540 
P I T 
their faft-day, we concluded to wait till near fun-down, at 
which time they would be at liberty to join us; and, when 
they thought it feafonable, we all fat down together, but 
not till the chief of our kind entertainers had alked a 
bleffing in a very impreffive manner. The return of 
thanks appeared not lefs impreffive on the minds of the 
little community, who were like olive-branches round the 
family table. After fpending the evening, beds were 
prepared for us; and, J. Adams having taken a bed in 
the fame chamber, though it was not in his own houfe, we 
converfed till midnight. Early in the morning, our 
female friends were actively employed getting breakfaft 
for us, which was ready by feven o’clock, confiding of 
fowls boiled with yams, which made an excellent foup: 
our people were equally well provided for. We got into 
our boats with feelings of gratitude, which I was unable 
to exprefs, towards thefe good people, but not till they 
made me promife to come on-fliore again before we left 
the ifland. 
“ On the 12th I again went on-lhore, and was treated 
with every attention. Before noon I returned on-board, 
after taking a more affectionate leave than I ever did any 
where except my home. I was accompanied on-board by 
John Adams, Dolly Young, and Mary Anne Chriftian. 
Having received from them a fupply of young cocoa-nuts 
and fowls, we gave them a part of a bolt of light duck, 
an axe, two hatchets, four boat-knives, a bag of bread, a 
few bottles of wine, a roll of old canvas, a little grind- 
ftone, and a watch. Having now accomplifhed the bufi- 
nefs for which we came, our friends, after wifhing us a 
good voyage and fafe return home, went on fhore. 
“John Adams and fix Otaheitan women are all that 
are left of the original fettlers, if we may venture to call 
them fo. There are feven families, confiding of 53 per- 
i'ons, now all in good health without a fingle exception. 
There are about eleven aCtive young men, who are ready 
and willing at all times to affift a fliip’s crew in procuring 
wood and water, and any thing elfe the ifland affords. 
John Adams affures us, and from what we ourfelves faw 
we have no reafon to difbelieve him, that the ifland was 
inhabited before themfelves, but at what period it is diffi¬ 
cult to conjecture. They found, after their arrival, many 
places where houfes had flood, burying-places, and images 
reprefenting a human figure, with other indubitable 
marks that they were not the firft poffeffors of Pitcairn’s 
Ifland. It is, however, certain that the aborigines left it 
at no recent period, as the trees growing on the houfe- 
fpots could not have arrived to their prefent fize in lefs 
than a hundred years, perhaps five hundred. The land 
is high, and may be feen twelve or fifteen leagues; its 
coaft free of dangers; winds variable, which makes it 
eafy to lie off and on. The town is fituate on the north 
fide of the ifland, rather neareft the well end ; the houfes 
may be feen three or four leagues off by a fhip coming 
from the north.” 
PITCAI'RNIA, /. [fo named by Monf. l’Heritier in 
honour of William Pitcairn, M. D.J In botany, a genus 
of the clafs hexandria, order monogynia, natural order of 
coronariae, (bromelise, Juff.) Generic characters—Calyx 
one-leafed, three-parted, half fuperior, tubular, fwelling 
at the bafe, permanent; fegments lanceolate, ereCt. 
Corolla three-petalled; petals linear, convoluted; with a 
nectariferous fcale at the bafe. Stamina: filaments fix, 
inferted into the receptacle; antherae oblong, ereCt. 
Piftillum: germ half fuperior, three-cornered; ftyle three- 
grooved ; ftigmas three, contorted. Pericarpium: cap- 
lules three, opening inwards; (three-cornered, tricoccous, 
opening inwards three ways, I’Heritier; three-celled, 
with the cells opening inwards, Swartz.) Seeds very 
numerous, winged or membranaceous - appendicled on 
both fides, fattened to the receptacle.— Ejjential Charadler. 
Calyx three-leaved or three-parted, half-fuperior; corolla 
three-petalled, with a fcale at the bafe of each petal; 
ftigmas three,contorted; capfule three, opening inwards 5 
feeds winged. There are four fpecies. 
