PITCAIRN ISLAND, a solitary island in the Pacific ocean, lying at the south-eastern eurner of the great Polynesian archipelago, in lat. 25° 3' 6" s., and long. 130' 6' west. Its length (2+ m.) is about twice its breadth, and the total content is approximately sq. in. ; so that, except from its being the only station (with the exception of the Gam bier islands) between the South American coast and Otaheite at which fresh water can be procured, it would be too insignificant to deserve notice, were it not for the manner in which it was colonized. The island is wholly surrounded by rocks; it has no harbor, and its soil is not very fertile. It was occupied in 1790 by the mutineers of the Bounty (see BasGII, WILLIAM), who after touching at Toobouai sailed for Tahiti, where they remained for some time. Christian, the leader of the mutineers, however, fearing pur suit, hastened their departure; and after leaving a number of their comrades who pre ferred to stay on the island, they brought off with them 18 natives and sailed eastward, reaching Pitcairn island, where they took up their residence and burned the Bawdy. They numbered then 9 British sailors—for 16 of the sailors had prciatcd to remain at Tahiti, and of these 14 were subsequently captured, and (Sept., 1792) three of them executed—and 0 Tahitian men, with 12 women. It was impossible for concord to sub sist in a band of such desperate character; and in the course of the next ten years all the Tahitian men, all the sailors, with the exception of Alexander Smith (who subsequently changed his name to John Adams), and several of the women, had died by violence or disease. From the time of their leaving Tahiti nothing had been heard of them, and their fate was only known when an American, capt. Folger, touched at Pitcairn island in 1808, and on his return reported his discovery to the British government; but DO steps appear to have been taken by the latter. On Sept. 17, 1814, a British vessel, the Britain, called at the island and found old Adams still alive, commanding the respect and admira tion of the whole little colony by his exemplary conduct and fatherly care of them. Solitude had wrought a poweiful change in Adams; and his endeavors to instill into the young minds of his old companions' descendants a correct sense of religion bad been crowned with complete success, for a more virtuous, amiable, and religious community than these islanders had never been seen. They were visited by British vessels in 1825 and 1830, and the reports transmitted concerning them were fully corroborative of the previous accounts; but in 1831 their numbers (87) had become too great for the island, and at their own request they were transported to Tahiti in the Lucy Ann by the British government. But, disgusted at the immorality of their Tahitian friends and relatives,
they chartered a vessel, defraying the cost of it in great part with the copper bolts of the Bounty, and most of them returned to Pitcairn island at the end of nine months. In 1839, being visited by capt. Elliot of H.M.S. Fiy, they besought to be taken under the protection of Britain, on account of the annoyances to which they had been subjected i by the lawless crews of some whale-ships which had called at the island; and, accord ingly, capt. Elliot took possession of it in the name of her majesty, gave them a union jack, and recognized their self-elected magistrate as the responsible governor. He also drew up for them a code of laws, some of which are amusing from the subjects of which they treat, but the code was of great use to the simple islanders. From this time they were frequently visited by European ships; and in 1835, finding their numbers again too great for the island, they petitioned government to grant them the much more product ive Norfolk island, to which they were accordingly removed in 1856. In 1859, however, two families, numbering in all 17, returned to Pitcairn island, reducing the number on Norfolk island to 202, and others have since followed. From their frequent intercourse with Europeans, the Pitcairn islanders have, while still retaining their virtuous sim• plicity of character and cheerful, hospitable disposition, acquired themanners and polish of c.vilized life, with its education and taste. They are passionately fond of music and dancing. the latter evidently a from their maternal ancestry. The men are hanged in whaling and herding cattle, or in cultivating their gardens and plantations; while the women (who seem to be the more industrious class) attend to their families, manage the dairies, and take an occasional part in field-labor.
Pitcairn island was first discovered by Carteret in 1767, and was named by him after one of him officers; but it was never visited by Europeans till taken possession of by the mutineers. When admiral de Horsey visited Pitcairn island in 1877, there were in all 16 men, 19 women, 25 boys, and 30 girls on the island. See the account published by him in 1878.