In 1787 the HMS Bounty sailed from London on a mission to collect and transport breadfruit plants from Tahiti to the West Indies. They stayed in Tahiti for five months. Many of the men lived ashore and took wives. Shortly after resumption of the voyage, Captain Bligh became increasingly harsh with the crew. Eventually they mutinied and put Bligh and eighteen loyalists adrift in the ship’s open launch. Bligh managed to get back to England in 1790 and set about tracking down the mutineers. The Admiralty despatched HMS Pandora which apprehended fourteen of the mutineers in Tahiti. The ship went aground with the loss of 31 hands including four mutineers. The ten surviving detainees reached England in June 1792 to be court-martialled. Four were acquitted, three were pardoned and three were hanged.
Meanwhile, Fletcher Christian, the leader of the mutineers had kidnapped several Tahitian women and sailed from Tahiti, along with eight other mutineers in the Bounty. They eventually found Pitcairn at the start of 1790. It was difficult because although the island was known, its position was very inaccurate. They chose to settle on this hidden island. The ship was stripped and then set ablaze. An event which is still celebrated every 23rd Jan using a wooden model that is burned by the shore.
Christian’s group remained undiscovered on Pitcairn until 1808, by which time only one mutineer, John Adams, remained alive. His fellow mutineers, including Christian, were dead. Killed either by one another or by their Polynesian companions. No action was taken against Adams. His grave can still be seen on the island. Today’s Pitcairn Islanders are descended primarily from nine British HMS Bounty mutineers and twelve Tahitian women. In 2023, the territory had a permanent population of 35, making it the smallest territory in the world by number of permanent residents.
A dozen cruise ships call at Pitcairn each year. Very few of them attempt a landing. The approach through the swell is gnarly in all but ideal conditions and they do not occur very often. We were exceptionally lucky. Very little swell and a gentle breeze. Almost perfect. Many people managed to get ashore. We set off quite early with Philip and Susan for a walk. There was an organised trek up to the highest point of the island. We did not fancy being part of a big, organised group so we slipped off on our own.
After a bouncy Zodiac run into the quay, we were faced by the “hill of difficulty”. A steep, iconic, paved incline of roughly 70 meters (about 0.5 km long) that leads from Bounty Bay up to the main settlement of Adamstown. This was hard work. I was quite sweaty by the top.
First stop was a small store selling souvenirs. Diane was attracted to the honey. I got chatting to a local who showed me the avocadoes growing over the road. This was very cool. I have wanted to see avocadoes growing on the tree for a long time. Next came the museum. Here a very friendly American gave us his life story and I took a photograph of a canon in a plastic box.
We walked up to the highest point of the island. 347 m of steep track. Technically quite straightforward but strenuous in the hot, humid weather. The Pitcairn Islands are a British overseas territory with a degree of local government. Traditionally, Pitcairners consider that their islands officially became a British colony on 30 November 1838. The islands of Henderson, Oeno and Ducie (the atoll of two days ago) were annexed by Britain in 1902. Panting and sweating our way up a steep track through dense jungle vegetation did not feel particularly British. Eventually we reached the top. Rather thoughtfully, someone had already been up on a quad bike and left some chilly drinking water.
We had a pleasant break taking in the views, taking photographs and rehydrating. A rainy squall had us running for cover and then we set off back down. This was a lot easier although we got rained on a couple more times. Diane had to swap her boots for sandals part way down but we made it back intact. The villagers had set up a little stall right next to the old anchor from the Bounty. They were selling milk shakes and scones. Ideal post-hike recovery food.
We took a leisurely stroll back through the small village. Diane collected some honey. Pitcairn is famous for its honey. Out here, in the middle of the pacific, there is no air pollution and plenty of flowers. This makes for happy bees and tasty honey. Back down the hill of difficulty, which seemed even steeper in descent. Then another bouncy zodiac ride back to the ship.
