Delano's Conversation with Folger Home Pitcairn Jenny's Story
Revised 2010-04-04
[The following was kindly provided by Timothy Young of Pitcairn. The man referred to as Adam Smith is Alexander Smith/John Adams.]
We have heretofore inserted an account of the mutineers of the Bounty, having landed on Pitcairn's Island, where many of their descendants, from a number of women whom they took away from Otaheite then remained. By the last arrival from the society islands, a gentleman of Sydney receives the following very recent account on this regretted subject:-
"Account of the mutineers of the ship Bounty, and their descendants at Pitcairn's Island. The following account I have just received from a Taheitan woman, who was the wife of Isaac Madden [Martin], one of the mutineers. She has been apparently a good looking woman in her time, but now begins to bear the marks of age. She is marked on her left arm AS 1789, which was done by Adam Smith, to whom she attached herself, and sailed with him both before and after the ship was taken. She has lately arrived hither on the King George from Nugahiva, at which place she was left by an American ship, the captain of which took her from Pitcairn's Island to the Spanish Main, and afterwards left her at Nugahiva. She has resided at Nugahiva about three months, and it is more than double that time since she left Pitcairn's Island.
"When Fletcher Christian cut his cable and left Taheite, the following persons were aboard the Bounty: Fletcher Christian, John Main [Mills], Bill McKoy, Billy Brown, Jack Williams, Neddy Young, Isaac Madden [Martin], Matt or Mathew [Quintal], and Adam Smith; nine Europeans. Teirnua [Teimua], Niau (a boy), Manarii, Taheitans — Tarara, a Raiatean, & Oher & Titahiti, Tubuaians — The Taheitans women were Mauatua, Christians wife; Vahineatua, Mains [Mills] wife; Teio, the wife of McKoy, who was accompanied by her little daughter, Sarah; Teatuahitea, Browns wife; Faahotu, Williams's wife; Teraura, Young's wife; Teehuteatuaenoa or Jenny, Maddens [Martin] wife, before mentioned; Obuarei, Adam Smiths wife; Tevarua, Matt's [Quintal] wife; Toofaiti, Tararos wife; Mareva, companion to the two Taheitans.
"In their passage to Pitcairn's Island they fell in with a low lagoon island, which they call Vivini, where they got birds, eggs, and cocoa nuts. They also passed between two mountainous islands, but the wind was so strong they could not land.
"When they arrived at Pitcairn's Island they ran the ship ashore. Fletcher Christian wanted to preserve the ship, but Matt [Quintal] said 'No, we shall be discovered:' so they burnt her. The island is small; has but one mountain, which is not high but flat; and fit for cultivation. They put up temporary houses of the leaves of the tea, and afterwards more durable ones thatched with the palm, as at Taheite. They found the breadfruit there, and all were busily engaged in planting yams, taro, plantains, and aute, of which they made cloth. The account this woman gives of their proceedings in this new country is very amusing to the Taheitans. Neddy Young taught them to distill spirits from the tea roots. They made small canoes, and caught many fish. They climbed the precipices of the mountain and got birds and eggs in abundance.
"In the meantime, many children were born: Christian had a daughter Mary; and two sons, Charley and Friday. John Main [Mills] had two children, Betsy and John. Bill McKoy had Sam [Daniel*] and Kate. Neddy Young had no children by his own wife; but by Tararo [Toofaiti], the wife of the Raitean, he had three sons, George, Robert, and William. Matt [Quintal] has had five children, Matt, Jenny, Arthur, Sarah, and a younger one that died when seven days old. Adam Smith has Dinah, Eliza, Hannah and George, by his wife. The Taheitans, &c. have left no children. Jack Williams wife died of a scrophulous disease, which broke out in her neck. The Europeans took the three women belonging to the natives, Toofaiti, Mareva, and Tinafarnea, and cast lots for them, and the lot falling on Toofaiti, she was taken from Tararo, and given to Jack Williams. Tararo wept at parting from his wife, and was very angry. He studied revenge, but was discovered and Oher and him were shot. Titahiti was put in irons for some time, and afterwards released; when he and his wife lived with Madden [Martin], and wrought for him."
