FILIAL AFFECTION 137 
to visit the houses at Pitcairn, rather than pass 
another night at sea, determined to put off with 
some of his men in boats, and to accompany 
Adams and the islanders on shore. He says : 
" The difficulty of landing was more than repaid 
by the friendly reception we met with on the 
beach from Hannah Young, a very interesting 
young woman, the daughter of Adams. It ap- 
peared that John Buffett, who was a seafaring 
man, ascertained that the ship was a man-of- 
war ; and. not knowing exactly why, became so 
alarmed for the safety of Adams, tjiat he either 
could not, or would not, answer any of the inter- 
rogations which were put to him. This mys- 
terious silence set all the party in tears, as they 
feared he had discovered something adverse to 
their patriarch. At length his obduracy yielded 
to their entreaties ; but before he explained the 
cause of his conduct, the boats were seen to put 
off from the ship, and Hannah immediately 
hurried to the beach to kiss the old man's cheek, 
which she did with a fervency demonstrative of 
the warmest affection." 
Beechey observes, that Adams on no occa- 
sion neglected his usual devotions. The old 
man, while on board the Blossom, slept in that 
officer's cabin, in a retired corner of which he 
fell on his knees each night to say his prayers, 
and was always up first in the morning for the 
same purpose. The same writer, who made 
many highly valuable notes respecting the cha- 
racter and customs of the people in 1825, gives 
the following remarkable account of them : 
" l During the whole time I was with them, 
