Revised Jun 22 2021
Extract of a letter from the Admiral's Secretary:—
"At 6.30 A.M. of the 6th, as we were dancing along about eight knots an hour before a fresh breeze, we discovered a thin blue shadow, whose outline appeared to be too well defined to be a cloud; at 9 we were certain that we saw Pitcairn's Island. Having read so much about the mutiny of the Bounty, and the subsequent romantic history of the mutineers, which has resulted in the formation of a colony celebrated for their virtue, and simplicity, and religion, I experienced a feeling of something (I know not what to call it) on approaching the island, that I have felt when visiting some spot held sacred either from history, or from being the scene of some Biblical relation. Having a fair wind, we hoped about noon to be on shore; but whilst we were yet twenty miles from the island, the wind came directly foul, and fell light, so that we hardly held our own, owing to the heavy swell, and all day we remained endeavouring to work up. What a little spot it appears on the vast Pacific! a mere rock apparently incapable to resist the mighty waves of so vast an ocean. Easily indeed would a ship not knowing its exact position miss it. The mutineers might well deem themselves secure on so small an island, so remotely situated at that time. Also these seas were but little frequented; but even now, to give you an idea of their vast extent, notwithstanding the thousands of ships that are trading on them, we have only seen one ship at sea, and our track measures 4,500 miles. When we get close to the land, Aug 8, 1852 or some well-known port, we see a few. During the night we got a slant of wind, and at 6, Sunday morning the 8th, we were close to the island. A whale-boat full of the islanders soon came off, but before coming alongside they asked permission to come on board; then jumped up the side seven or eight fine tall robust fellows, and assured us of a hearty welcome when we went on shore.
"I was in my cabin with Philip M'Coy, one of the islanders, when the sentry came to tell me that it was prayer-time, for the Admiral always has prayers before breakfast. I said to Philip, 'I shall be up again directly, if you will wait.' He paused a moment, and then said, 'May I come, sir?' ' Oh, yes,' I answered. On going down, we met the rest of his companions, whom he told, and they all came in and knelt down to prayers. We then got a hurried breakfast, and the Admiral and myself immediately landed in the cutter, the water being pretty smooth. This was the only time a ship's boat was able to land, for a heavy surf generally rolls in, breaking with terrific violence on the rocky shore. The proper way to land is to come to the back of the rollers in a ship's boat; a whale-boat then comes off, you get into her, and she immediately gets ready to obey the signal of a man who stands upon a rock on shore: and directly he waves his hat, the favourable moment has arrived, the men give way, and with wonderful rapidity the boat is borne on the top of a wave to the shore. They are very skilfull, and in a heavy surf will generally land you dry.
"Mr. George Hunn Nobbs, their teacher or pastor, met us at the landing-place, and we at once ascended the cliffs by a steep winding path to a plantation of cocoa-trees, called the market-place, as all trade is carried on at this spot. Here the islanders met us and gave us a hearty welcome. Generally all the inhabitants assemble here to welcome the officers of a man-of-war; but as it was Sunday and early, they had not arrived. We continued our way by a pretty path winding through the trees to the town, meeting here and there detachments coming towards us. These all followed in our wake; and Joy the time we reached Mr. Nobbs's cottage, which is situated at the opposite end of the town, we had pretty well all the people after us.
"Never were seen so many happy smiling faces, all eager to look at the first admiral that ever came to their happy island; but not one tried to push his way, or make any attempt to get before another. If we said a kind word to any of them, they looked so happy and pleased! and we did not neglect to do so. There is not one in whose face good humour, virtue, amiability, and kindness does not beam, and consequently not one whose face is not pleasing.
"It was now church-time, and away we all went to church. Mr. Nobbs officiated, and read the prayers impressively and earnestly: the most solemn attention was paid by all. They sang two hymns in most magnificent style; and really I have never heard any church singing in any part of the world that could equal it, except at cathedrals; and the whole of the credit is due to Mr. Carleton, who was left behind by accident from a whaler.
"They all like to dress like English people, if they can, on Sundays. The women complain that they cannot get shoes; but all the men can get them from the whalers. During the week, their dress consists chiefly of a dark-blue petticoat, and a white kind of shirt, for the women; and for the men loose shirt and trousers. Their food consists chiefly of yams, cocoa-nuts, bananas, oranges, &c., and a few fish; and in the yam season, each family kills a large pig, so that during the hard work of digging yams they may have a little animal food. Sometimes they get goats' flesh, and are trying to rear a few cattle they have there. The Admiral gave them a young bull and cow, also a ram.
"Both sexes work very hard indeed. They usually rise at dawn; have family prayers; do the work that is necessary; about dusk have supper; then they go to the singing-school or to Mr. Nobbs, or meet to have a chat. About nine or ten, they go to bed, previously having family worship. Should one of the little ones go to bed or to sleep during its mother's absence, she immediately awakes it to say its prayers. Not a soul on the island would dream of commencing a meal or finishing it without asking a blessing, or returning thanks. Boys and girls can swim almost as soon as they can walk; consequently they can swim through the largest surf, and play about amongst the broken water on the rocks that we look at with terror. One of their greatest amusements is to have a slide, as they term it; that is, to take a piece of wood about three feet long, shaped like a canoe, with a small keel (called a surf-board); they then, holding this before them, dive under the first heavy sea, and come up the other side; they then swim out a little way until they see a rapid heavy sea come rolling in, the higher the better: they rest their breast upon the canoe or surf-board, and are carried along on the very apex of the surf at a prodigious rate right upon the rocks, where you think nothing can save them from being dashed to pieces, the surf seems so powerful; but in a moment they are on their legs, and prepared for another slide. Their method of fishing is equally dangerous; the women walk upon the rocks until they see a squid; then watching the retreating sea, they run in and try to pick the squid up before the advancing surf can wash them off; but frequently they are washed off, and then they have to exert all their skill to land, for they have no surf-board to help them.
"Christmas-day is a grand feast, and they keep it up in good style. But the Queen's birthday is their grand day; it is kept up with feasting and dancing, and all sorts of merriment. Among the first questions everybody asks is, 'How is her Majesty the Queen?'
"Away, away! we are off to the world again, truly sorry to leave this island. Their happiness in this life consists wholly in virtue, and their virtue is their truest pleasure. They think that (and how really true it is!) the more religious and virtuous you become, the happier you are; deeming every sin to take from your enjoyment in this and the after life. They know that true pleasure is only to be obtained by obeying the will of God. Their temperance and industry give them health, food, and cheerfulness, and gain for them universal esteem, respect, and sympathy; and as in this life they do not seek their pleasures in things below, but in a higher Power, so we may earnestly hope that the image of the Saviour will bp found in their hearts, and that in the next world they may be peculiarly nis own."