Mrs. Gates at the same time opened a kindergarten school for the youngest children, and had a class of fourteen to begin with. In addition to this she organized a mothers’ meeting, and had a class twice a month, to instruct in the methods of giving treatment to the sick, and also in cooking. Besides this she taught, or rather attempted to teach, stenography to a few of the young people, some of whom soon gave up the attempt to learn. Four diligently practiced, and were meeting with a fair measure of success when the class was unavoidably broken up.
The literary society and the classes taught by Elder Gates were merged into the school, and the Monthly Pitcairnian passed over into the hands of the students, who were expected to keep its columns well supplied, notwithstanding the lack of material to supply them with.
And now is drawing near a time unparalleled in the history of Pitcairn Island—a time when she passed under a visitation so terrible while it lasted, and so awful in its effects, that it was remarked that those who survived it were not the same persons they were before it came. But this is anticipating. On the 27th of April, 1893, the shipwrecked crew of the Bowdon, lost on Oeno reef, came to Pitcairn Island. The captain and a few others soon went away on an American ship for England, while the rest waited for an opportunity to go back to San Francisco. It is not necessary to give a detailed account of their stay, but it brought no blessing to the island.
Several trips were made to and from the wreck by the islanders, and even several of the women accompanied their husbands and brothers in their last trip in open boats to Oeno. All returned in safety, no accident having occurred either going or returning, as the weather continued fine. This was in June, the month of vacation. The month following H. M. S. Hyacinth came, and during her short stay several cases of sickness were attended by the doctor, who pronounced the disease to be a form of la grippe. Some of the persons who were suffering at that time had their lives despaired of, but all of them eventually recovered.
That the awful fever that attacked the people was introduced with the shipwrecked crew was evident. When the Hyacinth left, a slight attack of influenza spread among the people, aggravating the more serious disease. Everything that was possible to be done under the circumstances was accomplished, the missionaries exerting themselves to the utmost to help the stricken people, who one by one rapidly fell victims to the dread sickness. On the 26th of August the first death occurred, opening the way for many others, and before the terrible work of death was ended, twelve persons were taken away, the last death occurring on the 19th of October. So urgent were the calls for help from those who were helpless that there was scarcely time to weep for the dead, and the few who passed unstricken through the fiery ordeal were constant in their attendance, night and day, until nature itself nearly gave up the struggle.
ROSA YOUNG’S CLASS.
Some of the most valued workers and prominent members of the church and Sabbath school, as well as two in civil office, fell, and four of the most promising young people were taken away by death. Simon Young, the loved and respected pastor of the church, who for twenty-nine years had labored among the people, fell at his post. His daughter, Mrs. J. R. McCoy, who was the first to die, and two sons, Edward and John Young, the former leaving a widow and four children, all perished in the plague. Ella McCoy, a girl of brightest promise, died a week after her mother. By the deaths, the school lost five of its students, John Young, Reuben Christian, Ella McCoy, and Martha and Clarice Christian. Little Willie Christian was the only one from the younger department who died. The three others who succumbed to the dread malady were Elias Christian, father of little Willie, Childers Young, and a two-year-old baby, Emma Christian.
The present writing witnesses the visit of the Pitcairn on her second return trip to San Francisco. When she leaves, Elder Gates and family will leave too, also three young persons from the island will take passage on her for California, to attend school there. Miss Andre remains with us until duty calls elsewhere. With the Pitcairn came letters of sympathy and cheer from friends in Australia, where the news of his wife’s death met Mr. McCoy.