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B S 1 TheThe StoryStory ofof PitcairnPitcairn IslandIsland 4 Out in the Pacific there is an island was uninhabited, and it had Naval historians tell us he was not a island that time forgot. water and soil. If he had not mentioned man to inspire love. He is variously de- A little over two hundred years this, the little island probably would scribed as irritable, truculent, into the past will bring us to it. For never have entered history in the sur- overbearing, and a driver rather than there we shall find one of the most prising way that it did. a leader of men. But, in those days, fascinating adventures of all time. But now, let us go on with the story. such qualities would not rule him out, Far out in the Pacific Ocean, on It is the year 1777, and the British for he knew how to command the men the outer edge of the Tuamotu Ar- government is planning to send an ex- that manned the ships. chipelago, at Latitude 2505' S. and pedition to the South Pacific. Early Forty-five men, between the ages of Longitude 1305' W., is a green para- explorers of the Pacific, such as Will- seventeen and forty, were signed on as dise known as Island. iam Dampier and George Anson, had crewmen. Instead of exploring new About two miles long and one mile brought back to Europe fascinating lands or engaging in conquest, this wide, it is ringed with a rugged tales of the South Pacific islands and expedition was designed to promote coast of cliffs; and, within their pro- its peoples. One food that they particu- good will and to exchange colonial ben- tecting care, is nestled rich, fertile larly mentioned was the breadfruit. efits and, therefore, the crew was care- soil, the mild climate and lush Later, Captain Cook, following his fully selected. tropical fruit that makes the South trans-world voyage, also commented As the officer, second in command, Pacific Isles so famous. on the breadfruit plant. He told of its twenty-two year old very fine qualities, declared that it was was chosen. Christian was a man But there is more to this little is- the staple diet of the Pacific islanders, highly regarded in the admiralty, and land than its location or its climate. and that they were able to obtain it for was generally conceded to be one who For here is to be found the rendezvous eight months out of the year. would rise high in naval rank. He had of one of the most amazing stories in In 1777, the Royal Sociey of Arts, earlier been a particular friend of Cap- all sailing history. in London, England, offered a gold tain Bligh; and, so, by special request, Our story actually begins on July medal to whoever should succeed in he was asked to join the ship’s com- 2, 1767, when a midshipman climbed transplanting the breadfruit to the pany as its chief officer. He had accom- the ship’s masthead, of the Swallow, West Indies, in order to help feed the panied Bligh on two earlier voyages, and called out, “Land ahoy!” He had workers on the sugar plantations and was highly regarded by him. sighted a previously unknown island. there. King George III, recently defeated But something went wrong this Philip Carteret, captain of this British in a war to retain possession of the time. Something had happened to sailing ship, in the midst of a voyage American Colonies, now had the op- Bligh. around the world, carefully checked portunity to give his thoughts to some The three midshipmen were Peter through his charts and, not finding the other part of the world. And so the Heywood, Edward Young, and George island listed, recorded its longitude British Admiralty was given permis- Stewart. They also were looking for- and latitude and named it in honor of sion to fit out a ship that would win ward to higher positions in the Brit- the midshipman that first spotted it. the gold medal. Its destination was ish Navy. But little did any of them He wrote down the name, “Pitcairn”; Tahiti. There it was, to collect a sup- know that only one would ever return and, in his ship’s log, he said that it ply of young plants of the breadfruit to England again. This was Peter was about three thousand miles west and carry them to the West Indies, in Heywood; and his story of pardon from of Chile. “It was like a great rock ris- the Gulf of Mexico. execution, as a result of his sister’s ing from the sea,” he wrote, “about five It was recognized that this would devotion and prayers, is something of miles round, apparently uninhabited, be a unique voyage, and the attention an epoch in British naval history. Of with trees on it, and a stream of water of all Europe was upon it. One of the the rest of the crew, little is known un- running down one side. The surf, best merchant ships obtainable was til we learn of them later in the unfold- breaking upon the rocks, rendered purchased by the Naval Board for this ing of the story of the . landing difficult. After examining it purpose—the Bethia. It was renamed Later in the afternoon of the from the ship, I called it ‘Pitcairn Is- the Bounty, and Lieutenant William twenty-third of December, 1787, the land,’ in honor of my midshipman, and Bligh was given command of the ves- Bounty weighed anchor and slowly sailed on.” sel. headed down the River Thames. One What Captain Philip Carteret Bligh was a short man, small-fea- of the best-known voyages, in the his- wrote in his log actually told a lot. The tured, about thirty-three years old. tory of England, had begun. 2

