SPRING CHICKENS.
[A PITCAIRN ISLANDER.]
Mr. Russell McCoy, a native of Pitcairn Island, and one of the descendants of the mutineers of the ship Bounty, is now visiting in London, and the following description of the man and his native island is taken from the Boys' Illustrated News:
"Russell McCoy, who arrived in Liverpool on board the American ship Harvey Mills, on April 30, has been giving an account of his birth-place, at the Westminster Aquarium. McCoy is a middle-aged man, standing about five feet nine inches in height, and his complexion is dark, but he would pass for a native of this country, and his accent is very like that of the south of England people.
"He says he left Pitcairn Island (which is situated some twenty-five degrees south of the Equator, about half way between Australia and South America) on January 28, for the purpose of visiting England, and the Harvey Mills was accompanied for about ten miles by two whale-boats containing all the men on the island, with one exception, and seven of the women. When he left, there were ninety-five people on the island, but only three names of the original mutineers now remain, these being Christian, Young, and McCoy. The oldest inhabitant is a daughter of John Young, she being also the step-daughter of John Adams. She is now about ninety years of age, and was the second child born on the island.
"McCoy states that it is an error to suppose that Adams was the leader of the mutineers, that position being always occupied by Fletcher Christian. The islanders, he states, at present have sheep, goats, pigs, and fowls, with which they were supplied chiefly by passing vessels. The produce grown consists of yams, sweet-potatoes, bananas, arrowroot, English potatoes, maize, melons, and all kinds of ordinary vegetables. There is no money, the people exchanging one with another, anything they may have.
"There is one church on the island, and one school, and the school-master, Simon Young, also officiates in the church. His daughter, Rosalind Young, assists him in the school. The church service is conducted according to the English Prayer-Book, and the marriage ceremony is similar to ours, except that the wedding can take place after one publication of the banns. Services are held in the church twice each Sunday, and the Sunday-school meets twice also. The day school is open from 9 a.m. to 2, sometimes 3, p.m., one hour being allowed for dinner.
"On Saturdays there is a holiday. English manners and customs are followed so closely that the islanders keep the Christmas, Whitsuntide, and Easter holidays, and Good-Friday is always observed as a strict fast-day.