Pitcairn Island

Abstract

Pitcairn Island (2 square miles) is situated in the Pacific Ocean, nearly equidistant from Australia and American (25° 3' S. lat., 13° 8 W. long.). It was discovered by Carteret in 1767, but remained uninhabited until 1790, when it was occupied by the mutineers of H.M.S. Bounty, with some women from Otaheite. Nothing was known of their existence until the island was visited in 1808. In 1856, the population having become too large for the island’s resources, the inhabitants (192 in number) were, at their own request, removed to Norfolk Island; but 40 of them soon returned. The population (Dec., 1953) numbers 143 persons. It is a British colony by settlement, and was brought within the jurisdiction of the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific in 1898 under section 6 of the Pacific Order in Council, 1893.