Crossing the Atlantic and travel- allowances. bade farewell to their happy life of many ing down the coast of South America, On another occasion, Bligh or- months. None aboard had any idea the Bounty headed toward tha Horn,— dered a supply of cheese to be brought that, within twenty-three days, a mu- the southern tip of the continent—plan- up on deck and aired. When the coo- tiny would take place—a mutiny that ning to round it and sail into the Pa- per (the one in charge of the barrels) would affect every man on board for cific. But, at the Horn, it encountered opened one of the casks, Bligh declared the remainder of his life. such fierce storms that Bligh feared that two of the cheeses were missing. Slowly the ship was towed out into that the ship might be lost. In his later “They must have been stolen,” he thun- the sea by large native canoes, and report, this part of the voyage is dered. then, setting sail, the ship slowly quoted from his log: “Repeated gales Quietly the cooper reminded him headed west toward the Indian Ocean. seem now to become more violent, the that the cask had been opened while All prepared for another long, weari- squalls so excessively severe that I the ship was still lying in the Thames some journey. And it was quick to be- dare scarce show any canvas to it. The River, and that by order of Mr. Samuel, gin. Two or three days after embark- motion of the ship is so very quick and the clerk, the cheeses had been sent to ing, Captain Bligh confiscated all the falls so steep between the seas that it Captain Bligh’s home. At this, Fletcher food that had been given as presents, is impossible to stand without man Christian stepped forward and politely to the crewmen, by their many friends ropes across the decks.” gave supporting evidence to this fact. back in Tahiti. To this Christian ob- So fierce did the weather become Cutting short all further discus- jected. Bligh immediately retorted with that Bligh was forced to turn back,— sion, Bligh ordered the cheese ration an outpouring of foul and sarcastic lan- and head east—and sailing more than stopped from both officers and men guage. To this, Christian replied, “Sir, three quarters of the way around the until the man who had taken the your abuse is so bad that I cannot do world in the other direction, by way of cheeses returned them. Speaking vio- my duty with any pleasure.” Africa, through the Indian Ocean and lently to the cooper, he swore at him Christian had been warned by Bligh past Australia. He was not to drop and declared he would be flogged if not to use arms against the natives, anchor in Tahiti until October 26, anything further was said about the and so, two weeks later, when the 1788. In ten months he had sailed over incident. Bounty stopped at the Island of twenty-seven thousand miles. After ten months of this—the ship Anamooka for water and were repulsed And what those months and miles finally laid anchor in Matava Lagoon. by unfriendly natives, Christian re- had brought to all concerned was some- A nightmare was behind them and turned to the ship without firing on thing of a nightmare. what appeared, to their weary, eyes to them. At this, Bligh swore at him and Lack of food, close quarters, poor be paradise lay before them. They had called him a coward for not attacking water, difficult conditions, bad arrived at the warm and friendly land them. The breach between the two men weather, and seemingly endless of Tahiti. was widening. months put a severe strain on the We are told that the natives of the Three days later, while still in the nerves and temper of everyone on island showered hospitality upon Cap- Tonga group of islands, the episode board. But the breaking point was the tain Bligh and the crew of the Bounty. occurred that was the direct forerun- quarter-deck tactics of Bligh, combined Gone were the routine and the strain ner of the mutiny. On the afternoon of with the short rations he gave the men. of ship life. Now there was work to do the 27th of April, Bligh came up on The problem was that Bligh was on the island, preparing breadfruit the quarter-deck and discovered that not only the Master of the ship, he was plants for shipment to the West Indies. some coconuts were missing from a pile also the Purser—its treasurer. It was There was time for relaxation. And stored between the guns. In a storm of later said that his excessive economy especially so, since we are told that anger, he declared they had been sto- with the food brought on most of the Nelson, the ship’s botanist, and len—and with the knowledge of the problems. It has been suggested that Brown, the gardener, did most of the other ship’s officers. To this, they re- the short allowances were doled out slipping and potting of the 1,015 plied that they had not seen anyone to his own advantage. breadfruit plants that were gradually touch them. (These were Bligh’s own A ringleader, in the growing resent- taken on board the ship and stored in coconuts; the officers and men had ment, was Matthew Quintal. He smol- the hold, in a special room earlier pre- theirs in their own rooms below deck). dered with resentment; for he was the pared to receive them. Turning to Christian, Bligh or- first to be “flogged” by Bligh for