Revised Jun 21 2021
Mr. Nobbs, during his absence from Pitcairn, was at the Gambier Islands, where he employed himself as a teacher, biding his time in patience, and employing, in his own homely manner, the talent entrusted to his use.
Gambier's group, about three hundred miles W.N. W. of Pitcairn, consists of eight islands, surrounded by coral reefs, enclosing a lagoon in which there are several secure anchoring-places, but which contains dangerous knolls of coral. Admiral Beechey gives a pleasing account of his visit to these islands in January, 1826, and of his interviews with the natives. His vessel rode safely in the lagoon, where the crew caught a large quantity of fish. The people came out on rafts to the vessel, and were delighted with the presents which they received. One of them snatched up a small terrier dog, which was not intended for him; and it was only by force that he was prevented carrying it away. Others wanted to possess themselves, without a title, of a large Newfoundland dog; "but he was big and surly enough to take care of himself."
Of these islands, which afforded a safe asylum to the pastor, during his exclusion from Pitcairn, the recent accounts, furnished by Captain Morshead, of H.M.S. Dido, are too valuable to be lost. That officer, who had been instructed by Admiral Moresby, after leaving Pitcairn, to visit the Gambier Islands, with the view of ascertaining the capabilities of the gioup, as a place of call for the trans-Pacific steamers, supplied the following report:—
"On the morning of the 10th November, 1853, I stood close along the N.E. side of Crescent Isle, with Mount Duff in sight, and having got the S.W. end of Wainwright Island on with the mountain, we carried six fathoms over the barrier reef; and passing to the eastward of Wainwright Island, anchored on the same afternoon in eighteen fathoms (sand) under Eelson Island, which, according to Captain Beechey and the Pacific Directory, is good anchorage, and best water. I landed immediately to see the watering-place; but it was with much difficulty that we succeeded in getting the gig over the reef, and found only a very small stream of water, not more than would run from the neck of a bottle, with a few detached wells. Before moving the ship, I went the next morning in the gig to see the water, and landed on Peard Island, to the southward of Mount Duff, marked in Beechey's plan 'good water.' Here the landing is impracticable for a loaded boat, but we found a good stream a long way in shore, which is now divided to irrigate the tara beds, and trickles at last over the rocks into the sea in numerous little streamlets. The east side of the island, near the King's house, was the only place we could find fit for watering; and on the following morning I moved the ship over, and anchored off the S.E. angle of Peard Island, about a mile from the watering-place, in twenty-two fathoms (sand), and a labyrinth of coral patches all around us. By turning two streams into one, and damming it up, we were enabled to fill about three tuns in two hours, and to bring off with some difficulty about ten or twelve tuns daily. As water is abundant, reservoirs and tanks might easily be constructed, should they ever become a rendezvous. I found the French Protectorate flag flying on shore, and five French families, but no one in any official capacity. There are three Romish priests on the islands, Father Cyprian being at their head, who holds the king and natives in the most perfect subjection, both temporal and spiritual. There are several stone-built houses on the island, and a handsome Romish church 200 feet long, with a double row of columns inside, and capable of containing a thousand persons: the altar is chaste and beautiful, formed of mother-of-pearl. Upon the hill on the south side of Mount Duff is a cemetery, and a convent containing one hundred nuns and sixty children, whose interval between prayers and penance is filled up by trundling a distaff, and spinning native cotton, to supply a factory with a dozen hand-looms at work.
"With respect to supplies, mountain sheep, goats, hogs, fowls, and fish can be procured. Most of the tropical vegetables grow, tara and pumpkin being principally cultivated; but onions, leeks, carrots, spinach, lettuces, and cabbages, with a few European potatoes, are cultivated by . the French families. Of fruit, cocoa-nuts, bananas, bread-fruit, and pine-apples are abundant and very fine; oranges and limes are scarce; the paw-paw apple and fig are also there. Wood for building and firing is scarce and bad, the bread-fruit timber being principally used.
"The islands produce annually about four hundred tons of pearl-shells, and pearls about equal in value to the shells. Nearly every native had a few pearls concealed about his person, and rather over-estimated their value. There were several large collections on the islands, and some very indifferent; but a few in the possession of the king were magnificent. The population is now a little above two thousand, an epidemic having lately (according to Father Cyprian) swept off several hundreds, The natives are rather a good specimen of the Koauka race tractable, hard-working, and expert boatmen. They were all well dressed; and clothes, cutlery, tobacco, and soap were sought after, and readily taken in exchange for supplies. The king having expressed a desire to see the ship, I received him with manned yards, and a salute, at which he was delighted; but no flag was hoisted, not being aware that the French Protectorate is either claimed or acknowledged. His Majesty was accompanied by the priests, and is a fine-looking man, above the middle age, and was dressed in plain European costume. He had a mild, intelligent countenance."