Revised Jun 22 2021
"1843, March 4th.—Eleven of the inhabitants sailed in the barque America, for the purpose of exploring Elizabeth Island.
"5th.—Arrived, H.M.S. Talbot, Captain Sir T. Thompson, Bart. After remaining on shore, and adjusting some of the most pressing judicial cases presented to him, he went on board, and sailed for Valparaiso.
"11th.—Barque America returned from Elizabeth Island, our people bringing a very unfavourable report of it.
"1844, July 28th.—Arrived, H.M.S. Basilisk, Captain Henry Hunt>, bringing presents from the British Government, Admiral Thomas, the Rev. Mr. Armstrong, &c.
"1845, Jan. 19th.—During the last week we have been employed in fishing up two of the Bounty's large guns. For fifty-five years they have been deposited at the bottom of the sea, on a bed of coral, guiltless of blood during the time so many thousands of mankind became, in Europe, food for cannon. But on Sunday last, one of the guns resumed its natural vocation at least the innoxious portion of it to wit. pouring forth fire and smoke, and causing the island to reverberate with its bellowing; the other gun is condemned to silence, having been spiked by some one in the Bounty.
"1845, April 16th ."—The diary of this date contains a striking description of a storm, which, bursting over the island, greatly alarmed the inhabitants. A considerable portion of the earth was detached from the side of the hill situate at the head of a ravine, and carried into the sea; about 300 cocoa-nut-trees were torn up by the roots, and borne along with it; a yam-ground, containing 1,000 yams, totally disappeared; several fishing-boats were destroyed, and large pieces of rock were found blocking up the harbour in several parts. In the interior, all the plantain patches were levelled, and about 4,000 plantain trees destroyed, one-half in full bearing, the other designed for the year 1846.
"So that," says the annalist, "this very valuable article of food we shall be without for a very long time. The fact is, that from this date until August, we shall be pinched for food. But God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb; and we humbly trust that the late monitions of Providence namely, drought, sickness, and storm, which severally have afflicted us this year may be sanctified to us, and be the means of bringing us, one and all, into a closer communication with our God. May we remember the rod, and who hath appointed it! May we flee to the cross of Christ for safety and succour in every time of need, always bearing in mind that our heavenly Father doth not willingly afflict the children of men! "