Pitcairn's Island  Notes  Source  Whalesite

Captain Robinson (H.M.S. Opal)
to Rear-Admiral de Horsey
August 15, 1879

    No. 49.

Sir,

      In compliance with your order to call at Pitcairn Island on my way to Valparaiso in Her Majesty's ship under my command, to convey an organ, a present from Her Majesty the Queen to the Pitcairn Islanders, I have the honour to report that I left San Francisco on the 27th of May last, and anchored of Bounty Bay, Pitcairn Island, on the 2nd July, and delivered to Mr. McCoy, the magistrate and chief ruler, the organ, which was safely landed the same evening.

      2. For some days previous to our reaching Pitcairn Island northerly winds were experienced, accompanied by a very heavy northerly swell, and during the night before our arrival it blew hard from the north-west with thunder, lightning, and torrents of rain; the following morning at daylight, when the ship's position placed her nearly up to the Island, the heavy rain prevented anything being seen a ship's length off, I therefore turned round and stopped, and kept the ship the reverse course, and waited for the weather to clear; it did so shortly before 8 o'clock, the wind shifting at the same time to the southwest, when the Island was discovered a short distance off. I steamed in for Bounty Bay, and anchored off it in 15 fathoms water, at a distance of 530 yards from the shore. Owing to the bad weather which had extended to the Island, and to the north-west wind which made Bounty Bay a lee shore, so heavy a surf was breaking that I feared communication would be impossible, but the Islanders launched their boat through it, and Mr. McCoy came on board; fortunately the change of wind to the south-west caused the sea rapidly to subside, and by the evening the landing of the organ was possible without risk; it was placed in the Islanders' boat alongside the "Opal," and although only weighing about 500 lbs. its height (nearly six feet in the case) made it an awkward and difficult thing to secure in a light gig in so heavy a sea, Mr_ McCoy with a picked crew took it on shore, and it wa s most interesting to watch the skill with which the boat was brought through the heavy surf; repeatedly after starting from behind the rollers to come in she had to back out again clear of the surf till the exact moment had arrived when, in obedience to a signal from Thursday October Christian, perched high on a rock directing those in the boat, she dashed in during a quieter moment between the rollers, and was quickly hauled up high and dry on the scrap of beach the few rocks which form the slight protection to the landing, and without as much as even a spray reaching the present, the safe landing of which all were watching with the greatest anxiety.

      To Thursday October Christian, the oldest man on the Island, is assigned the responsible duty of piloting their boat over the surf when it is dangerous, but the right moment for coming in appeared to be known to all, for simultaneously with Christian's signal those around involuntarily cried out, "now bring her in," and I observed that they appeared to watch out to sea for the right time more than the rollers off the beach; but familiar as these nearly amphibious people are with their landing place, and notwithstanding their courage and wonderful skill, serious accidents sometimes happen; not long before our arrival their boat was upset in the surf, and all the thwarts torn out of her, the crew being carried by the undertow far out from the land. The place abounds with sharks, but they do not fear them, and call them "good shark," as they say they sometimes swim side by side with them yet they have never touched an Islander.

      Their present boat is a light gig left by the "Cornwallis," an English vessel wrecked there in January last year, to replace their whale boat which was damaged beyond repair while saving the lives of the crew of that ship; the gig appeared a nice boat well adapted to their wants, but they said she was neither so good nor so safe as a whale boat.

      Owing to the heavy rain the narrow path up the cliffs to Adamstown was so slippery, that we found even climbing up it difficult; the sturdy inhabitants, however, thought little of it, for they shouldered the organ and walked it up to the top and to the church-house without once pausing, no light feat considering the state of the path, and that their village is 210 feet above the sea. The night had closed in before they had got it up, but the full moon which had just risen made the little village almost as light as day. It is difficult to describe the gratitude of the Islanders to Her Majesty for the present, or their pleasure with the form in which you placed the gift, the whole community assembled to see the organ unpacked and placed in the church-house, and when there their first impulse and act was the spontaneous bursting forth of "God save the Queen," and as their sweet voices sang verse after verse of our anthem, their earnestness and depth of feeling spoke more than words can convey their gratitude and loving loyalty to the Queen; this natural expression of the fulness of their simple hearts was eloquence they were unaware of, and touchingly conveyed thanks which they tried so often, and so hard to put into words. They appear to have feared that in leaving Norfolk Island they might have been thought ungrateful for that gift, and that in having done so they incurred displeasure, and had forfeited their right to be considered belongino-b to England; a present so unexpected, from the Queen removed this fear, and intensified a delight too real to be called extravagant.

      3. The following day all on the island were busily employed supplying the "Opal" with yams, sweet potatoes, and other vegetables, a ten days' supply of which, together with some fruit, I was glad to be able to get for the ship company, a partial change in diet much needed, considering the length of the passage from San Francisco to Valparaiso — the distance sailed over being 8,836 miles. The crops had been abundant, and had our stay been longer they could and would have gladly have given us far more than we took, but the double pleasure of supplying our wants, and coming off to see the ship, limited the amount they could get ready in the short time we remained. The value at which the supplies were rated was three halfpence per pound, a lesser rate than anywhere else on this station, and, according to their wish, I bartered soap in payment; certain other Government stores, induced by their urgent necessities, I left with the Islanders; I have detailed these in another letter, and trust my act may receive approval. Arrowroot continues to be manufactured by the Islanders in the hope that ships passing might like to take it in barter, but as ships generally require fruit and vegetables, they cannot readily dispose of their arrowroot which is to be regretted, as from its purity and excellent quality, and their industry in making it, it deserves a market.