reported No one knows why the captain de- dered him to go below and search the insolence and contempt, and given two cided to remain so long in Tahiti—from officers’ quarters and bring up every dozen lashes. James Morrison, a fel- October 26, 1788 to April 4, 1789— coconut to be found. “How many coco- low shipmate, later declared before the but it did little to lessen the final clash nuts do you have in your cabin?” he Court of Enquiry, upon his return to of wills. roared at Christian. England, that all that Quintal had done When the day came to depart, it “I really do not know, sir,” replied was to complain about the unneces- was hard to say good-bye. But, at last, Christian, “but I hope you do not think sary cutting down of the regular food the men boarded the ship again, and me guilty of stealing yours.” “Yes,” 3 Bligh snapped, with an oath, “I do the 27th, he sent him an invitation to The next hour brought a dramatic turn think so,—you are all thieves alike! You sup with him that very evening. Chris- of events. will steal my yams next. I will flog you, tian, however, excused himself, on the Christian, accompanied by three and make you jump overboard before pretense of being unwell. The other of- others, took the captain by surprise we reach Endeavor Straits!” He then ficers agreed among themselves not to while he was sleeping in his cabin. turned to Mr. Samuel, the ship’s clerk sup with the Commander should he Dragging him from his bed, they over- (who later reported the incident at the ask them.” powered him and tied his hands. Out official inquiry back in England), and By the time the sun began to set on the deck a small boat was lowered demanded that he stop “the villains’ on a shoreless horizon the next after- and Bligh and the eighteen men who grog” and give them only half a pound noon, a plan of action was forming in chose to remain with him were forced of yams for food the next day. Then Christian’s mind. The calm waters of into it. Provisions were given them, and turning to the men he declared that, if the Pacific brought no peace to his they were set adrift. any more nuts were missing, he would heart. For he intended to leave the ship The little boat carrying these nine- reduce the rations to a quarter pound. that evening. Desertion was his objec- teen men drifted west, past the New The effect of all this was terrific tive. He now saw in Bligh an enemy, Hebrides, New Guinea, and Australia, on Fletcher Christian. There was a and he felt that all hope of future pro- the long distance to Timor, a Dutch growing question in his mind as to motion had been destroyed by what settlement off the coast of Southern what effect all this would have on his had been taking place. What report Asia. Their sufferings had been in- service record upon returning to Eng- Bligh might later bring against him tense. Eventually they returned to En- land. What lay ahead? Such thoughts back in England, he knew not, but he gland, there to give a full report on the as these were in his mind as evening was sure it would not be good. mutiny. drew on. He did not know that he was Quietly, that evening, he received As Fletcher Christian turned his only twenty-four hours from the end from the boatswain, the carpenter, and ship into the dark night and left the of his naval career. two midshipmen,—the men who were little boat behind him, he had to de- acquainted with his plans,—some sup- cide where to go. Most of the men re- plies to trade with natives for food, maining on the Bounty wanted to re- when he should later land on some turn to Tahiti, but Christian well-knew Mutiny on the shore. As soon as the opportunity af- that this would be too dangerous. He forded, he planned to be lowered in a told them that, in time, a British na- boat and leave. val ship should come in search for Bounty But there seemed to be more ac- them, and Tahiti was not the place to tivity than the usual that night, and be living at that time. So he headed for The “Great Enquiry” was des- he would have to wait. He must not be the Island of Tubuai, but there he found tined to become the talk of all En- seen departing. And so the night deep- a lack of livestock as well as unfriendly gland. Indeed, it would become the ened, and he retired for sleep. But he natives. Finally, at the insistence of his naval hearing of the decade. Months had had little of it, when he was called men, he turned the ship toward Ta- of careful deliberation and many to take over his watch. As the quiet hiti. witnesses were to open up before waters lapped against the side of the Tahiti is the largest of a little group the British Empire the story of the ship, he leaned against the railing with of 14 islands that lie in the South Pa- . Matthew Quintal, and he looked be- cific. As the mutineers neared it, they The Enquiry was to bring Lon- yond the waters to the far distance. could see massive volcanoes rising don the closest it had ever come to Matthew knew what he was planning, from its interior and an outer coral reef the South Pacific. and suddenly turning to him, he urged completely encircling it. Landing on the But that was to come later. Just him not to try to leave the ship—but reef, they went ashore in smaller boats. now we must return to the Bounty. rather to seize it, for there were oth- For many of them it was a return to Of the events that