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. . . .
PITCAIRN'S ISLAND.An interesting communication has just been received from this place. The inhabitants were all well on the 14th September, 1855, the date of the Chaplain's letter to the Rev. T. B. Murray. They had heard of the death of the Czar Nicholas; but, as no newspaper was on board the vessel which conveyed the intelligence, they were still in the dark. Though they had suffered some anxiety from a poor yam harvest, they had a good stock of sweet potatoes to turn to, and the "pinch of the year” was past. They were awaiting the measures of Government for their transfer to Norfolk Island, some having relinquished house-building in expectation of this important change. It appears, by accounts from Sydney, that Sir W. Denison, Governor of New South Wales, had, in September last, under instructions from home, dispatched a vessel to Pitcairn's Island, with a view of making arrangements. It was intended that, on her return to Sydney, a transport should be fitted out, for the purpose of conveying the islanders to their new and beautiful abode.The accompanying view of the Island was sketched from H.M.S. Amphitrite, in March last.  PITCAIRN'S ISLAND — SKETCHED FROM H.M.S. "AMPHITRITE". [Click on image to enlarge view.] "We arrived (says a Correspondent) at Valparaiso, on the 19th March, after a long and tedious cruise from San Francisco, touching at Sandwich and Society Islands, also Pitcairn's Island, on our way down. While we were at the Sandwich Isles, King Kamehameha III. died, at the age of forty-one, of excessive drinking. "We arrived at Pitcairn's Island on the 17th February. The islanders came off in a whale-boat, and seemed glad to see us. The Captain and officers spent the day on shore, and were most kindly treated. In the evening we went to the schoolhouse, where all the people assembled, sung very nicely, and finished with "God Save the Queen." We took a cow and several other useful presents to the islanders. They now number between 180 and 190, and talk about removing to Norfolk Island this year; but I think the greater proportion will remain at Pitcairn's, being much attached to it. It is, however, impossible they can all remain there much longer, it being only five miles in circumference, and a great deal of the island is too mountainous to cultivate. They live principally on yams and sweet potatoes; which they till with great success, theirs being the finest I have seen in the Pacific. Animal food they indulge in only on Sundays. On February 18th we left, and arrived at Valparaiso the 19th March, having gone over upwards of 104,000 miles during the commission." . . . .
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Source.
"Pitcairn's Island".
This transcription was made from the image at Hathi Trust.
Last updated by Tom Tyler, Denver, CO, USA, Jun 28, 2023
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