FROM THE MUTINY TO PITCAIRN ISLAND—MAUDE 559 
One can readily picture the tense expectancy of those last days off 
the island, as the little group of Europeans and Polynesians stood at 
the rail of the Bounty, speculating on its suitability for permanent 
settlement. Even from the sea they could discover coconut palms and 
breadfruit trees among the prevailing miro and purau, sure signs of 
former, if not present, inhabitants; it was resolved, therefore, to send 
a well-armed prospecting party to make an inspection before contem- 
plating any major disembarkation. 
As soon as the weather had moderated enough for a landing to be 
attempted, the boat was lowered and Christian, Brown, Williams, 
McCoy, and the three Tahitians rowed through the surf to the shore 
at what is now called Tedside, the alternative rough-weather landing 
place on the western coast. ‘The ship then stood out to sea.*° 
Two days later Christian was again taken on board. He returned, 
says Adams, “With a joyful expression such as we had not seen on 
him for a long time past” (Moerenhout, 1837, vol. 2, p. 293). The 
island had, in fact, exceeded his most sanguine hopes: in its fertility, 
its beauty, its temperate climate and, above all, in its now demonstrated 
inaccessibility, Pitcairn was ideal for his purpose. And, in addition, 
the race which had planted it ready for their use had apparently died 
out or departed, for the traces they found of their occupation were 
all old. 
The search was over: during the nine eventful months since the 
mutiny on the Bounty, Christian and his followers had seen much and 
done much; they had attempted the colonization venture at Tubuai, 
which even if a failure had given them invaluable experience and a 
knowledge of the necessary conditions for future success; they had 
crisscrossed the South Pacific three times, visiting the Society, 
Austral, Cook, Tonga, and Fiji Groups; they had discovered the 
important island of Rarotonga; they had searched in vain for the lost 
islands of Mendana and Quiros; they had acquired wives and an 
entourage; and now, after sailing over 7,800 miles from the day they 
left Bligh and Tofua, the mutineers had found their future home and 
the Bounty her last resting place. 
REFERENCES 
ATKIN, ee. 
1930. Ethnology of Tubuai. Bernice P. Bishop Mus. Bull. 70. Honolulu. 
BARNEY, STEPHEN. 
1794. Minutes of the proceedings of the court martial held at Portsmouth 
12th August, 1792 . . . London. 
Barrow, Sir JOHN. 
1831. Eventful history of the mutiny, and piratical seizure of H.M.S. 
Bounty; its cause and consequences. London. (This is the first 
edition ; the best is in the World’s Classics, London, 1914.) 
%9 While they were away John Mills is said to have made an unsuccessful attempt to 
induce his companions to maroon them and return to Tahiti (Bennett, 1840, vol. 1, p. 46). 
