The Lonely Island: The Refuge of the Mutineers

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

  ANOTHER VISIT FROM THE GREAT WORLD.

  If ever there had been a doubt of the truth of the proverb that exampleis better than precept, the behaviour of the young men and maidens ofPitcairn, after the wedding just described, would have cleared thatdoubt away for ever.

  The demands upon poor Adams's services became ridiculous, insomuch thathe began to make laws somewhat in the spirit of the Medo-Persiclawmakers, and sternly refused to allow any man to marry under the ageof twenty years, or any woman under eighteen. Even with this drag onthe wheels, the evil--if evil it were--did not abate, but as time wenton, steadily increased. It seemed as if, the ice having been broken,the entire population kept on tumbling into the water.

  Among others, our once little friend Matthew Quintal married BessyMills.

  The cares of the little colony now began to tell heavily on John Adams,for he was what is termed a willing horse, and would not turn over toanother the duties which he could perform with his own hands. Besidesacting the part of pastor, schoolmaster, law-maker, and law-enforcer, hehad to become the sympathetic counsellor of all who chose to call uponhim; also public registrar of events, baptiser of infants, and medicalpractitioner. It is a question whether there ever was a man placed inso difficult and arduous a position as this last mutineer of the_Bounty_, and it is not a question at all, but an amazing and memorablefact, that he filled his unique post with statesmanlike ability.

  As time went on, he, of course, obtained help, sympathy, and counselfrom the men and women whom he had been training for God around him; buthe seems to have been loath formally to hand over the helm, eitherwholly or in part, to any one else as long as he had strength to steerthe ship.

  We have said that England was too much engaged with her European wars togive much thought to this gem in her crown, which was thus graduallybeing polished to such a dazzling brightness. She knew it was but alittle gem, if gem at all, and at such a distance did not see itsbrilliant sheen. Amid the smoke and turmoil of war she forgot it; yetthe God of Battles and the Prince of Peace were winning a grand, moral,bloodless victory in that lonely little island.

  It was not till the year 1814, six years after the visit of the _Topaz_,that the solitude of Pitcairn was again broken in upon by visitors fromthe outside world.

  In that year two frigates, H.M.S. _Britain_ and _Tagus_, commandedrespectively by Captain Sir F. Staines and Captain Pipon, cameunexpectedly on Pitcairn Island while in pursuit of an American ship,the _Essex_, which had been doing mischief among the British whalers.

  It was evening when the ships sighted Pitcairn, and were observed by oneof the almost innumerable youngsters with which the island had by thattime been peopled. With blazing eyes and labouring breath, the boyrushed down the cliffs, bounded over the level ground, and burst intothe village, shouting, "Ships!"

  No warwhoop of Red Indians ever created greater excitement. Pitcairnswarmed at once to the cliffs with flushed faces, glittering eyes, andhopeful looks. Yes, there they were, and no mistake,--two ships!

  "They're men-o'-war, father," said Thursday October Christian, a littleanxiously.

  "So I see, lad; but I won't hide _this_ time. I don't believe they'dthink it worth while hangin' me now. Anyhow, I'll risk it."

  Many of the people spent the whole of that night on the cliffs, for, asit was too late to attempt a landing, Captain Staines did not venture toapproach till the following morning.

  Soon after daybreak the ships were seen to stand inshore, and a canoewas launched through the surf to meet them. As on the occasion of thevisit of the _Topaz_, Thursday was deputed to represent the islanders.He was accompanied by Edward Young, now a handsome youth of eighteenyears of age. As on the previous boarding of a ship, Toc amazed thesailors by shouting in English to "throw him a rope." Being nowpossessed of a wardrobe, he had in his heart resolved to appear in acostume worthy of the great occasion. For this end he had put on a vestwithout sleeves, trousers that had done duty in the _Topaz_, and weremuch too short, and a beaver hat which he had jauntily ornamented withcock-tail feathers, and wore very much on the back of his head.

  Thursday met the eager inquiries of Sir F. Staines with his usualgood-humoured off-hand urbanity, and gave his name in full; but a suddenchange came over his face while he spoke--a look of amazement, mingledwith alarm.

  "Look! look there, Ned," he said, in a low tone, laying his hand on hiscomrade's shoulder and pointing towards a certain part of the ship."What is that?"

  Ned looked with an expression of awe in the direction indicated.

  "What is it that puzzles you?" asked the Captain, not a little amused bytheir looks.

  "The beast! the beast!" said Toc.

  "What, d'you mean the cow?"

  "Is it a cow?" asked Toc in wonder.

  "Of course it is. Did you never see a cow before?"

