A REMARKABLE CAREER.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 207, 6 February 1875, Page 3

A REMARKABLE CAREER.

The special correspondent of the Argus in an account of a visit to Norfolk Island, gives the following particulars of the career of the chaplain of the settlement:—" The most striking character in the settlement at Norfolk Island is the Kev G. H. Nobbs, the chaplain of the settlement, now a very old gentleman, who joined the mutineer descendants at Pitcairn in the year 1828. The life of this man is as wild a romance as that of any of the heroes of Captain Marryat. He is the unacknowledged son of the Marquis of , his mother being the daughter of an Irish baronet. In 1811 he entered the Royal Navy, and visited among other places New South Wales and Van Dieman's Land, calling at 8t Helena on the way home just after the arrival of Bonaparte at that island. Having left the British navy in 1816, he joined a ship of eighteen guns, designed for the use of the patriots in South America. After a sixteen months' cruise, during which he had many adventures, he was captured by a Spanish guarda costa while in charge of a prize, and carried into Callao. Here he was imprisoned, and for many weary months walked the streets with 50ib weight of iron attached to him, while living on a spare diet of beans and Chili peppers. He eventually escaped in a Yankee vessel, and rejoined his ship. After a long cruise off Manilla, he set out for Arica with thirtyfive others in an open launch to attempt the cutting out of a large merchant ship from Cadiz, named La Minerva. So desperate did the undertaking appear, that the landlord of the house where Nobbs boarded, and to whom he owed a considerable sum, offered to board him for six months gratis if he abandoned the enterprise. The vessel was nevertheleep captured, and Nobb's share of the prize money was 2000 dollars, half of which he sent to his mother. In February, 1819, he took the situation of prize-master on board a forty-gun ship under Buenos Ayrean colors, commanded by a Frenchman. After capturing some valuable prizes, he deserted to Tumbey, where he nearly lost his life from hardships encountered in the woods while attempting to discover a road to Guayaquil. Getting on board an English packet, he was landed at Talcahuans in April, 1820. On May the 7th, at midnight, Talcahuans was attacked by Benevedes and his Indian troops. The Chilian garrison were put to the sword, a number of the inhabi tants were killed, and our hero was carried off a prisoner. The next morning troops from Concepgion recaptured the prisoners. On the sth November, 1820, Mr Nobbs took a part in the cutting out of the Spanish frigate Esmeraldas from under Callao battel ies, one of the famous achievements of Lord Cochrane. Having received a letter of commendation from Lord Cochrane to General Cruy, the Governor of Valparaiso, for his conduct in the Esmeraldas affair, he was made lieutenant in a Chilian sloop of war. In September 21st he commanded two launches from his ship which cut out and captured at the island of St Mary an armed brig, after a severe conflict. Shortly after this he was ordered up a river near the town of Arica, to recover British and American property which had been seized by Benevedes. When the launch had got a considerable distance up tho river, a detachment of cavalry concealed on the banks suddenly opened fire on it. In a short time, forty-eight out of sixty-four occupants of the boat were killed or wounded, and the boat was captured in spite of a desperate resistance. Nobbs on this occasion received a blow on the back of his neck from the butt end of a musket, and he has suffered saverely at times from the effects of that blow ever since. The dead and badly wounded were thrown into the river. The remainder were landed and stripped of their clothing, and a rag of some sort or other given in exchange, and all were marched off to prison. Every Chilian of the party was shot, and Nobbs and three Europeans were exchanged for four of Benevedes' officers, after much entreaty on his part, one of them—a major —being his wife's brother. Soon after this Nobbs went to Valparaiso, and found a letter from his mother urging him to return home. He consequently quitted the Chilian navy, and went home in a passenger vessel. His mother died soon after, and on her deathbed exacted from him a solemn promise that he would never accept of any favour at the hands of his father's family, nor appropriate to his use a sum of money invested in the public funds for his support since 1803. His mother was anxious that he should quit England and take up his abode in some distant part of the world, where her wrongs and his might be buried in oblivion. He mentioned Pitcairn Island to her, and as much of its history as had come to his knowledge. Almost her last words were, "Go to Pitcairn Island, my son, dwell there, and may the blessing of God rest upon you." In October, 1822, Nobbs was sent to Naples. On his passage from that city to Messina, iu a Neapolitan vessel, she foundered, and those on board lost everything, escaping only with their liveß in the boats. In October of the following year he went to Sierra Leone as chief mate of a ship called the Gambia. Of 19 persons who went out in that ship, the captain, Nobbs, and two colored men only lived to return. In June, 1824, Nobbs went to Sierra Leone in command of the same ship, and was six weeks on shore sick with the fever. On returning to England he resigned his -command and collected what little property he had, resolving to leave England for ever and to settle in Pitcairn Island. He reached Calcutta in May, 1826, and got to Callao by way of New York, Singapore, Rio, and Valparaiso. He long sought in vain for a passage to Pitcairn, but, finally, at Callao he met the owner of a launch, an invalid, who on the condition of Mr Nobbs fitting her out, agreed to accompany him to Pitcairn. These two left Callao by themselves, on a voyage of 3500 miles, which they accomplished in forty-two days, landing on the 28th of October, 1828. The owner of the launch died soon after reaching Pitcairn, and Mr Nobbs broke up the boat, and built his house out of her. Mr Nobbs was cordially received by the patriarch, John Adams, and fae natives

generally, He married, and at once undertook the moral and religious instruction of the community. In August, 1862, Admiral Fairfax Moresby visited Pite'im Island in H.M.S. Portland. He was much struck with Mr Nobbs, and his suitability to the position he occupied. He procired him and one of his daughters a passage to Kngland, where he was ordained a priest, by the Bishop of London. Having been presented to the Queen and many important personages, Mr Nobbs returned to Pitcairn Island as chaplain of the community. He accompanied the islanders in their migration to Tahiti, and subsequently to Norfolk Island. He is now at the age of seventythree, hale and hearty. He is surrounded by a large family and their descendants, and he says he is thoroughly content to end his days in his present dwelling, without ever again leaving the street in which he resides. The origin of the Pitcairn Islanders is singularly romantic, but not more so than the career of their chaplain.