124 CAPTAIN BEECHET'S ACCOUNT. 
There was, it seemed, besides private pro- 
perty, a sort of general stock, out of which 
articles were issued on account to the several 
members of the community ; and for mutual 
accommodation, exchanges of one kind of 
provision for another were very frequent, 
as salt for fresh provisions, vegetables and 
fruit for poultry, fish, &c. ; also, when the 
stores of one family were low, or wholly 
expended, a fresh supply was raised from 
another, or out of the general stock, to 
be repaid when circumstances were more 
favourable." * 
The name of John Adams is so closely 
identified with Pitcairn's Island, and so much 
of the present happy state of the people is 
owing, under the Divine blessing, to him, 
that it is difficult to say too much on this 
part of the subject. The description given 
by Captain Beechey of Adams, as well as of 
the young islanders, who came out in a boat 
to the Blossom, when off the island in De- 
cember 1825, is so graphic, that it must be 
quoted in his own words : 
" They sprang up the side, and shook every 
* See Quarterly Kevievr, vol. iii. p. 378, &c. 