  "No, never. I thought it was a big goat, or a horned sow," returned theyoung man, as he approached the quiet animal cautiously. "I say, Ned,it's a _cow_! It don't look much like the things that father Adams usedto draw, do it?"

  Ned agreed that Adams's representation fell far short of the original,and for some time they stood cautiously examining the strange creature,and gently touching its sides.

  Just then a little black terrier came bounding forward and frisked roundthe Captain.

  "Ha!" exclaimed Edward Young, with an intelligent look, "I know thatbeast, Toc; it's a dog! I'm sure it is, for I have read of such thingsin Carteret, and father has described 'em often, so have the women.They have dogs, you know, on some islands."

  But the surprise and interest raised in them by two animals were nothingto what they felt on being conducted over the ship and shown all thedetails of stores and armament in a man-of-war. The surprise changedsides, however, when, on being asked to partake of luncheon, these menstood up, clasped their hands, shut their eyes, and asked a blessingbefore commencing to eat, in the familiar phrase, "For what we are aboutto receive," etcetera.

  Of course Captains Staines and Pipon went on shore, where they werereceived by Adams, hat in hand, and by the rest of the population downto the minutest infant, for no one would consent to miss the sight, andthere was no sick person to be looked after. Up at the village the pigsand poultry had it all their own way, and made the most of theiropportunity.

  It was curious to mark the air of respect with which Adams regarded thenaval uniform which had once been so familiar. As he stood conversingwith the officers, he occasionally, in sailor-like fashion, smootheddown his scanty locks, for although little more than fifty at that time,care, sorrow, and anxiety had given his countenance an aged and wornlook, though his frame was still robust and healthy.

  In the course of the interview, Captain Pipon offered to give him apassage to England, with any of his family who chose to accompany him.To his surprise Adams at once expressed a desire to go.

  We know not whether this was a piece of pleasantry on Adams's part, butwhen he sent for his old wife and daughters to tell them of it, thescene of distress that ensued baffles description. The old woman was indespair. Dinah Adams burst into tears, and entreated the officers notto take her dear father away. Her sister Rachel flung her arms roundher father's neck and held on. Hannah Adams clasped her hands and weptin silent despair, and even George, at that time about ten years of age,and not at all given to the melting mood, felt a tear of sympathytrickling down his nose. Of course, when the cause of the ebullitionbecame known, the whole Pitcairn colony was dissolved in tears orlamentations, insomuch that Adams gave up all idea of leaving them. Wefirmly believe that he never had any intention of doing so, but hadmerely thrown out the hint to see what effect it would have.

  Like Captain Folger of the _Topaz_, the captains of the _Britain_ and_Tagus_ wrote eloquent and enthusiastic letters to the Admiralty abouttheir discovery, but the dogs of war were still loose in Europe. TheirLordships at Whitehall had no time to devote to such matters, and onceagain the lonely island wa
s forgotten.

  It is a curious coincidence that death came close on the heels of thisvisit, as it had come on that of the _Topaz_. Scarcely had the twofrigates left when Matthew Quintal took a fit while out fishing in hiscanoe and was drowned. About the same time Jack Mills was killed byfalling from the rocks when out after gulls' eggs. Thus poor BessyQuintal lost her husband and brother in the same year, but she was notwithout comfort. She had been early taught to carry her cares to Jesus,and found Him now a very present help. Besides, she had now two littlesons, John and Matthew, who were old enough to fondle her and sympathisewith her to some extent, though they scarce understood her sorrow; andher fast friend and comforter, Sally Christian, did not fail her in thehour of need. Indeed, that warm-hearted Otaheitan would have taken poorBessy into her house to live with her and Charlie, but for thedifficulty that six riotous little creatures of her own, named Fletcher,Edward, Charles, Isaac, Sarah, and Maria, already filled it tooverflowing.

  A little more than six years after this, there came a visitant of a rareand heart-gladdening kind, namely, a parcel of _books_. Although theGovernment of England was too busy to think of the far-off isle, therewere Englishmen who did not forget her. The _Society for PromotingChristian Knowledge_, happening, in 1819, to hear of an opportunity ofcommunicating with Pitcairn, made up and despatched to it a parcel ofbooks, containing, besides Bibles and Prayer-books, "works ofinstruction fitted for all ages." Who can imagine the delight producedby this gift to minds which had been well educated and were thirstingfor more knowledge? It must have been as food to the starving; as waterto the dry ground.

  Four years after that, a whale-ship from London, named the _Cyrus_,touched in passing.

  As this visit was a noteworthy epoch in the lonely island, we shalldevote a new chapter to it.