were to rapidly ers, of the ship’s crew, who had been “paradise—coconuts, sugar cane, bring the mutiny to a head, John abused by “Old Breadfruit,” as some tropical fruits, and women. From the Fryer, the ship’s master, was to of them privately called him. rugged interior, with its waterfalls and later give the clearest picture. You Immediately Christian acted. He rapid streams cutting through steep can read it in the official “Report called Isaac Martin, Charles Churchill, mountains, to the belt of fertile soil of Enquiry” that resulted from this and Matthew Thompson, all of whom near the shore, the Englishmen found naval hearing. had tasted “the cat” (the whiplash), much to enjoy. and he suggested a plan to them. As soon as they arrived on shore, Fryer tells us that Bligh’s “pas- Alexander Smith also supported it, sixteen of the mutineers voted to re- sions were apt to ebb as swiftly as they and he called William McCoy and John main in Tahiti. But the other eight de- flowed. An hour or so after he had Williams who also favored the plot, for cided to cast their lot with Christian— abused Christian on the afternoon of they had all received harsh treatment. for he was determined to sail away 4 shortly. to another part of the island, and there years before. As he held it in his hands, In the wild orgies of madness that the crew stayed long enough to marry he recalled how she would read to him were to follow on this island, after Tahitian wives and take on provisions from it, when he was a child at her Christian and his eight had departed, for a lengthy voyage. Mi’Mitti, the noble knees. He well-knew that she felt that two of the sixteen were killed by the daughter of an important chief, mar- this was the best gift she could give natives because of their thievery and ried Christian. Brown, the ship’s gar- him. One day, he took it to a cave on adulteries. The other fourteen were dener, loaded the hold with plants the mountainside, and began reading later caught by a searching party sent from fruit trees. The other men in it. Many were the hours that he out from England. Placed in chains by brought chickens and goats on board. spent there. And then another began Captain Edwards, of the Pandora, the Also, six young Tahitian men were coming to the cave with him. It was party set out for Britain. During the taken on as additional crewmen. Alexander Smith, who had by now passage, four were drowned when the And then the Bounty sailed away changed his name to John Adams. As ship struck a coral reef. Only ten re- into oblivion. Christian had had access the days passed into weeks, Christian’s turned to England, there to stand trial. back, in England, to the latest naval book brought a wonderful peace into By its verdict, three were executed. records; and, very likely, copies of the Adams’ life. For he was finding what , one of those par- most recent annotated maps were in Christian had found not long before— doned, had written his mother from the chart room of the Bounty, which that his sins could be forgiven through Tahiti, after the mutiny. In it, he told was a ship of the British navy. Chris- the forgiving grace of Jesus Christ. of Christian’s final request: “Gentle- tian had no doubt read of the discov- But in spite of this, the next five men, I will carry you and land you ery of the uninhabited island with wa- years became a nightmare for the small wherever you please. I desire none to ter and good soil that lay a thousand colony. Williams, McCoy, and Quintal stay with me, but I have one favor to miles east of him. For it appears that had always been heavy drinkers, and request, that you grant me the ship, he sailed directly to it. On the morn- now, finding it not available, they be- tie the foresail, give me a few gallons of ing of January 23, 1790, Pitcairn Is- gan experimenting with native plants. water, leave me to run before the wind, land was sighted by the men on the McCoy had been brought up in a dis- and I shall land upon the first island Bounty. tillery, and, fevered with a desire for the ship drives to. I have done such an Dropping anchor in a small cove, his old way of life, discovered that he act that I cannot stay at Outhit (Ta- later to be known as Bounty Bay, they could make an alcoholic drink from the hiti]. I will never live where I may be slowly unloaded the ship, carrying roots of the native tee plant. One day, carried home to be a disgrace to my everything up the 200-foot high cliff to Williams’ wife fell from the cliffs and family.” the Edge,—from which one can see the died while trying to gather eggs from At this, Edward Young, one of the landing place and Bounty Bay. They the nests of sea birds. Shortly there- midshipmen, and seven others stepped found that the island did, indeed, con- after, Williams, while half drunk went up to him and said, “We shall never tain water, wood, and good soil, as well down to the home of one of the Tahi- leave you, Mr. Christian; go where you as some fruit trees. Every movable tian men, Talalu, and took his wife. In will.” thing was taken to shore and up the a rage, Talalu, uniting the other Tahi- The men who remained with cliff. The Bounty was completely tian men with him, began a warfare Christian were John Williams, William stripped, even to the planks from her that took the lives of Williams, Mar- Brown, Isaac Martin, John