274 Voyage of the Novara. 



returning to Pitcalrn's Island ; but, as in consequence of their 

 original descent there have been such frequent intermarriages, 

 and hence such close relationship, reminding one of the 

 clans of Scotland, it was impossible to decide who was to go 

 and who to remain. At length, on the expiry of the last day 

 left them to decide, it was arranged that in the event of 

 Captain Stewart proving unable to take off two entire families 

 or clans (about 100 persons), only one should be taken to 

 Pitcairn. The Ca]3tain hesitated at venturing on so long a 

 voyage with such a number of souls in so small a vessel. He 

 therefore took on board only 17 of the islanders, men, women, 

 and children, whom he landed at Pitcairn Island, after a voy- 

 age of 42 days, amid tears of rapture at finding themselves on 

 the well-remembered spot. The notifications they had at- 

 tached to their doors on leaving had not entirely answered 

 their expectations. During their absence several of the huts 

 had been gutted, and a large number of the oxen had been 

 carried off. However, it was not altogether malice or wan- 

 ton destruction which had diverted to other purposes their 

 cherished household gods. Shortly before their arrival, in a 

 wild night of storms, the American clipper Wild Wave had been 

 wrecked on a coral reef, not far from Pitcairn, and a part 

 of the crew, having succeeded in reaching the island, were 

 compelled to avail themselves of the building material, thus 

 collected to hand for them, with which to construct a boat, in 

 which, with true sailor-like hardihood, to face the winds and 

 waves once more. For this purpose the church and some 