.PIT 
1. Pitcairnia bromeliacfolia, or Tcarlet pitcairnia : 
leaves ciliate-fpiny, peduncles and germs very fmoothc 
Root perennial, with long filiform fubdivided fibres. 
Leaves radical, numerous, fheathing at the bafe, enfiform, 
three or four feet long, and only half an inch wide ; mem¬ 
branaceous, fomewhat glaucous, loofe, ferrate-fpiny at 
the edge; fpines recurved, fhining, black. Scape up¬ 
right, two feet high or more, round, covered with linear- 
lanceolate braCles, fheathing at the bafe, diftant, long, 
the upper ones fcarlet, flowering at the top. Peduncles 
fcattered, diftant, filiform, naked, fmooth, an inch and a 
half long, almoft equal, one-flowered, have little mem¬ 
branaceous braCles under them. Petals and filaments 
blood-red-'; ftigmas red. Seeds brown, with one edge and 
the tip white. Native of Jamaica, on the ffiady fides and 
precipices of the mountains. Cultivated in 1781, by 
lord Afhburton. It flowers in June. 
2. Pitcairniaanguftifolia, or narrow-leaved pitcairnia: 
leaves ciliate-fpiny, peduncles and germs tomentofe. Na¬ 
tive of the ifland of Santa Cruz. Introduced in 1777, by 
John Ryan, efq, It flowers in December and January. 
3. Pitcairnia latifolia, or broad-leaved pitcairnia: 
leaves quite entire, fomewhat fpiny at the bafe. Native 
of the Welt Indies. Introduced in 1785, by Mr. Alex¬ 
ander Anderfon. It flowers in Auguft. 
4. Pitcairnia braCteata, or great fpiked pitcairnia: 
leaves entire, flightlyfpinous at the bafe; flowers nearly 
feffile, crowded ; braCles as long as the calyx. Native of 
the Weft Indies. It feems to have flowered firft in the 
choice collection of Mr. Evans, of Stepney. Mr. Wood¬ 
ford, late of Vauxhall, fent it to the French gardens. 
This is a very ftriking fpecies, whofe leaves molt agree 
with the lalt, with which it has been confounded. It 
differs from that, and every other fpecies, in its denfe 
fpike of very numerous, crowded, nearly feffile, flowers, 
accompanied by large braCles, reaching as far as the 
points of the calyx. The corolla is either fcarlet or 
pale yellow; the latter feems to be occafioned by its 
coming out in fpring, rather than in fummer or autumn. 
PITCAI'THLY. See Pitkeathly. 
PITCH, /. [pxc, Sax. pix, Lat.J The refin of the 
pine extracted by fire and infpiflated.—Of air and water 
mixed together, and confumed with fire, is made of a 
black colour; as in charcoal, oil, pitch, and links. 
Peacham on Drawing. 
PITCH, f. [derivation unknown.] Any degree of 
elevation or height.—Alcibiades was one of the bell ora¬ 
tors of his age, notwithflanding he lived at a time when 
learning was at the highefl pitch. Addifon’s Whig\ Exam. 
Lovely concord and moft facred peace 
Doth nourifh virtue, and fall friendfhip breeds; 
Weak fhe makes ftrong, and ftrong things does increafe. 
Till it the pitch of highefl praife exceeds. SpenJ'er. 
Cannons fhoot the higher pitches, 
The lower we let down their breeches. Hudibras. 
Highefl: rife. Not ufed. 
A beauty waining, and diflrefled widow, 
Seduc’d the pitch and height of all his thoughts 
To bafe declenfion, and loath’d bigamy. Shakefpeare. 
State with refpeCt to lownefs or height.—From this high 
pitch let us defcend a lower flight. Milton’s P. L. 
By how much from the top of wond’rous glory 
To loweft pitch of fortune thou art fall’n. Milton's S. A. 
Size; flature : 
It turn’d itfelf to Ralpho’s fliape ; 
So like in perfon, garb, and pitch, 
’Twas hard t’ interpret which was which. Hudibras. 
Degree; rate.—Evangelical innocence, fuch as the Gof- 
pel accepts, though mingled with feveral infirmities and 
defects, yet amounts to fuch a pitch of rigbteoufnefs, as 
we call fincerity. South. 
To 
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