Mills, Wil- sides, and then the hull was set on fire. tin, Brown, and Mills. Fletcher Chris- liam McCoy, Matthew Quintal, Edward The ship that had been their home for tian was taken unawares, while work- Young, and Alexander Smith (who later two years was no more. ing in his garden, and killed. John changed his name to John Adams). Christian divided the settlement Adams, though shot in the shoulder, On the final night in Tahiti, Chris- into sections, and soon all were busily managed to escape, while Edward tian spent the evening on shore with engaged in building homes, clearing Young was successfully hidden by his the crewmates he was leaving behind. land for gardens, and setting out trees. wife. The four remaining Englishmen Heywood wrote of this: “We had spent Salt was obtained from the sea and and the widows of the men who had some two hours together, when Chris- an abundance of fish was available. been murdered realized that they had tian arose, and it was with difficulty Life in their new little world took on but a short time unless something was that we spoke to each other. It was a the routine of daily living. The conti- done immediately. In a sudden attack sad farewell. He stepped into a canoe, nents around them were the scene of they slew all the Tahitian men. and we saw him no more; for, in the continual discontent, greed, strife, and But McCoy and Quintal were still morning, the ship was gone.” The night misery. Could the brave new settlement alive and well, and now every imagin- of the 21st of September, 1789, was escape the heritage of their forebears? able vice was practiced by them. the last that civilization ever saw of One day while rummaging through Treachery and aggression raged, and Fletcher Christian. his sea chest, Christian discovered, no one felt his life secure. Some of the With the eight that elected to re- deep beneath the spare clothing, the women, in desperation, tried to get main with him, Christian sailed north Bible that his mother had placed there away from the island on a raft, but this 5 they were not permitted to do. The fu- too closely. Liquor and passion of the dream, and Thursday asked ture of the little colony seemed dark. were bringing the lawlessness of that he might learn to read his father’s One day, in a drunken depression, civilization to this once-peaceful Bible. Digging it out of the old sea the distiller, McCoy, made his way island. chest, they went with it frequently to down to the rocks by the water’s edge, Of all the men once on the is- the cave and there, in the quietness of and there fastening a large stone to his land, John Adams now stood alone. this shady den, Thursday October body, picked it up and jumped into the What was he to do? The future learned to read. ocean. Thus a sad but miserable life seemed dark and bleak. There must Sorry for his past life and zealous ended. be an answer. for the honor of God, this tough old Then Quintal’s wife died in an ac- With eleven women and twenty- sailor became a softened man and be- cident and he demanded another, but three children on the island, sons gan to teach the minds of the younger no one on the island wanted to become and daughters of his companions, people, about him, the love and fear of the wife of a drunk who earlier, in an Adams began to realize that he had God. He prayed for them and con- angry stupor, had bitten off his wife’s a great responsibility to lead them ducted morning and evening worship, ear upon learning that she had brought into a better way of life. Going a custom that is still practiced on the in a smaller than usual catch of fish. down one day to Christian’s Cave, island. Finally Quintal demanded that either he lay down and spent some time As the families of the island gath- Adams or Young give him one of their gazing out across his island home ered morning and evening and studied wives, or he would kill them. Having and over the waters that stretched the Word of God together, they grew no doubt that he intended to do this, to the great beyond. He thought strong in its messages. A depth of char- they made him drunk with his own li- over the experiences of the past, and acter and a firmness to do the right quor, overpowered him, and dis- recalled the many happy times began to mark their bearing. A won- patched him with an ax. when Christian had read to him derful peace came into their lives, and And now the community settled from the Bible and they had talked with thankfulness of heart they deter- down to the peace it had been seeking about how the island might have a mined never to return to the old ways for years. Never again was the use of better way of life. of life. alcoholic beverages allowed on the is- From the Bible they learned their land. It was outlawed. The year was But while he was thinking on these duty to be kind and helpful to one an- 1798. Eight years had passed since the things, he fell asleep. In his own words, other. And they learned the importance mutineers had first landed on Pitcairn. he describes what followed: “l had a of obedience to the will of God, as re- Adams and Young were now the sole dream that changed my whole life. vealed in His Word. Repeatedly, they survivors of fifteen men who had come There seemed to be standing beside me found, in Scripture, that, when the to the island, and thirty-six-year-old an angel who