History of the Pitcairn Islands History of the Pitcairn Islands The history of the Pitcairn Islands begins with the colonization of the islands by Polynesians in the 11th century. The Polynesians established a culture that flourished for four centuries and then vanished. Pitcairn was settled again in 1790 by a group of British mutineers on HMS "Bounty" and Tahitians. When the "Bounty" mutineers arrived on Pitcairn, it was uninhabited. However, they found the remains of an earlier Polynesian culture that had since vanished. Archaeologists believe that Polynesians lived on the island from the 11th to the 15th century. These first Pitcairners seem to have operated
Mutiny on the Bounty reduced crew. Reluctantly they obeyed, beseeching Bligh to remember that they had remained with the ship against their will. Bligh assured them: "Never fear, lads, I'll do you justice if ever I reach England". Samuel saved the captain's journal, commission papers and purser's documents, but was forced to leave behind Bligh's maps and charts—15 years of navigational work. The launch was supplied with about five days' food and water, a sextant, compass and nautical tables, and Purcell's tool chest. At the last minute the mutineers threw four cutlasses down into the boat. Of "Bounty"'s complement—44 after the deaths of Huggan