"Bounty"

A Link With The

By R. C. Macpherson

THE removal of the descendants of the mutineers of the “Bounty” from Pit cairn Island to Norfolk Island, in 1856, and the later return of some of them to Pitcairn, is a well-known section of the eventful history of these people.

But there was an earlier removal and return—to Tahiti and back, in this case —which is probably not as commonly known.

There is a brief reference to this in “The Eventful History of the Mutiny of the ‘Bounty,’ ” by Sir John Barrow (1831) who, writing of the prospect of increas ing population causing difficulties, says that “an attempt was made through the - means of a Mr. Nott, a missionary of Otaheite, who, being on a visit to this country (England) was authorised, on his return, to make arrangements for their removal to Otaheite, if they wished it, and if Pomare, the king of the island, should not object to receive them; and he carried a letter to this chief from Lord Bathurst, acquainting him with the inten tion of the British Government, and expressing the hope that he would be

induced to receive under his protection a people whose moral and religious char acter had created so lively an interest in their favour; but it fortunately happened that this missionary passed the island without stopping.” in Barrow expresses the opinion that such a removal would be a mistake saying: “It is sincerely to be hoped that such removal will be no longer thought of. No complaint was made, no appre hension of want expressed to Captain Waldegrave, who left them contented and happy.”

In a postscript to his narrative, Bar row adds the following: “Just as this last sheet came from the press, the editor has noticed, with a feeling of deep and sincere regret, a paragraph in the news papers, said to be extracted from an American paper, stating that a vessel sent to Pitcairn’s Island by the missionaries of Otaheite has carried off the whole of the settlers to the latter island.”

IT is quite evident that the Pitcairn people did not stay long at Tahiti.

Barrow’s narrative was published in 1831; and there is an interesting record of the return of the people to Pitcairn, in 1831, in the possession of the Peabody Museum of Salem, Massachusetts—a tes timonial letter given by these people to Captain William Driver, master of the Salem brig “Charles Doggett,” which car ried them back to Pitcairn.

Captain Driver had made many voy ages to the South Seas in Salem vessels, and the carrying of the Pitcairn people is briefly mentioned in “Salem Vessels and Their Voyages,” by Captain George Granville Putnam, published in the Essex Institute Historical Collections, Vol.

LXVI. It says that Captain Driver pro ceeded to Tahiti, where he found 65 per sons, descendants of the mutineers of the English ship “Bounty,” with their self created teacher, George H. Nobbs, an Irishman, who was once a lieutenant of a Chilean man-of-war.

“Captain Driver took them all to Pit cairn Island, in response to their piteous cries for him to save them,” says Put nam; and, though nq details are given, it appears that these people were not at all happy in Tahiti. Their gratitude was expressed in the testimonial letter men tioned, which is dated Pitcairn Island, September 3, 1831, and says: “This is to certify that Captain Driver, of the brig ‘Charles Doggett,’ of Salem, carried 65 of the inhabitants of Pitcairn Island from ‘Tahiti back to their native land, during which passage Captain Driver behaved with the greatest kind ness and humanity becoming a man and a Christian, and as we can never re munerate him for the kindness we have received, we sincerely hope (that through the blessing of the Almighty) he will reap that reward which infalliably (sic) attend the Christian. (Signed) George H. Nobbs.

Teacher, Arthur Quintal (his mark), John Buffett, John Evans.”

Of the signatories, only one is a genu ine descendant of the mutineers—Arthur Quintal—Matthew Quintal having been an able seaman in the “Bounty.” Though Nobbs signs himself as teacher, the ori ginal teacher on Pitcairn was Buffett.

Buffett, it appears, was a seafaring man belonging to a ship which visited the island, and he was so infatuated with the behaviour of the people that he decided to remain among them and, in the words of Captain Beechey, of the “Blossom” (which was an. early visitor to the settle ment), “in addition to the instruction of the children, has taken upon himself the duty of clergyman, and is the oracle of the community.”

To quote Sir John Barrow again: “George Hunn Nobbs calls himself pas

tor, registrar, and schoolmaster, thus infringing on the privileges of John Buffett: and being a person of superior talents, and of exceeding great impu dence, has deprived Buffet of a great number of his scholars . . . This Nobbs not only claims exemption from labour, as being their pastor, but also as being entitled to maintenance at the expense of the community.” Nobbs was one of three men who took up abode on Pitcairn after the “Bounty” settlement.

John Evans, the fourth signatory of the document above, was one of the three men who took up abode on Pitcairn after the “Bounty” settlement. He was the son of a London coachmaker, and married a daughter of John Adams (otherwise Alexander Smith), the last survivor of the original mutineers, who became a reformed character and a pious father to the whole community.

It is interesting to note that though Adams brought his flock up on the Bible and the Prayer Book of the Church of England, teaching them the tenets of that faith, the Pitcairn Islanders have now become Seventh Day Adventists.

An Incident In Fiji

THE “Charles Doggett” which was con cerned in the return of the Pitcairn Islanders to their homeland was an early visitor to the Fiji Islands.

In 1833, then under the command of George Batchelder, she was in Fiji waters and was attacked by natives, five men being killed. In a list of shipwrecks, etc., given in Hazelwood’s Dictionary and Grammar, there is a reference to this incident in the following words: “Part of the crew, including the cap tain of the brig, ‘Charles Doggett,’ massacred at Ono-i-Ra.’ However, there are several inaccuracies in the Hazelwood list, and from information supplied by the Peabody Museum, this appears to be one of them. This states that in Sep tember. 1833, the “Charles Doggett” was at Kandora (Kandavu?) Her crew was attacked by natives, and five men, includ ing the mate, Charles Shipman, were killed. The remainder escaped, though some were seriously wounded. Captain Batchelder was chased down into the cabin, narrowly escaping in a scuffle for life.

After this incident the brig proceeded to Manila, and thence to Salem, which she reached in October. 1834.

The Ono-i-Ra mentioned by Hazelwood is close to Kandavu.

The appointment of Mr. Robert Cromp ton to the Fiji Executive Council ter minated in October. He has been Dir ector of Propaganda and Publicity and will continue to hold that position for the present.