BRITON AND TAGUS. 129 
different periods, leaving at present only one man 
and several women of the original settlers.' , 
" The island must, undoubtedly, be that called 
Pitcairn, although erroneously laid down in the 
charts. We had the meridian sun close to it, 
which gave us 25 deg. 4 min* S. latitude, and 
130 deg. 25 min. W. longitude, by chrono- 
meters of the Briton and Tagus. It is abundant 
in yams, plantains, hogs, goats, and fowls, but 
affords no shelter for a ship or vessel of any 
description; neither could a ship water there 
without great difficulty. 
" I cannot refrain from offering my opinion 
that it is well worthy the attention of our 
laudable religious Societies, particularly that for 
propagating the Christian religion, the whole of 
the inhabitants speaking the Otaheitan tongue 
as well as English. During the whole of the 
time they have been on the island, only one 
ship has ever communicated with them, which 
took place about six years since, by an American 
ship, called the Topaz, of Boston, Mayhew 
Folger, master. The island is completely iron- 
bound, with rocky shores, and landing in boats 
at all times difficult, although safe to approach 
within a short distance in a ship. 
(Signed) " T. STAINES." 
It is remarkable, that in this letter John 
Adams should have been styled a "venerable 
old man." He was then only fifty years of 
age. But he had suffered much anxiety. For 
a long period of his life he had been a stranger 
to security; and his weather-beaten face bore 
i2 
