Relics Of The Bounty

Widely-Scattered

By “Topaz”

f THINK that any museum in the world would like to possess this rusty old cannon, which rests :n a slab of stone outside the Nor *ik Island post office.

It is the Bounty gun, which was rought from Pitcairn Island in 856 on the Morayshire, the ship rovided by the British Govern ment to remove the 194 inhabitants : Pitcairn Island to Norfolk Island.

On January 23, 1790, in Bounty say, Pitcairn Island, the mutineers amoved everything available from ne Bounty —masts, nails, even the tanks. Then, after burning her .all to the water-line, they sank 3Y. Her guns went down with her.

After they had lain for more than alf a century, fathoms deep in the ;a, two of her guns were fished up. me had been spiked and was use ss.

The other was used on special jcasions for firing salutes, until ie visit of HMS Virago in January, S 3, when an accident put an end this custom.

In firing a farewell salute to the ; rago Chief-Magistrate Matthew cCoy was fatally injured—his arm is shattered above the elbow.

After the funeral of McCoy, iptain Prevost, of Virago, got the nsent of the Pitcairners to spike e Bounty gun, thus avoiding rther risk. It was found that a ►use rafter, which happened to ive a nail in the end of it, had en used as a rammer.

Matthew Folger, who commanded e American trader Topaz, and is the first to contact the Pit irners in their island retreat, was ren the chronometer and com ss of the Bounty by Alexander nth. Smith was the only sur ror of the mutineers when the Vaz found them. Smith then anged his name to John Adams, rhe chronometer had been used ice by Captain Cook on his and, later, was supplied to igh when fitting out the Bounty. was taken from Captain Folger the Governor of Juan Fernan -2; and later was bought by Sir omas Harbut, in Valparaiso. He jsented it to the United Service iseum, Great Scotland Yard, ndon. rhe anchor of the Bounty may seen in the Auckland Museum. me Bounty relics are widely ittered.

Fohn Adams became the old triarch, who taught the young >ple to read and write, using the y book available, the Bounty )le, and a prayer book. He also re them the religious and moral mmg that afterwards made the le community an example to the iside world.

IMS Bounty, Bounty Bible, and

John Adams and his home, are all pictured in the current Pitcairn Island stamps. fl Mr. W. S. Nicholas took over as Government Printer at Port Moresby early in May, succeeding Mr. W. A.

Bock. The former has been on the printing-office staff since 1929; Mr.

Bock’s service goes back over 40 years. Mr. Bock is continuing at the printing office as a reader, and intends to continue residence in Port Moresby. The old Government

printing office on Douglas Street will soon be abandoned in favour of new buildings at Konedobu.

II Mr. A. C. Smith, of the American Smithsonian Institute, who is a world authority on the flora and fauna of Fiji, is spending ten months in the Colony.