Pitcairn's Island  Notes  Source  Whalesite

Captain Montresor (H.M.S. Calypso)
to Rear-Admiral Baynes
(October 7, 1860)

Sir

      I had the honor in my letter of the 12th September, No 46, to acquaint you with my having left Tahiti on the 11th September 1860 in Her Majesty's Ship under my command in furtherance of your sailing orders directing me to proceed thence to Pitcairn's Island "for the purpose of ascertaining what number of the original Islanders had returned there, their reason for leaving Norfolk Island with any other intelligence respecting the state of the Island".

Rear Admiral
      Sir R.L. Baynes K.C.B.
            Commander in Chief

      2. After a rough passage in which we were driven as far South as Latitude 40° 53' being then in Longitude 138° 40' before the wind favored us we arrived at Pitcairn Island at O^h 35^m P.M. of the 5th Instant and shortening all sail from royals and studding sails to topsails and jib as we rounded the point which brought us in sight of the landing place, we stood in under easy sail and hove to for the purpose of giving the Islanders an opportunity of boarding us but it was not till 2^h 30 P.M. that two little canoes each paddled by one man only, came off; these men proved to be William Mayhew Young and Moses Young cousins aged 33 and 30 and from them the following information was obtained.

      3. Of the original Islanders who had returned and who, with one infant born since their return, form at present the

whole population of the Island there are two families a list of whose names is enclosed the heads of which are William and Moses Young. William Young's wife, the oldest person on the Island, being 39 years of age, was the widow of Philip McCoy and her family by her first husband now form part of the family of William Young all the rest of the children except the two eldest McCoys are quite young and mostly females, the proportion of the thirteen children being ten girls to three boys.

      4. I questioned the men upon their reasons for leaving the Island, and they both said it was principally on account of the health of their wives with whom the climate of Norfolk Island did not agree and also that they felt a strong desire to revisit their native country; these were the only reasons alleged to me, but to the Officers with whom they were more confidential they admitted that

they did not consider Norfolk Island as their own, that nothing could be kinder than the Governor of New South Wales of which they spoke with grateful respect, but that a Schoolmaster and a Miller had been placed among them who were not of them, the Schoolmaster having charge of the Sheep on the Island which they had been led to believe would have been their own property; and that some Sappers and Miners with their wives and families had also been quartered on the Island; that their own Magistrates, formerly responsible only to the people themselves, were now held responsible by Government for the performance of certain obligations by the people and that altogether they found it was so different from the life of freedom and irresponsibility to all but themselves and their elected Magistrates they had led at Pitcairn that they had a longing to be

back to the Island where nobody could interfere with them however good and kind the intention, and however necessary perhaps the interference. All this was said not in the tones of complaint against the Authorities but rather in self exculpation of what might be deemed their feckleness of mind, and whatever justice there may be in these arguments the first and great reason for their return and which could not veil itself from our observation, was evidently the longing for the land of their birth, the land where their forefathers were buried. Moses Young exclaimed as we went on shore pointing to the English Ensign they had hoisted "Ah! there's the flag I shall be buried under", and William Young told the Senior Lieutenant that no one belonging to him should ever leave the Island again if he could help it.

      5. The present inhabitants of

Pitcairn left Norfolk Island on the 28th November 1858 in the "Mary Anne", English trader, which they hired to take them over. The Governor (Sir William Dennison) was aware they said of their intention and had given his permission and Mr. Nobbs though sorry to part with his relative, the wife of William Young, had also sanctioned and advised their return.

      6. In the literally infant state of this Colony they have as yet no recognized laws and no Magistrate, but it is the intention of the heads of the two families as their children grow up to establish the same rules which have been handed down to them from the time of old John Adams. McArthy (the Chaplain) questioned both men and women as to their observance of religious duties and ascertained that the children had been baptized when born and that they had Church Service morning and evening on Sundays beside daily

morning and evening prayers.

      7. The Island had been perfectly healthy ever since their return, one death only having occurred, that of an infant seven days old the child of William Young.

