Buffett, who was fond of a joke, used to relate how one day, when he was at work in his house, Evans came to him, bringing an unfinished workbox that he was making, in his hand. Setting the box down, he turned to Buffett, and began telling him how his work was almost a failure, and was likely to come to grief unless he obtained some much needed help from the master hand. “In fact, Buffett,” he said, “I just came over to ask you to give it a licking.” As soon as Evans had finished speaking, Buffett, without a word, took up the workbox, and, rapidly passing his tongue over its smooth surface, set it down again, saying, with a hearty laugh, “There is your box; I have given it a licking.” Astonished beyond expression, and indignant at having his request so literally fulfilled, Evans angrily snatched up the innocent cause of the joke, and was hastening away, when Buffett good-humoredly assured him that no offense was intended, and he was at length prevailed on, though reluctantly, to calm his ruffled feelings, and wait a few minutes until Buffett had given the necessary help he asked for. While Nobbs gave instruction to the children in the schoolroom, Buffett proposed to establish a class for young men, to give them instruction in navigation and the more advanced branches of arithmetic, and, in addition to these, studies upon such subjects of general information as they could obtain through the medium of books, though of these they had only a very limited supply. The more thoughtful among the young men eagerly availed themselves of even this chance of improvement, and organized themselves into a band, with Buffett at their head, who gave the name “Mutual Improvement Society” to their class. While it lasted, it was well attended, and most, if not all, of the members derived lasting benefit therefrom. While Nobbs and Buffett were engaged in pursuits so congenial to them, the necessary cultivation of their allotments of land was performed by their wives and children, and whoever of their neighbors that would willingly assist. They themselves did but a trifling portion of the work. Evans, on the other hand, seemed to possess a natural liking for the soil and its cultivation, in which work he was aided by his strong and healthy wife. It was now forty-seven years since the island had been settled, and in all that time no rules had been enacted for the government of the people. Conscience sometimes, and more frequently inclination, ruled them. But this state of things was about to be ended. [Illustration: GROUP OF NATIVE MEN.] In the year 1838 Her Majesty’s ship _Fly_ came on a visit, and for the first time, to the evident satisfaction and pleasure of the islanders, the flag of Old England was hoisted on Pitcairn Island, Captain Elliott observing, “You are now under the protection of the English flag.” From that time until the entire community was removed to Norfolk Island, they were annually visited by one or more of Her Majesty’s ships of war.