Few Relics Of

The "Bounty" Left

On Pitcairn

• But There Are Plenty

Of New Developments

By a staff writer

When Mr. J. R. Taylor, of Sydney, made a trip to Pitcairn Island in February to investigate harbour facilities on behalf of the British Government, he found that few relics of the Bounty now remain on the island.

MR. TAYLOR is a partner in the firm of Wilton and Bell, Dobbie and Partners, Sydney consulting en gineers, who have had a hand in a number of important engineering pro jects in the South Pacific.

Mr. Taylor made a point of in quiring for Bounty relics during his two-week stay on Pitcairn. He also kept an eye open for other interesting facets of Pitcairn life.

In a talk with PIM on his return to Sydney, Mr. Taylor said that the only Bounty relics he was able to learn about were an anchor, an anvil, an axehead, a tinderbox, a jar, and perhaps a few copper nails. These were in addition to the famous Bounty Bible, which was given to an American sailor, Levi Hayden, in 1839, but was returned to Pitcairn after World War 11.

In town square

“The anchor of the Bounty is still in the Adamstown town square,” Mr.

Taylor said. “But few people from passing ships ever see it because they are not allowed to land unless they have permission.

“The Bounty anvil is owned by Vi McCoy, widow of Floyd McCoy, the radio ham, who died a few years ago.

“Her husband obtained it from the island’s workshop many years ago.

“Vi also has the Bounty axehead.

She was given this when she visited Norfolk Island in 1956.

“I was told someone else on Pit cairn has an earthenware jar from the Bounty, and one of the older Pit cairners was reported to have a tiny tinderbox. But I didn’t see either of those relics.

“Children have also come up oc casionally with bits of copper or nails that have been washed up on

rade affected

e shore. But most of these have en sold to sailors in passing ships to American tourists. Some mericans, I was told, paid $5O for ils reputed to have come from the mnty."

Mr. Taylor said that one facet life that was causing concern on tcairn at present was the habit of ; Shaw Savill liners Ceramic and othic turning up at the island on turdays.

As the Pitcairners are Seventh-day iventists and Saturday is their bbath. this is hurting their trade fruit and wood carvings.

“When the ships arrive on Satur ys. the Pitcairners cannot do any rtering with the sailors and passen rs,” Mr. Taylor said, “and must :ept the price offered, which is astly lower than they would get the ship arrived on a Tuesday, r instance.”

Mr. Taylor said another problem - the islanders was unloading cargo >m ships standing off the island, air long boats were used, two of lich had motors.

“In bad weather it takes 14 men man each boat properly, and at jsent there are only 25 men capable rowing the boats.

“Sometimes men have to row a at from the rocks in Bounty Bay, it to a waiting motor boat, dive er the side and —so I was told— im back into the bay to row out the second boat.

“A big motor launch is needed, t this would have to remain afloat nost all the time because it would too heavy to lift out of the sea, the islanders do with their boats w.

“There are no shelters or natural rbours on Pitcairn for such a boat, d an artificial shelter would have be built.”

Many trees planted

Mr. Taylor said that over 16,000 es had been planted during the st three years under a reafforesta n plan, carried out by Mr. Jacob arren and an assistant.

An expert from Otago University, ;w Zealand, would visit the island er this year to advise on further mtings.

Mr. Taylor said there were now /eral miles of road on the island d the old-fashioned wheelbarrows lich had served the Pitcairners for /en generations now had com

:ition from motorcycles and ctors.

Licences to ride Honda motor :les were awarded to three Pit rners in January, and three other anders had gained licences to drive ctors.

Mr. Taylor said a rock crusher d been delivered to the island re itly to crush rocks and stones >m the beaches and inland areas make concrete aggregate.

The islanders have a small con ;te block machine and I think one two may start replacing their iber houses soon with houses of acrete blocks,” he said. “The Iventist church is the only building t built of timber at present.”

Mr. Taylor said Pitcairn’s able died male population had recently m increased by one by the arrival an English-born youth, John nnycad, 20, of Tasmania, who nted to live there permanently.

The youth had settled in happily th Ivan and Dobrie Christian.

“I understand he has a permit to iy for six months,” Mr. Taylor d. “If the island council then cides he is a worthy citizen, he iy be able to stay for good.

“The last migrant to come to Pit irn was John Lindsay, a New alander, who arrived about two ar ago.

“It was a long time before that at a migrant had come to the island live.”

Mr. Taylor added that Mr. Provost aung was now the Pitcairners’ ider. He was elected Chief Magis de on Christmas Day following the signation of Mr. John Christian ao had held the position for 10 ars.