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Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: PIG-POL |
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PITCAIRN , an island in the mid-eastern Pacific Ocean, in 25 3' S., 130 6' W., belonging to Great Britain. It lies south of the Paumotu archipelago, roo m. from the nearest member of this group. Unlike the majority of the islands in this region, it is without coral reefs, but rises abruptly with steep and rugged cliffs of dark basaltic lava. The extreme elevation
rainy
The island was destined to become the scene of a curious social experiment. On the 28th of April 1789 a mutiny broke out on board the " Bounty ," then employed by the British government in conveying young bread-fruit trees from Tahiti to the West Indies. The commander
Bligh
Bounty ." Treachery and debauchery filled the first years of the annals of the beautiful island. By 1800 all the men were dead except Alexander Smith, afterwards known as John Adams, who rose to a sense of his responsibility and successfully trained up the youthful generation left in his charge. An American vessel, the " Topaze," discovered the strange colony in 18o8; again, by accident, it was visited by the " Briton," Captain Sir F. Staines, and the " Tagus," Captain Pipon, in 1817; and by the exploring ship " Blossom " in 1825. On the death of John Adams on the 29th of March 1829 George Hunn Nobbs, who had settled at Pitcairn in 1828, was appointed pastor and chief
magistrate . Through fear of drought the islanders removed to Tahiti in 183o, but disapproved of both the climate and the morals of this island, and returned to Pitcairn in 1831. Shortly after this an adventurer named Joshua Hill appeared, and, claiming government authority, tyrannized over the islanders till his removal by a British man-of-war in 1838. In 1856 the whole of the islanders6o married persons and 134 young men, women and childrenwere landed onNorfolk Island, but in 1858 two families chose to return, and their example was afterwards followed by a few others. Visited in 1873 and 1878 the colony was found in excellent order, but by the end of the century it was stated that intermarriage was bringing a deterioration of intellect, morals and energy, and that the islanders would probably drift into imbecility. Later accounts made it appear that this was an exaggeration, although the standard of morality was unquestionably low on the whole. In religion the islanders are Seventh Day Adventists. " They have adopted an extraordinary patois, derived from the language of the Tahitian women who accompanied the mutineers of the " Bounty " to Pitcairn Island, although most of the adults can speak the English language fairly well " (R. T. Simons, Report, 19o5). The island is a British colony by settlement, and is within the jurisdiction of the High Commissioner
body
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