CHAPTER XXI. 



PITCAIEN ISLAND. 



At six o'clock on the morning of March 22nd, 

 1903, we sighted Pitcairn. The history of this 

 island and its people is weU-known, but a brief 

 account here of the origin of the inhabitants 

 may not be out of place. 



At the time of its discovery Pitcairn was un- 

 inhabited, but afterwards it became the home of 

 some of the survivors of the mutineers of H.M.S. 

 " Bounty," who, after capturing the ship, visited 

 Tahiti and, taking native wives, finally settled on 

 Pitcairn and destroyed the " Bounty." Here 

 they remained undiscovered for twenty years, 

 untU a passing ship, noticing signs of inhabitants, 

 lowered a boat and found them with their 

 descendants. Since that time Pitcairn has been 

 inhabited almost solely by the descendants of 

 the mutineers, and at the time of our visit there 

 were about one hundred and ninety persons 

 living there. 



As we drew close we could see that it was of 

 small size, and rose precipitously from the sea. 



