NORFOLK ISLAND. 9 



having, when tlieir change of quarters took place, found 

 houses ready to receive them, they were under no necessity 

 of learnino; the art of construction, either of a civilized or 

 uncivilized fashion. But as houses will decay, and habita- 

 tions when required, must be constructed, and cannot be 

 made to grow, it is a matter of surprise that no attempt is 

 making to teach them to preserve such as they fortunately 

 have, and with which they would be sorry to part. 



After having been for half a century a land under a curse, 

 Norfolk Island has become a little terrestrial paradise. Of the 

 old penal settlement nothing remains but its material relics, 

 and, in tlie place of criminals who once thronged it, are now 

 to be seen only properly conducted and happy people, tlie 

 well-disposed descendants of the mutineers of the 'Bounty.' 

 The particulars of their history are too well known to be 

 repeated here. We may merely observe that, after living on 

 Pitcairn Island from 1790 to 1855, and, finding themselves 

 cramped for want of room on a rock the siu-face of which 

 did not exceed 800 acres, they petitioned Government 

 to transfer them to Noi'folk Island when they learnt it 

 was no longer to be used for penal purposes. Their 

 petition was successful, and in 1856 they were transferred to 

 their new dwelling-place to the number of 19-3 persons, of 

 whom 40 were men, 47 women, 54 boys, 52 girls, where 

 they have since lived happily, and full of thankfulness to 

 their mother country, with the exception of forty who re- 

 turned homesick to Pitcairn. 



Their little town, Kingston, is agreeably situated facing 