spoke to me, warning me people of God did not obey His moral Adams was to see Young succumb to of my past life, and then he called me law, the results were always disas- an attack of asthma two years later. to repent and go down and train the trous. Together, from the written Word, For the first time, an islander had died children in the way of Christian’s they found that which other civiliza- by a natural death. Bible.” With this, he awoke and tions of our time have yet to learn,— An island paradise, far off in the seemed to feel the very presence of God that God means what He says, and Pacific. And yet when people came to about him. Kneeling there, he asked that He sent His Son to enable man to live there, they brought the vices and his Creator for forgiveness for the sins obey all that He says. And that those immorality of the rest of the world with of a lifetime. who refuse obedience, will always suf- them. Passion, strife, drunkenness, From that day on, he carried with fer. and bloodshed were the result. him a deep and abiding repentance for When it was suggested that a small Is there no answer? Is there noth- his former way of life, and he tried not school building be built, the five older ing that can keep man from destroy- only to live on a higher level himself, boys—Thursday Christian, his brother ing himself? but he also determined that he must Charles, Daniel McCoy, George Young, But then came the discoveries at help those young people learn of God and Matthew Quintal—quickly set to Pitcairn. as well. It was now the year 1800. work and soon, with the help of the John Adams had four children of younger boys, their first schoolhouse his own, but he was very much at- was completed. tached to Fletcher Christian’s eldest At first the daily program con- Discovery at son. This boy had been the first to be sisted of study from one Bible. These born on the island; and, because he were happy times for all. On one occa- was born on a Thursday in October, sion Adams asked Arthur Quintal and Pitcairn his father had named him Thursday Robert Young to prepare a plot of It seemed that there was no October Christian. By now Thursday ground for some yams. When the hope. The past was following them was ten years of age. Adams told him ground was plowed, he offered them a 6 little gunpowder. They both declined knew that captains in command of New insights from the Word of God and said they would rather have some British naval ships were not given to will continually be found by those who, extra lessons from the Bible, a request sentiment. Calling Thursday, he re- in humility and prayer, search its which he happily fulfilled. quested him to go out and meet the pages. And this was to be the experi- Adams diligently sought to teach captains. So, accompanied by eighteen- ence of the faithful Christians on the his people the importance of prayer— year-old George Young, Thursday Island of Pitcairn. Coming in at night prayer for protection, prayer for guid- paddled out in a small canoe to the from their gardens, they would study ance, and the prayer of thanksgiving. side of the “Briton.” Captain Staines the Bible to learn more of its treasures. On one occasion, when he and some of was astonished to hear Thursday call In 1876, the little group came upon the women went out fishing on the out in good English, “Won’t you heave the truth that Jesus is soon to return south side of the island, the surf broke us a rope now?” Arriving on board, the to this earth for His own. How this their canoe. It was impossible to scale mystery of how English-speaking cheered their hearts! All they had was the cliffs; and so, gathering them to- people happened to be on this little the Word of God, but they knew that, gether, he offered a simple prayer for island was quickly explained by the as they studied and trusted them- strength to swim to a distant point. boys. Their deportment and natural, selves to it, they would always be All having reached it safely, they shared easy manners interested everyone. To guided aright. the story with the others at home. It the question, “Who are you?” twenty- Noble stories and wonderful prin- was experiences such as this, com- four-year-old Thursday replied with ciples were to be found in this Book of bined with the daily study and prayer, frankness, “I am Thursday October books. But the more they studied, the that day by day strengthened and en- Christian, son of Fletcher Christian, more they learned. In October of 1886, nobled this quiet people of the the mutineer, by a Tahitian mother, and after checking and rechecking, they Pitcairn. the first born on this island.” They came upon the truth that Sunday sa- Alone, Adams began every day with then ate lunch with the captain, and credness was not to be found in the earnest prayer to God, that he might he observed how they prayed before Bible. This came as something of a guide his people aright. He had no for- taking food. When asked, they told him shock to them, as you might imagine, mal schooling, and as both pastor and that John Adams had taught them but additional reading confirmed this teacher of the entire settlement, he felt this. To these naval men this was amaz- fact. his need of divine help. It was given ing—the simple piety of these young Thursday October Christian II day by day, as he needed it. men, living so far