in hearing the offspring of these offenders
speaking their language correctly, their surprise and interest were
still more highly excited when, on Sir Thomas Staines taking the two
youths below, and setting before them something to eat, they both rose
up, and one of them, placing his hands together in a posture of
devotion, pronounced, distinctly and with emphasis, in a pleasing tone
of voice, the words, 'For what we are going to receive the Lord make us
truly thankful.'

The youths were themselves greatly surprised at the sight of so many
novel objects--the size of the ship--of the guns, and everything around
them. Observing a cow, they were at first somewhat alarmed, and
expressed a doubt whether it was a huge goat or a horned hog, these
being the only two species of quadrupeds they had ever seen. A little
dog amused them much. 'Oh! what a pretty little thing it is!' exclaimed
Young, 'I know it is a dog, for I have heard of such an animal.'

These young men informed the two captains of many singular events that
had taken place among the first settlers, but referred them for further
particulars to an old man on shore, whose name, they said, was John
Adams, the only surviving Englishman that came away in the _Bounty_, at
which time he was called Alexander Smith.

This information induced the two captains to go on shore, desirous of
learning correctly from this old man the fate, not only of Christian,
but of the rest of his deluded accomplices, who had adhered to his
fortunes. The landing they found to be difficult, and not wholly free
from danger; but, with the assistance of their two able conductors, they
passed the surf among many rocks, and reached the shore without any
other inconvenience than a complete wetting. Old Adams, having
ascertained that the two officers alone had landed, and without arms,
concluded they had no intention to take him prisoner, and ventured to
come down to the beach, from whence he conducted them to his house. He
was accompanied by his wife, a very old woman, and nearly blind. It
seems they were both at first considerably alarmed; the sight of the
king's uniform, after so many years, having no doubt brought fresh to
the recollection of Adams the scene that occurred in the _Bounty_, in
which he bore so conspicuous a part. Sir Thomas Staines, however, to set
his mind at ease, assured him, that so far from having come to the
island with any intention to take him away, they were not even aware