6 A MISSION TO VITI. 



to be too small for the growing community. The Pit- 

 cairn ers landed on the 8th of June, 1856, from the 

 ' Morayshire,' a vessel belonging to Mr. Dunbar, of Lon- 

 don, commanded by Mr. Joseph Mathers, and under 

 the agency of Acting-Lieutenant G. W. Gregorie, of 

 her Majesty's ship 'Juno.' They numbered in all 194 

 souls, one of whom died soon after landing ; the rest 

 comprising 40 men, 47 women, 54 boys, and 52 girls. 

 Almost an entire week was employed in disembarking 

 all the seventy years' gathering of chattels, including 

 almost every moveable article, even to the " gun " and 

 " anvil " of the ' Bounty.' On landing they w r ere 

 greeted individually by the commissariat officer and 

 Captain Denham, of her Majesty's ship ' Herald,' who 

 happened to be there, and then conducted to their com- 

 fortably-prepared quarters, until they should be able to 

 make their own selection from the commodious dwell- 

 ings erected for them. Dr. Macdonald instructed the 

 islanders essentially in the resources of the ample dis- 

 pensary at their use, whilst the artificers of the ' Herald' 

 imparted to them the uses of a variety of tools and 

 implements, comprising the wind and water mills ; in- 

 deed, everything was done to make them comfortable. 

 The first provident step for future provision was taken 

 by planting their favourite sweet-potato, and, pending 

 harvest time, which they gave six months to come about, 

 the ' Herald ' left the newly-transferred community pro- 

 vided with 45,000 Ibs. of biscuit, flour, maize, and rice, 

 with groceries in proportion, and abundance of milk at 

 their hands; whilst their live stock consisted of 1300 

 sheep, 430 cattle, 22 horses, 10 swine in sties, 16 do- 



