Births  Marriages  Deaths  &c. &c.

1853 continued

the first Steam vessel the people had ever seen and the pleasant cruize they took on her round their Island with the great kindness and attention of the Captain and officers will never be forgotten. On Wednesday 26 after the last boat had left the Island and mutual wishes for the blessings of God had been offered on both sides, The Chief Magistrate Matthew McCoy together with Charles Driver Christian and Wm Evans went for the purpose of loading the Bountys old gun to give the good friends a parting salute according to the usual custom. They had put in the charge and were in the act of ramming it home when it suddenly exploded. M. McCoy was blown several feet away from the gun his right arm dreadfully shattered, his body burnt in several places and his whole system received a most severe shock. Charles D. Christian was badly wounded in the legs and also slightly burnt. Wm. Evans received a violent shock and was slightly wounded [?] They were immediately conveyed to the nearest house and within less than half an hour the surgeons of the Virago (They having fortunately seen from the ship that something had happened) were on shore. M. McCoys arm was soon after amputated, but the shock proved too severe, he gradually sunk and expired twelve hours after the accident. As Wm Evans recovered from the immediate effects of the shock he was siezed with violent fits and the Doctors were for sometime in great doubts of his recovery, however he got better by degrees and has every chance of doing well. Charles D. Christian