      8. Having ascertained that the landing was perfectly practicable I landed in the Cutter accompanied by the Second Lieutenant and Chaplain and Moses Young. We landed at high tide in Bounty Bay and though there was a good breeze from S.E. we had no difficulty whatever in landing quite dry. The island has been so well described and will be so familiar to the mind that it will be unnecessary to repeat any description of its beauty.

      9. We found after clambering up the ascent, the Church and Schoolhouse sadly dilapidated and the whole of the houses unroofed except the two which the two

families had taken possession of, this had been done, and the material, plank and nails, used for building a boat (which boat I saw at Tahiti) by some men who had been shipwrecked at Pitcairn during the absence of its inhabitants.

      10. The houses we went into were neat and clean resembling in the interior the cabin of a Merchant Ship with a row of six bunks on one side. We found the farms well stocked with a quantity of breeding sows and fattening hogs (all well bred animals) goats and poultry, having the appearance of a farm of a thriving tenant farmer in England: the island moreover we were told abounds in wild goats and poultry and that wild cattle from the original stock presented by Admiral Moresby had increased so greatly and had become so wild and fierce that they were obliged to kill them off and

had shot six and twenty since their return.

      11. One Whaler had visited the Island a few months since and had been supplied with Stock and Water. I asked in case of crops failing what they would live on? They seemed to be amused at the question and said unless they chose there would be no absolute necessity for their having crops at all, that bread fruit, taro, and peas grew wild and in abundance and that independant of the Cattle there were wild goats and poultry enough to supply them with flesh and fowl for years.

      12. In conclusion I have to remark that the men appeared to be sensible, hardworking, steady good men (neither of them when on board would touch anything but water) the women modest, pleasing and homely in their manners and the children neither shy nor bold all appeared healthy.

I have no misgiving but that under Gods providence Pitcairn with the nucleus of inhabitants it now possesses, fewer far than those who first landed there from the "Bounty", will in time again have to throw off its swarm; the only fear which presents itself being as to what is to become of these women and helpless children if anything should happen to the two men. And again, if when these ten girls are grown up with only three boys and perhaps two old men to protect them what might be the consequence of the Godless crew of a Whaler landing on the Island? We were told by both men and women that they were in almost certain expectation of being joined by five other families from Norfolk Island and for the reasons given, and on account of the very great disparity of numbers in the two sexes it is to be hoped more will return, and for my part, having now seen their island

home, I have no doubt in my own mind that the love of the "native soil" will induce more to revisit it. As I shook hands with the women in parting I asked if they were really glad they had returned to which they both replied "Oh yes indeed", with an unmistakable earnestness as to their happiness in being again at home.

      13. The evening was now drawing in and as I was anxious to get the Youngs on shore and to take my own departure before it was quite dark I returned to the Ship, having previously deposited with our Island friends, who were gratefully anxious to make us some return, sundry Carpenter's tools, shot, powder, yards of Calico, needles, thread, locks, hinges, screws &^ca together with slates and pencils, writing paper and a number of books, a large box of what were considered necessaries having been made up between

myself and the Officers. The Cutter having been hoisted up and the canoes having taken their departure sail was made on the Ship and we stood off from the land and proceeded in the prosecution of our voyage to Valparaiso. The interest which still clings to the subject will I hope plead my apology for this somewhat protracted account of the Pitcairn Islanders.

            I have &^ca
(Signed) F.B. Montresor
                Captain

(Signed) F.B. Montresor
Captain           

      Pagination of the original autograph has been maintained.

      Admiral Sir Robert Lambert Baynes KCB (1796 – 1869) was a British Royal Navy admiral who was Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station (8 July 1857 - 5 May 1860). [Wikipedia]

      Frederick Byng Montresor (1811 – 1887) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, East Indies & Cape of Good Hope Station. He was promoted to Captain in 1857 and took command of H.M.S. Calypso.

Document no. 80. October 7, 1860. "Captain Montresor (H.M.S. Calypso) to Rear-Admiral Baynes". Pages 1416 to 1441.

Pitcairn's Island  Notes  Source  Whalesite