Revised Jun 21 2021
As the real position of the island was ascertained to be far distant from that in which it had been usually laid down in the charts, and as Sir T. Staines and Captain Pipon seem to have still considered it as uninhabited, they were not a little surprised, on approaching its shores, to behold plantations regularly laid out, and huts or houses more neatly constructed than those of the Marquesas Islands. When about two miles from the landing-place, some natives were observed bringing down their canoes on their shoulders, dashing through a heavy surf, and paddling off to the ships; but the astonishment of our sailors was unbounded on hearing one of the natives, on approaching the ship, call out in the English language, "Won't you heave us a rope, now?"
The first man who got on board the Briton soon proved who they were. His name, he said, was Thursday October Christian, the first born on the island,* son of Fletcher Christian. He was then about twenty-five years of age, a fine young man, about six feet high, his hair deep black, his countenance open and interesting, of a brownish cast, but free from all that mixture of a reddish tint which prevails on the Pacific islands; his only dress was a piece of cloth round his loins, and a straw hat, ornamented with the black feathers of the domestic fowl. "With a great share of good humour," says Captain Pipon, "we were glad to trace in his benevolent countenance all the features of an honest English face. I must confess," he continues, "I could not survey his interesting person without feelings of tenderness and compassion. His companion was named George Young, a fine youth of seventeen or eighteen years of age."
∗ He was born on a Thursday in October.
If the astonishment of the captains was great on hearing their first salutation in English, their surprise and interest were not a little increased, on Sir Thomas Staines taking the youths below and setting before them something to eat, when one of them rose up, and placing his hands together in a posture of devotion, distinctly repeated, and in a pleasing tone and manner, "For what we are going to receive, the Lord make us truly thankful!"
They expressed great surprise on seeing a cow on board the Briton, and were in doubt whether she was a great goat, or a horned sow.