12G Recent Accounls respecting Pilcaiin's Lluiid. 



fore she was entirely consumed, though there is not a vestige of 

 her now to be seen. They carried their precautions so far, as 

 even to destroy all the dogs, for fear the barking of these ani- 

 mals might at any future time betray them. 



" About four years after they landed on tlic island, one of their 

 wives died, which was Williams's. The rest agreed to give him 

 one of the black females, or natives of Otalieite, as a wife, to 

 supply the place of his former one; and this caused the first dis- 

 turbance on the island, and the consequent death of Christiaji 

 and four others, viz. Broun, Martin, John Mjlls, and John 

 Williams, as also two of the Otalieitans. Christian was the first, 

 who was shot wliile at work in his vam plantation. 



"The next disturbance took place about three years afterwards, 

 and arose from one of the remaining Otaheitans refusing to work : 

 but he was killed before he could do much mischief, except his 

 wounding old Adams in the right shoulder. He attempted in- 

 deed after this to knock his brains out: but Adams being a strong- 

 man, parried oif the blow, having his left hand inuch shattered, 

 and losing his fore-finger. Before he could repeat this blow 

 Quintal dispatched the first Otaheitan, and the other, his com- 

 panion, ran off to the woods; but coming back a few days after- 

 wards, the women killed him in the night, while asleep, as they 

 were afraid he might treacherously kill some of the Englishmen, 

 to whom they were more attached than to their countrymen. 

 Thus only four Englishmen were left, of whom one went mad and 

 drowned himself, and two died natural deaths; ' the last, about 

 eighteen years ago, leaving tne,' sa}=s Adams, ' to bring up their 

 children, which I have done in the most christian-like manner 

 my means would allow.' — Thev say a prayer in the morning, one 

 at noon, and another at night, and never omit asking a blessing, 

 or returning thanks at meals. 



"Adams is now fifty-seven years of age; has three daughters 

 and one son; the last is about fourteen years old. The whole of 

 this little community are in number forty-five, including men, 

 women and children. Christian left three sons, who are now all 

 alive on the island. Thev have had two births since the frigates 

 ucre there; they were then forty-three, and not forty-eight, as 

 stated by Sir Thomas Staines. Adams said this must have been 

 a mistake, as no d( aths had occurred since the ships left theni. 

 They have plenty of fowls, goats, and hogs, on the island, and 

 I left them a ram, two ewes and a lamb of the South American 

 breed ; as well as some potatoes, wheat, mid paddy, for cultivation; 

 ■with such other useful articles as the ship afforded. 



" Adams reads the bible to the islanders every Sunday evening ; 

 but he has not been able to get any of thein to learn to read, for 

 want of a spelling book, of which he had only a few leaves. 



Their 



