Mutiny of the Bounty and story of Pitcairn Island, 1790-1894Young, Rosalind Amelia
History
Mutiny of the Bounty and story of Pitcairn Island, 1790-1894
Young, Rosalind Amelia
Bounty Mutiny, 1789; Pitcairn Island
In the early part of 1881 two young men left the island to venture for
the first time as far as England. There every kindness that could be
shown them was bestowed. One of them, however, almost immediately on
landing, was secured as a highly prized specimen of the human species,
to be exhibited in the Westminster Aquarium. Entirely ignorant of the
intention of the parties who had obtained him, he consented to their
proposal to accompany them, and they were soon speeding away from
Liverpool to London, where he was duly settled in his place in the
aquarium, and advertised. “Does he eat like other people?” was one of
the many questions that amused him, as it was earnestly put by one of
the spectators. A bluff old sea captain was very indignant that he had
to pay for the privilege of seeing an old acquaintance whom he had
twice visited in his far-away island home.
But he was not kept long in his unenviable position, for the Rev. A. W.
Drew, a clergyman of the Church of England, no sooner learned of the
facts of the case than he immediately came to the rescue. He at once
had the visitor from Pitcairn Island, whose health was much impaired,
removed to his own home, where he was taken care of and waited upon
in his hours of weakness and suffering with every attention and care
that kindness and love could suggest. Even when his life was all but
despaired of, the good clergyman and his estimable wife never gave
up their hope and trust in God that He would bless the efforts that
were made to restore their guest to health again. Their house was his
home during the rest of his stay, and the unwearying love and care
manifested by the many friends who came to see him, as well as by
the clergyman and his family, made an impression upon his mind that
could never be effaced. The other visitor shared the same kindness and
attention that were so lavishly bestowed upon his companion, the worthy
people of Hull, to which port his ship went, doing all that lay in
their power for him while he stayed with them. On their arrival in San
Francisco they experienced everywhere they went the utmost favors that
thoughtfulness could suggest or friendship could show.
In June of the same year another of the young men from the island left
for England. The two who preceded him returned home after an absence
of one year and two years respectively, but the third, Richard Young,
never came back, and after a period of nine years’ absence, died in
Oakland, California.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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