New Administrative

Group

Three Islands Joined With Pitcairn

By Mrs. Ada M. Christian

Pitcairn Is., Dec. 4.

IT appears not to be generally known that, in this distant part of Poly nesia, there has been formed, for administrative purposes, under the British High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, the “Pitcairn Islands Group.”

The group comprises Pitcairn Island (in habited), and Oeno, Henderson and Ducie islands (small, uninhabited islands in the vicinity of Pitcairn).

These three islands, Oeno, Henderson and Ducie, were apparently not possessed by any nation until, in 1902, Captain G.

F. Jones (whose photo appeared in the “PIM” a year or two ago' as Missionary Jones), was commissioned by Mr. R. T.

Simons, British Consul at Tahiti, to go there in a small cutter-boat, with a crew of Pitcairn Islanders, to set up the British flag, and a board on each island bearing this inscription: “This island is a dependency of Pitcairn, and is a property of the British Government.”

Later, the following inscription was placed on the islands: “This Island be longs to* H. B. M. King George VI. It was visited by H.M.S. Leander on 6th of August, 1937.—(Signed) J. R. RIVETT

Carnac, Capt. R.N.”

Two years ago, when our Post Office was erected, and established by Mr. H. E.

Maude and Mr. A. E. Fuller (Govern ment representatives residing here at the time) by their advice the inscription, “Pitcairn Islands (not Island) General Post Office,” was placed over the door.

The three islands are all of coral for mation, Henderson being large and high for the kind —what is known as a raised coral island. Oeno and Ducie are mere dots in the Pacific, with a reef encircling each, where fish abound. Sea-birds take possession of these lands.

Especially is Oeno a place of allure ment for Pitcairn men, women and children, where some go for a holiday in our home-made boats once, and some times twice, a year. Henderson is rather far away for the weaker sex, so only men go to that island, where they get boat loads of miro, a hard and durable wood which grows there. Ducie has no attrac tion whatever.

Oeno was a source of terror to sea captains in the days of sailing ships. At least five were wrecked on its dangerous reef.

The American ship “Wildwave” was wrecked there in 1858, when all the Pit cairners were on Norfolk Island. An interesting account of the experience of the crew, and how they found their way to Pitcairn Island, is found on pages 140 to 144 of the “Story of Pitcairn Island” (by a native daughter, Rosalind A. Young), as was told by Captain J. N. Knowles to an islander who visited him in his home in San Francisco twenty-three years afterwards.

The English ship, “Khandeish,” Cap tain Skelly, was wrecked on Oeno in 1876. One of the men, Peter Butler, re mained behind when the crew left Pit cairn, and married an Island woman.

The name on the island is now extinct, as his widow died and the two daughters married.

Captain Hardy’s American ship “Ore gon” was piled up on the reef in 1883.

The English ship “Bowdon” was wrecked 1893; Captain Law. The last on record was the American “Saint James,” in 1918, Anderson, Captain.

Ducie was guilty of the loss of the English ship, “Acadia,” in 1881, Captain George. One of the men, Philip Coffin,

married an Islander, and many years later Lincoln Clark, of the same crew, returned and was married here. Thus the names Coffin and Clark were added to our com munity. Alfred Walter, the cabin boy of this wrecked ship, is now living in Haw thorn, Victoria.

The English ship “Cornwallis” ran aground just below Adamstown, Pitcairn Island, in 1875.

Great chains and iron spars lying on the reef at Henderson indicate that a ship once went ashore at that place.

It is to be understood that Pitcairn Island is the haven to which all ship wrecked crews in this locality direct their course.