Revised Jun 12 2021
My Lords:
The remarkable circumstances which took place on my last voyage to the Pacific Ocean will, I trust, plead my apology for addressing your lordships at this time.
In February, 1808, I touched at Pitcairn’s island in lat. 25 deg 2 min. sou long. 130 deg west of Greenwich. My principal object was to procure sealskins for the China market; and from the account given of the island in Captain Carteret’s voyage I supposed it to be uninhabited; but on approaching the shore in my boat I was met by three young men in a double canoe with a present of some fruit and a hog. They spoke to me in English and informed me that they were born on the island and their father was an Englishman who sailed with Captain Bligh. I landed with them and found an Englishman by name of Alexander Smith, who informed me that he was one of the Bounty’s crew and that after putting Captain Bligh in the boat with half the ship’s company, they returned to Otaheite where part of the crew chose to tarry; but Mr. Christian with eight others, including himself preferred going to a more remote place; and after making a short stay at Otaheite, where they took wives and six men servants, they proceeded to Pitcairn’s Island where they destroyed the ship.
About six years after they landed at this place their servants attacked and killed all the English except the informant and he was severely wounded. The same night the Otaheitan widows arose and murdered all their countrymen, leaving Smith and the widows and children.
I remained but a short time on the island and on leaving it Smith presented me a time piece and an azimuth compass, which he told me belonged to the Bounty. The timekeeper was taken from me by the governor of the island of Juan Fernandez after I had had it in my possession about six weeks.
The compass I put in repair on board ship and made use of it on my homeward passage. I now forward it to your lordships thinking there will be a kind of satisfaction in receiving it.
(signed) Mayhew Folger