      4. Little change has taken place in this small community since your visit in September last year. They all appeared in excellent health at present; their numbers 93, three children have been born since then; one man, an American. named Peter Butler, who had lived among them for about two years, left the island in October last year, leaving a wife and twin babies behind; although she appears still to hope he may return, others do not consider this probable, particularly as two of the native Islanders who left by the same vessel (trading to the Samoan Islands) have come back.

      The Islanders appear to dislike, but to be doubtful, of their power to prevent strangers particularly foreigners taking up their abode among them; they say that foreigners do not care to submit to the laws of the island, (professing not to consider them English laws,) an exemption from control which brings ridicule and reproach on the simple rules which they find sufficient for themselves and cheerfully submit to; their uneasiness about this, and anxiety to know the status of foreigners who might come, and the authority of the magistrate over them, was very marked. Mr. McCoy put the case in a very apposite manner in saying, "if a stranger who may be on the island, wishes to marry one of our women, and she also desires it, let them do so; but surely the man should take his wife away to his own home, and not expect to settle in his wife's, and fill to overflowing the island, none too large for its own people."

      5. A schooner trading among the islands of the Low Archipelago has visited Pitcairn Island for the same purpose, and left in store with Mr.

McCoy piece goods, cloths, soap, &c., for disposal during her absence, specie payment on the master's return for what the Islanders have purchased being a "sine qua non," has I think developed a willingness (if not a desire) for a similar mode in dealing for supplies, and would perhaps have been preferred from the "Opal," had not soap been so much wanted, and the rate per pound of that from us small, when compared with the cost of that in the store for sale, all the articles left there appearing very expensive.

      6. On the 3rd of July I asked the Islanders to visit the "Opal," and with the exception of three women, who remained to take care of the very youngest babies, I think every soul came; unfortunately the ground swell at such an exposed anchorage made the "Opal" pitch and roll considerably, and as her disturbing powers are great, I was not surprised to find that the combined motion produced sea sickness, which soon prostrated the women and children, they appeared, however, to prefer it, and remaining on board, to returning to the shore, a fortitude I was glad of, as it enabled some photographs of them to be taken during pauses in their indisposition as these, the first I think taken of them on the island, will be interesting, I append a few to this letter.

      7. On the "Opal's" destination becoming known at San Francisco, numerous presents were sent on board for the Pitcairn Islanders who speak most thankfully of the kindness of the people of San Francisco, who, when they get an opportunity, send things they think are most required; they sent some packets of seeds, and I was also able to give the Islanders a considerable number of pods of the "silk cotton plant," — I got them last year at Bara-Bara when the "Opal" visited the independent islands of the Society group; it is so very much superior to the poor quality of cotton they are trying to cultivate at Pitcairn, and they appeared to prize it so highly, that I hope they will be able to raise it from the seed I left.

      8. Mr. McCoy mentioned to me the custom which has always existed of referring to the captain of the first English man-of-war visiting the island, any case where the judgment of the magistrate does not give satisfaction. I am glad to say that there was nothing they wished me to decide, and that perfect harmony prevailed.

      Your recent visit makes it unnecessary for me to do more than allude to the simple piety and moral excellence ef these charming Islanders, whose guilelessness and affectionate hospitality must win on the hearts of all who come in contact with them; it did so with us, and I should be sorry to lose this opportunity of mentioning opinions so much in accord with those of previous visitors.

      They were in great distress at having nothing they could think worthy to offer for Her Majesty's acceptance. and they brought off a model of one of their canoes, which they ventured to hope the Queen would deign to receive from them. I have caused it to be securely packed, and beg you will give me directions as to its disposal.

      By sunset on the 3rd the supplies we needed were received, and having landed the majority of our guests, I prepared for departure. It was dark before their boat returned for Mr. McCoy and Mrs. Simon Young, the pastor's wife, and her two daughters, who had remained on board till the last; these also then bid us an affectionate farewell, repeated from the boat with hearty cheers and kind wishes; cordially reciprocating these we steamed to sea, and as we left we heard those in the boat once again with more than loyalty singing "God save the Queen."

      Admiral Sir Algernon Frederick Rous de Horsey KCB DL (25 July 1827 – 22 October 1922) was a Royal Navy officer. From September 20, 1876 until July 21, 1879 he was Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Station at Esquimalt on Vancouver Island. He was promoted to vice admiral November 27, 1879 and to Admiral April 29, 1885. He was also appointed aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria.

      Captain Frederick Charles Bryan Robinson (1836 - 1896) commanded H.M.S. Opal on the Pacific Station in 1879. His later career included being appointed Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station in 1891. He was elected a member of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1874 and later became a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Document no. 84. August 15, 1879. "Captain Robinson (H.M.S. Opal) to Rear-Admiral de Horsey". Pages 1465 to 1467.

Pitcairn's Island  Notes  Source  Whalesite