whalesite