Revised Jun 1 2021
The government house occupied a conspicuous place on a slight eminence nearly in the center of the town, and its spacious apartments, as well as its exterior, were well kept. The large garden adjoining showed signs of former care, but everything had been allowed to run wild, and the grapevines mingled in happy confusion with the honeysuckle, nasturtium, and other flowering creepers.
Inclosed within high stone walls were the buildings of the old and new barracks, while near to the latter stood the ruins of what had been a fine hospital, which a fire had destroyed. Next to this, but separated by a wall, was the handsome commissariat store—now the church of the present inhabitants.
The large, gloomy prison was the central figure in a group of buildings that stood near the sea, having the Protestant church on one side, and the Roman Catholic chapel on the other. This still retained many signs of the outward services of the latter church, notably the gaudy pictures that ornamented the walls, a large one being that of the virgin and child.
Separated from these churches by a narrow, sunless passage, formed by the surrounding walls, were the jail buildings, strongly built of stone. Of special interest was the place where the gallows used to be erected when death was the penalty for crime. Although the time had gone by forever when such scenes could be witnessed, a feeling akin to horror could not be suppressed when passing beneath the spot where so many had taken their last farewell of life, and the silent, narrow cells around seemed almost in the echo of one's footfall to give forth the sad sighs and groans of despair, as the condemned criminal awaited the moment when he should be called forth to meet his doom.
Until a more settled state of things was reached, on their immediate arrival the families were arranged into groups of two and three, and messed together. Two women, whose respective families occupied the same house, went out one day in search of green herbs for food. They congratulated themselves on finding a good supply of onions, and brought their treasures home, pleased at the thought of the relish they would add to the evening meal. A hearty laugh greeted the discovery that their precious onions were the bulbs of the narcissus, which in their ignorance they had so naturally mistaken for onions.
The dwelling houses differed in every respect from, and were altogether superior to, the thatched cottages that the people had so lately occupied. These were built mostly of stone, the walls within being neatly plastered, and they were roofed with shingles, supplied from the Norfolk Island pine. The houses generally consisted of four large rooms with chimneys attached. Each kitchen, which was a separate building, was floored with stone, and had a spacious fireplace and a brick oven on one side of the chimney. The interior was made light and clean by being frequently white-washed. Attached to each cottage was a garden; and flowers fair and fragrant delighted the senses of both sight and smell. Altogether the change was a decided gain, and everything bespoke only prosperity and happiness in store for the people that had been so highly favored.
To the Pitcairn islanders Norfolk Island was literally a land "flowing with milk and honey." Although the sight of a cow was a familiar one to them, they were scarcely prepared for the large numbers of strong, healthy cattle that they saw, which supplied the milk, while honey was obtained from the hollow trees where the wild bees built their hives. The island, too, supported some two or three thousand sheep, besides cattle and horses; but the sheep were not entirely free from disease, and many of them died. The grass that covered a large portion of the island afforded abundant pasture for the flocks and herds that fed there.
The soil and climate of the island were favorable For the cultivation of various fruits, and lemons, guavas, peaches, figs, white and purple grapes, loquats, quinces, mulberries, pomegranates, watermelons, etc., etc., were produced in great abundance.
The island was well wooded. Extensive groves of the Norfolk Island pine lent their aid to delight the eye, while a variety of noble trees beautified and enriched the land, their luxuriant foliage affording a pleasing shade for the feathered songsters that awoke the echoes so sweetly with their warbling notes.
Streams of water traverse the island in several directions, while not infrequently the water is hid from view by the thick growth of flags and reeds that cover their marshy banks, and the streams themselves teem with eel life. The abundant supply of water was by no means the least of the blessings that had been bestowed upon the people, for in their old home they had known what it was to suffer for want of water. But now "the lines were fallen unto them in pleasant places; yea, they had a goodly heritage." Indeed, so fair was that heritage that it seemed impossible to realize that it was ever the abode of so much misery and crime; and the words of the Christian poet could not have been more aptly applied than to this lovely island,
"Where every prospect pleases,
And only man is vile."