*[Wm. McCoy had no son named Sam. His son Daniel married Sarah Quintal.]
"Titahiti, Niau, Teimua, and Manarii, still studied revenge; and having laid their plan when the women were gone to the mountains for birds, and the Europeans were scattered, they shot Christian, Main [Mills], Brown, Williams, and Madden [Martin]. Adam Smith was wounded in the hand and face, but escaped with his life. Ned Young's life was saved by his wife; and the other women, and McKoy, and Matt [Quintal] fled to the mountain.
"Inflamed with drinking the raw new spirit they distilled; and fired with jealousy, Manarii killed Teimua by firing three shots through his body. The Europeans and women killed Manarii in return. Niau, getting a view of McKoy, shot at him. Two of the women went under the pretense of seeing if he was killed, and made friends with him. They laid their plan, and at night Niau was killed by Young. Taheiti, the only remaining native man, was dreadfully afraid of being killed; but Young took a solemn oath that he would not kill him. The women, however, killed him in revenge for the death of their husbands. Old Matt [Quintal], in a drunken fit, declaring that he would kill F. Christians children, and all the English that remained, was put to death in his turn. Old McKoy, mad with drink, plunged into the sea and drowned himself: and Ned Young died of a disease that broke out in his breast. Adam Smith therefore is the only survivor of the Europeans. Several of the women also are dead. Obuarei and Tevarua fell from the precipices when getting birds. Teatuahitea died of the dropsy, and Vahineatua was killed, being pierced by a goat in her bowels when she was with child. The others were still alive when the women left.
"The descendants of the Europeans, for there are no descendants of the natives, are very numerous. Of Christians family, Mary Christian remains unmarried. Charley Christian married Sarah, the daughter of Teio. She has born him Fletcher Charley, and Sarah, and was with child again. Friday Christian has got Teraura, formerly the wife of Ned Young. She has born him Joe, Charley, Polly, Peggy, and Mary. All these descendants of Christian, together with Mauatua, or old Mrs. Christian, yet survive. John Main [Mills] was killed by falling from the rocks. Betsey Main [Mills] is the wife of young Matt [Quintal], and has born two sons, Matt and John. Sam [Daniel] McKoy has taken Sarah Matt [Quintal], and has by her Sam and McKoy[?]. Kate McKoy is the wife of Arthur Matt [Quintal], and they have children, Arthur, Billy, and Joe. Dinah Smith is the wife of Edward Matt [Quintal] by Teraura. She has a young son.
"They have hogs and fowls, and are very diligent in cultivating the ground: they dress their food like the Taheitans, having no boilers. They make cloth, and cloathe themselves like the Taheitans, the man with the maro and tibuta, the women with the paren and tibuta. They have sent away their still, the fruitful cause of so much mischief, in the American that called last; and they have obtained a boat from him, which greatly adds to their comfort. The women work hard in cultivating the ground, &c. This woman's hands are quite hard with work. They have a place of worship, and old Adam Smith officiates three times every Sabbath. He prays extempore, but does not read. Their ceremonies of marriage, baptism, and at funerals are very simple. It does not appear that any of the people have learned to read. The first settlers discouraged the Taheitan language, and promoted the speaking English. This woman, however, can speak neither English nor Taheitan, but a jumble of both. They speak of seeing two ships some years ago, which kept in the offing, and did not come near the island, except Master Folger as they called him, and the two king's ships; they have seen no ship till the American that brought away Jenny. Jenny says they would all like to come to Taheiti or Eimao. We were thinking that they would be a great acquisition at Opunohu alongside of the sugar works, as they have been accustomed to labour, for the Taheitans will not labour for any payment."
Delano's Conversation with Folger Home Pitcairn Jenny's Story