Revised Jun 2 2021
AFTER Mr. Hill's removal, Mr. Nobbs, with the hearty consent of nearly all the people, assumed sole charge as pastor and schoolmaster. Under his benign rule peace once more reigned, and the former brotherliness between the families, that had been so fully established under John Adams, was once more as fully resumed. While Mr. Nobbs devoted himself to the higher needs of the people, combining with his other duties those of a physician (to the best of his ability), Buffett had resumed his old trade of cabinet work, which he confined to such articles a workboxes, writing desks, and chests of drawers of all sizes. The wood of the mero tree, which the soil of the island abundantly produced, supplied all the material needed in the darker shades. The timber is exceedingly close grained and hard, and when fully matured becomes changed in color from dark red to almost black, and takes polish beautifully. The bright yellow color of the wood of the white-flower tree was for ornamenting, as it forms a pretty contrast with the other. Buffett also instructed those among the young men who showed any inclination to learn, and was highly gratified at seeing them display decided skill in the handiwork. John Evans, also, who wished to try his hand at the trade, came with the others to take lessons in practical work, and succeeded fairly well in the business.
Buffett, who was fond of a joke, used to relate how one day, when he was at work in his house, Evans came to him, bringing an unfinished workbox that he was making, in his hand. Setting the box down, he turned to Buffett, and began telling him how his work was almost a failure, and was likely to come to grief unless he obtained some much needed help from the master hand. "In fact, Buffett," he said, "I just came over to ask you to give it a licking." As soon as Evans had finished speaking, Buffett, without a word, took up the workbox, and, rapidly passing his tongue over its smooth surface, set it down again, saying, with a hearty laugh, "There is your box, I have given it a licking." Astonished beyond expression, and indignant at having his request so literally fulfilled, Evans angrily snatched up the innocent cause of the joke, and was hastening away, when Buffett good-humoredly assured him that no offense was intended, and he was at length prevailed on, though reluctantly, to calm his ruffled feelings, and wait a few minutes until Buffett had given the necessary help he asked for.
While Nobbs gave instruction to the children in the schoolroom, Buffett proposed to establish a class for young men, to give them instruction in navigation and the more advanced branches of arithmetic, and, in addition to these, studies upon such subjects of general information as they could obtain through the medium of books, though of these they had only very limited supply. The more thoughtful among the young men eagerly availed themselves of even this chance of improvement, and organized themselves into a band, with Buffett at their head, who gave the name "Mutual Improvement Society" to their class. While it lasted, it was well attended, and most, if not all, of the members derived lasting benefit therefrom.
While Nobbs and Buffett were engaged in pursuits so congenial to them, the necessary cultivation of their allotments of land was performed by their wives and children, and whoever of their neighbors that would willingly assist. They themselves did but a trifling portion of the work. Evans, on the other hand, seemed to possess a natural liking for the soil and its cultivation, in which work he was aided by his strong and healthy wife.
It was now forty-seven years since the island had been settled, and in all that time no rules had he enacted for the government of the people. Conscience sometimes, and more frequently inclination, ruled them. But this state of things was about to be ended.
In the year 1838 Her Majesty's ship Fly came on a visit, and for the first time, to the evident satisfaction and pleasure of the islanders, the flag of Old England was hoisted on Pitcairn Island, Captain Elliott observing "You are now under the protection of the English flag." From that time until the entire community was removed to Norfolk Island, they were annually visited by one or more of Her Majesty's ships of war.
Like Hill, he, too, when aroused by anger, was capable of committing deeds of cruelty, as the following story will show. Engaged in a dispute one day with John Evans, both men lost control over themselves, and began to abuse one another. The quarrel increased, and Quintall, being a powerful man, brought it to a termination by lifting Evans, who was small, as easily as he would a child, and throwing him violently into a pigsty, thereby causing him serious injury. This wicked act was recorded in the register of those times, for it was customary to enter therein every occurrence, however trivial, and whenever a case occurred which could not be satisfactorily adjusted by the local authorities, it was usual to postpone it until the arrival of a ship of war, to whose captain the matter was referred for decision. It was so in this case, but the fact that the perpetrator of the deed was at the time laid on his sick bed, from which he never again arose, prevented his receiving his just deserts, and so the passing of the sentence awaited a higher tribunal than that of earth.
A more pleasing theme than the story just related was the arrival of the first missionary vessel that ever called at the island. This was the Camden, which was sent out by the London Missionary Society. In her missionary visits to the various islands of the Pacific, she made a brief call at Pitcairn Island, having but one missionary on board, a Mr. Heath. The Camden's stay extended only to four days, during which time Mr. Heath gave two public addresses, and held several meetings in Mr. Nobbs' house. Captain Morgan, who commanded the vessel, also delivered an impressive discourse from the text, "My son, give me thine heart." A good supply of Bibles was left on the island, enough for each family to have one. Captain Morgan also sent out from England, on his arrival there, a box of books, schoolbooks as well as religious publications, and slates and pencils for the use of the school. These were all thankfully received, as they supplied a very pressing want, especially the last-named gifts.
In the year 1841 Christian's widow died. Her name, given by the Englishmen, was Isabella, but as Christian himself had dubbed her "Mainmast," this latter name was the one by which she was exclusively called, only it was abbreviated to "Mai'mas'." She was of very advanced age when she died, but to the last retained vivid recollections of the events of earlier years, and used often to relate to her attentive listeners the story of Captain Cook's visit to the Society Islands. Once when he was in Tahiti he was suffering from a severe attack of rheumatism. Some of the Tahitian women took him in hand, and effected a cure by means of the native remedy. This consisted of a preparation of the a'pi plant (arum gigantum) which was externally applied to the part or parts affected. The painful, stinging properties of the plant (compared to which the sting of the nettle is almost enjoyable) would seem to lead one to decide in favor of the rheumatism, as this remedy seems certainly worse than the disease. But Mainmast declared that the dreadful remedy cured Captain Cook. This old woman's death left but one more remaining of the original party that came in the Bounty, thus severing, link by link, the tie that bound the younger portion of the community to those who originally settled the colony.
Scarcely anything occurred to disturb the tranquil round of life that the inhabitants enjoyed, and day after day passed along in quiet monotony, broken only by the arrival of some passing ship. The "event" of every year was the visit of a man-of-war.
About the year 1847 an accident befell Mr. Nobbs' eldest son, which nearly proved fatal. He, in company with some other young men, had one day gone out to hunt goats. As they were returning home, Reuben Nobbs slipped and fell. The loaded gun he carried was instantly discharged, most of its contents being lodged in his right hip, while the ball passed entirely through. He was brought home, and his father attended him. Month after month passed, and, although he did not grow worse there still was no perceptible improvement. When the next man-of-war came, the Spy, her surgeon examined the wound, and, probing it, extracted large pieces of wadding, the presence of which had prevented recovery. After that the cure was rapid, and the young man was soon able to walk with the help of a crutch. But the result was a lameness that unfitted him for such work as life on the island required, and, as he had good business abilities, his father, who had friends in Valparaiso, wrote to them asking if they would kindly obtain for his son some means of gaining a living. The answer was favorable, and in due time Reuben Nobbs arrived at Valparaiso, to begin his duties as clerk in a commercial establishment. He was cordially received, and, by a diligent application to work, and the determination to please his employers, he succeeded not only in learning to do that which was required of him, but also in giving entire satisfaction to his employers during his whole stay.