252 PUBLIC KEGISTER. 
" 1844, July 28*A. Arrived, H.M.S. 
Basilisk, Captain Henry Hunt, bringing pre- 
sents from the British Government, Admiral 
Thomas, the Rev. Mr. Armstrong, &c. 
" 1845, Jan. I9th. During the last week 
we have been employed in fishing up two of 
the Bounty's large guns. For fifty-five years 
they have been deposited at the bottom of the 
sea, on a bed of coral, guiltless of blood during 
the time so many thousands of mankind 
became, in Europe, food for cannon. But 
on Saturday last, one of the guns resumed 
its natural vocation at least the innoxious 
portion of it to wit, pouring forth fire and 
smoke, and causing the island to reverberate 
with its bellowing ; the other gun is con- 
demned to silence, having been spiked by 
some one in the Bounty. 
" 1845, April IGth" The diary of this 
date contains a striking description of a 
storm, which, bursting over the island, greatly 
alarmed the inhabitants. A considerable 
portion of the earth was detached from the 
side of the hill situate at the head of a ravine, 
and carried into the sea; about 300 cocoa- 
nut-trees were torn up by the roots, and 
