THE TIME was now drawing near when an important change was to take place in the history of the Pitcairn islanders. Ever since it had been arranged that the island should be visited yearly by a British ship of war, its arrival was the looked-for event of each year. When Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby was commander in chief on the Pacific station, an officer on board one of Her Majesty’s ships, while on a visit to the island, proposed that the women send a request to the admiral to pay them a visit. A letter was written forthwith, and signed by several of the island matrons and maidens. The admiral was pleased to respond to the letter in person, and arrived at the island in August, 1852, in his flagship, the _Portland_. His coming was greeted by the people with every demonstration of joy, which reached its height when, gathered beneath a grove of orange trees, they listened to the band that the admiral had kindly ordered ashore, and enjoyed such delicious strains of music as they never had dreamed of. From the admiral down to the humblest seaman, everybody on board the _Portland_ showed kindness to the islanders, so much so that the visits of the _Portland_ were considered by the people as comprising the golden period in their island’s history. The admiral was accompanied by two of his sons, the younger of whom, Mr. Fortescue Moresby, by his pleasant, cheerful ways and winning manners, endeared himself greatly to the hearts of the islanders. Among the earliest subjects that engaged Admiral Moresby’s attention was the position of Mr. Nobbs as an unordained pastor of the people, and he took on himself the responsibility of sending that gentleman to England, with a letter of recommendation to the bishop of London, requesting him to receive Mr. Nobbs as a candidate for ordination, adding that his faithful services to the people of his adopted home, and the good that he had been the means of accomplishing, might be considered in place of whatever deficiency there was in his theological training. [Illustration: PARLIAMENT OF PITCAIRN ISLAND.] When the _Portland_ left Pitcairn Island, Mr. Nobbs left too, accompanied by one of his daughters, Miss Jane Nobbs, who went as far as Valparaiso, where her brother Reuben was. Here she was received by a very worthy family, who showed her every consideration and kindness. Before Mr. Nobbs could consent to leave his flock, it was arranged that the _Portland’s_ chaplain, Mr. Holman, should remain behind and supply the place of the absent pastor. A lad from the _Portland_ also remained with Mr. Holman. The people on the whole regarded it as a very satisfactory arrangement, although no one could quite fill the place Mr. Nobbs had so long and so ably filled.