Revised Jun 12 2021
August 9th.—W——has had very interesting letters today from Captains Fremantle and Denham, who have been superintending the arrival and first settlement of the Pitcairn Islanders in their new home at Norfolk Island. There had been a doubt, at one time, whether they would all be willing to leave Pitcairn. Old George Adams (sole remaining son of the original Adams) seemed unwilling to leave the place where his father's grave was, and one or two others had some uncomfortable feeling about Mr. Nobbs, who does not seem to have been liked by a portion of the people; but these little differences have all been set at rest at last, and the whole community made up their minds to come away together. The officer from the 'Juno' who was sent down to Pitcairn in the vessel that was to bring them away, says they they showed less emotion on leaving their old home than he should have expected. He says he never saw people suffer so dreadfully from sea-sickness as they did; and one or two of the women were actually so ill as not to be expected to live. However they all rallied at last, and arrived at Norfolk Island, I think on June 6th. They were a hundred and ninety-four in number, including a little 'Christian,' who was born on the voyage, and who was christened 'William Denison,'* after my good man. Five convicts had been left on Norfolk Island, with a storekeeper and superintendents, to take care of things till the Pitcairners' arrival; and these poor prisoners were so well behaved and so anxious to be of use, that Captain Fremantle did not find it necessary to confine them afer the arrival of the Pitcairn people. They were kept under surveillance, of course; but they were allowed to be employed, each one with a separate party of the Pitcairners, to teach them the use of the different tools and things; and Captain Fremantle says that nothing could be better behaved or useful than they were. You are to understand from this, that the poor Pitcairn people had not a notion of anything in the way of agricultural employment, beyond planting yams and potatoes in the most primitive manner possible; so it was supposed that they would be utterly bewildered with all the appliances placed at their disposal at Norfolk Island, unless there had been somebody to teach them how to use them. However, by the help of the five convicts, and some men from the 'Herald,' ploughs with oxen and horses, were set to work, &c., and a variety of things explained to the Pitcairners, who seem to be very intelligent and ready in learning to use them, and highly delighted with all these novelties. I do not believe they had ever seen a horse before, but they seem to be taking kindly to them, and some of the boys already mount and ride without a saddle, pretty much as one sees farm boys doing at home. They are rather alarmed at the number of cattle on the island; for, though they had a bull and a few cows at Pitcairn, they made no use of them, as none of the people, not even the babies, would drink milk! Is not this a curious fact? It was on a Sunday morning that they landed, and that evening they had a thanksgiving service for their safe voyage, 'and the following Sunday,' says Captain Denham, 'we had the satisfaction of receiving the Sacrament together with these interesting people. Mr. Nobbs read the service of the Church of England in a very impressive manner, and his flock sing the psalms, skilfully as well as very sweetly.' Altogether they are very interesting letters, but I dare say you will see the substance of them in some of the English papers some day, as they will be sent home.
* [Actually named Reuben Denison Christian, he was born May 9, 1856, and died at 23 months on April 24, 1858.]