Revised Jun 12 2021
We now shaped our course to the west for the Society Islands, having orders to land the Miesionaries and their stores at the Island of Raitea. On the 7th we saw the Pitcairians. I went on shore with the boat where I found the landing very bad and, if it had not been for one of the Natives swimming off to pilot us, we should have had the boat stove against the Rocks. I found the Inhabitants in a sad way. A Mr. Hill had got amongst them and, like the fable of the Snake and the Porcupine, had asked to live in a Mans House and then turned the Man out and made himself Governor, telling the people that he was sent out from England. I had seen the man before at the Sandwich Islands. He got there from America in a Whale ship. The man was such a Nuisance, that if he got but once into your home, he would not go out for Months. Before, from the Sandwich Isles he got to the Society Isles, there he again fastened himself upon some of the European inhabitants that it was some months before they could get rid of him and ship him off to Pitcarians. Governor Hill, as he styled himself, had built a prison, formed a privy Counsel, established a Police, and in fact became very arbitrary in his government.
I found many of the inhabitants were confined to their Houses and not allowed to speak to Mr. Hill's party. They attempted to stop me from visiting them, but I wished to hear both stories.
One man, an Englishman, claimed my protection. Previous to my visit, Mr. Hill had seized him up and flogged him and when I returned to Mr. Hill's House, he came to speak to Mr. Hill before me, but he was knocked down by the Privy Counsel and turned out. There were two other Englishmen living on the Islands who had married Native women and had large families. They were the leading men before Mr. Hill came and it is his wish to get rid of them. These men petitioned me to take them Off the Island. I believe our landing did some good, for now all the inhabitants came together and thanked [us] for coming to their assistance. The Missionaries also talked to them and begged them to live in peace. I saw two of the old Otaheitian women that had been taken there in the Bounty. I also visited the grave of old Adams, the father of these people. I think there were 69 in number. Their going to Otaheite had reduced their number.
These poor people treated us very well for they sent on board what ever their Island afforded. I gave them some clothes and Many little things they stood in need of. I saw the Iron ballast that formerly belonged to the Bounty. In the evening we left this Island and proceeded towards Otaheite. We had much rain, Thunder and lightning all the Passage through the low Islands. On the 22nd of March we saw the Island of Otaheite.