Along the southern shore stretches a long line of coral reef; and this, extending some distance into the sea, renders it unsafe for a ship to approach too near the land. A little beyond this reef stands a rock known as Nepean Island, only relieved from utter barrenness by one or two pine trees. On this rock the whale birds congregate in great numbers to deposit their eggs, which are eagerly sought for by the people for food. While Nepean Island is covered with sea birds in their laying season, Philip Island, which stands further seaward, is overrun with wild rabbits, that make their home there and feed on the scanty herbage that the poor soil produces. Excellent fish of many varieties abound in the waters around the island. Surrounded with all that they needed, and still living together in one unbroken circle, everything seemed to promise contentment and happiness. But, as will be seen, it was not long before the hearts of some pined for the old home, and desired to return.
About two months after the new settlers had arrived, the bishop of New Zealand visited Norfolk Island in his yacht Southern Cross, bringing a large supply of flour an other necessary things for the people's immediate wants. He had come to the island a short time before, but as the Morayshire had not yet arrived, had returned to New Zealand. Now, on this second trip, he had brought his lady with him, and also his chaplain, the Rev. J. C. Patteson, who was destined to become a martyr to the cause he loved.
When the Pitcairn islanders first came into possession of Norfolk Island, they understood that the island belonged to them, for so had they interpreted the letter sent them before their removal, by Sir William Denison, the governor at that time of New South Wales. On arriving at their new home they found that two men were already there to divide the land among the new arrivals. These latter quietly informed them that their services were not needed, as the islanders were able to manage for themselves. The two men left on the Morayshire, and, having reported to the proper authorities, two other surveyors were promptly dispatched to Norfolk Island with orders to measure the entire island and divide it into fifty-acre lots. Each family had fifty acres to a share, a rather smaller portion than they had at first shared out among them selves. Subsequently, when the governor himself visited the island, his letter was shown him as sufficient authority to justify the people in the course they had taken. This document he calmly got possession of, and remarked something to the effect that matters were somewhat changed since the letter was penned.*
∗ The possession of Norfolk Island was a much-mooted question. When Bishop Selwyn was in charge of New Zealand as his diocese, it was his wish to remove the headquarters of the Melanesian Mission to Norfolk Island, but neither the Pitcairn Island committee at home, nor the governor of New South Wales, Sir W. Denison, deemed it best that it should be so. Some few years later, when Bishop Patteson was head of the mission, the matter was again brought up. While some of the people were in favor of the movement, others strongly opposed it, but the matter was finally settled by the bishop's purchasing several thousand acres of land, being granted permission to do so by Sir John Young, governor of New South Wales, he having been so authorized by the home government. Thus was the desire of Bishop Selwyn's heart fulfilled in the removal of the Melanesian Mission from New Zealand to Norfolk Island.
When His Excellency Lord Augustus Loftus made an official visit to Norfolk Island in 1884, he sought to remove the impression "tenaciously held" by the people that the island was entirely theirs, and spoke very plainly to them respecting the use and abuse of the island, dwelling strongly on the fact that so many trees should be suffered to be cut down without planting others in their stead.
On Sir William's next visit to Norfolk Island he informed the people that a schoolmaster and a miller with their families were then on their way from England to settle amongst them. There were, besides, a shoemaker and a stone mason. "But," added the governor, "I stopped the shoemaker in Sydney, for I did not like the looks of the man."
A letter had been written to the people about this time by their old friend the Baron de Thierry, then residing in Auckland. It contained such sound advice and good counsel to the people respecting their right use of the many privileges accorded them that Sir William declared it "worthy a place in the archives of the island." The governor himself gave much wise counsel to the people, and encouraged them to exert themselves to the best of their ability in the discharge of their several duties in the untried life that lay before them, showing how much depended upon their own efforts to insure success in the general improvement of themselves and their surroundings.
In due time the expected party from England arrived. The school, which was then kept by Simon Young, was immediately given into the hands of Mr. Thomas Rossiter. He was an excellent disciplinarian, and proved himself fully qualified to assume the task of managing and controlling the children, who often tried his patience. One of the spacious rooms on the second floor of the new barracks had been converted into a schoolroom, and here, once every week, Mr. Nobbs, for several years, was in the habit of visiting the children for the purpose of giving some religious instruction. This consisted principally in thoroughly grounding them in the teachings of the church catechism, and putting the more advanced pupils through series of questions and answers preparatory to their becoming candidates for confirmation.
A new enterprise was undertaken by the quondam Pitcairners. Observing that a great number of whales frequented the waters around the island at certain seasons of the year, they decided to purchase boats and every necessary article needed for the capture of these monsters. They showed ready skill in this new undertaking, and succeeded well from the first. The oil obtained a ready market both in Sydney and in Auckland.