more recalled public attention to that event. The captain of an American
schooner having, in 1808, accidentally touched at an island up to that
time supposed to be uninhabited, called Pitcairn's Island, found a
community speaking English, who represented themselves as the descendants
of the mutineers of the _Bounty_, of whom there was still one man, of the
name of Alexander Smith, alive amongst them. Intelligence of this
singular circumstance was sent by the American captain (Folger) to Sir
Sydney Smith at Valparaiso, and by him transmitted to the Lords of the
Admiralty. But the government was at that time perhaps too much engaged
in the events of the continental war to attend to the information, nor
was anything further heard of this interesting little society until 1814.
In that year two British men-of-war, cruising in the Pacific, made
Pitcairn's Island, and on nearing the shore, saw plantations regularly
and orderly laid out. Soon afterwards they observed a few natives coming
down a steep descent, with their canoes on their shoulders, and in a few
minutes perceived one of these little vessels darting through a heavy
surf, and paddling off towards the ships. But their astonishment may be
imagined when, on coming alongside, they were hailed in good English
with, "Wont you heave us a rope now?" This being done, a young man
sprang up the side with extraordinary activity, and stood on the deck
before them. In answer to the question "Who are you?" he replied that
his name was Thursday October Christian, son of the late Fletcher
Christian, by an Otaheitan mother; that he was the first born on the
island, and was so named because he was born on a Thursday in October.
All this sounded singular and incredible in the ears of the British
captains, Sir Thomas Staines and Mr. Pipon; but they were soon satisfied
of its truth. Young Christian was at this time about twenty-four years
old, a tall handsome youth, fully six feet high, with black hair, and an
open interesting English countenance. As he wore no clothes, except a
piece of cloth round his loins, and a straw-hat ornamented with black