from all civilized (Thursday’s son) was the leader of the He was attentive to the needs of lands, yet in the vicinity of islands island at the time. He and Simon all. If any were ill, he went and prayed whose peoples were sunken in heathen- Young, the beloved and respected elder with them. Consistently, he asked God ism and ignorance. of the church, were the first to accept to help, and then went forward and did Both Captain Staines and Captain this new Bible truth. And so it was what he knew to be right. On this is- Pipon went ashore, saw the colony, and that, within a short time, the church land, where looseness of morals and interviewed Adams. He offered to re- bell was no longer tolling on Sunday, indifference to religion had once pre- turn with them and stand trial in En- the first day, but on Saturday, the Sev- vailed, a wonderful new way of life was gland for his part in the mutiny. Im- enth day, as it called the people to wor- being discovered. The sordid round of mediately the islanders gathered ship. For each of the families had stud- crime and treachery that had marred around and pled that he might remain. ied it out for themselves, and nearly its early history were becoming only a Both captains were deeply touched by all on the island had accepted the memory, as a younger generation of a the scene and resolved not to disturb simple facts it taught about this. strange blood mixture was growing to the colony. Upon their return to En- Over the years, a better way of life maturity, under the influence of the gland an official report was presented, had opened up before this quiet people book that Adams had opened before with the request that Adams not be who chose to pattern their lives accord- them—the Book of God. sought for. Since Bligh was now dead, ing to the Bible. And, as they studied, On September 17, 1814, quite by it was decided that the case should re- they learned a simple Biblical way of accident, two British frigates, the main closed. life that has become a model for many “Briton” and the “Tabus,” arrived at On March 6, 1829, John Adams in other lands. Pitcairn. They were searching for a pi- peacefully passed to his rest at the age It is of interest that, in 1838, the rate ship, the “Esse,” which had been of sixty-five. And Thursday October Pitcairners drafted a Constitution for seizing English whalers. Headed for Christian became the recognized leader the government of the island. Within Valparaiso from the Marquesas Is- of the island. With the passing of the it were enlightened laws, far in advance lands, they suddenly came in sight of years additional vessels stopped at the of the rest of the world. For example, land that they were not expecting; for, island and reported on the remarkable as of 1838, every 18-year old might by an error in reckoning, they thought way of life to be found there and the vote, but this did not come to the Pitcairn to be 200 miles distant. fact that it was directly attributable to United States until 1871. England still Adams recognized the flags and well- the reading of the Bible. does not have it. In 1838, women were 7 granted the right to vote on Pitcairn. ers can remember when it was last But though it may not be practical to But not until 1920, in the United used. At this time the iron door stands move there, yet we can have the faith States, and 1928, in Great Britain, ajar, rusted tight in a half-open posi- of the Pitcairners. For it is the Word of were women given equal voting rights. tion. But no one sees any need to re- God, hidden in their hearts, an open After the first nine-year orgy of vio- place it. Bible before them that is the real se- lence on Pitcairn, the island found the In the story of Pitcairn, we find cret of the happiness of this little is- Bible and thereafter became a model what the Bible can do for men and land in the South Pacific. of moral prosperity for the entire women. Ever since John Adams and The story of Pitcairn has indeed world. During those first years, while Edward Young dug Fletcher Christian’s been a fascinating one. It has explained John Adams was the leader, his island Bible out of the old sea chest, the Word mysteries, but has uncovered still had no written laws. They were not of God has played an important role more. Now we must travel across the needed. Later, when they began to ap- in Pitcairn’s affairs. A recent Bible cen- world in order to find the answers we pear, most of them dealt with animals: sus noted that there were 247 Bibles are seeking. This trip will take us to chickens digging up yam patches, etc. on Pitcairn. This is about three for other lands and other places, but this One important law prohibited liquor every man, woman, and child on the is necessary. on the island. The reign of terror, cre- island. The pastor declares that the For we must now go back—beyond ated by McCoy’s tee-root (from root) Bible is the best read book on the is- Pitcairn—to peoples and events of whiskey, was never to be forgotten. land, and he is probably right. many centuries earlier. There is a jail on Pitcairn, because the Would you like to live with the And only then will we understand British authorities thought one should Pitcairners? We both would, I am sure. the mystery of Pitcairn. be constructed. But none of the island-

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