Ɛpsilon

From C. L. Denison   17 January [1874]1

Observatory, | East Sheen,

Jany. 17th.

Sir,

If you have still “Varieties of Vice Regal Life” by you to refer to, you will see there (Vol. 1. page 361) that the number of Pitcairn Islanders brought to Norfolk Island was 194:—2 since I received your note, I have looked into my dear husband’s note book of his two visits to Norfolk Island, to see if I can find there any further information on the points you mention, but I am sorry to say that I can find none. He visited Norfolk Island twice, once in Septer 1857, about fifteen months after the Pitcairners’ first arrival there,— and again in 1859: but he does not mention their actual numbers on either occasion. None of them returned to Pitcairn’s Island till after his last visit;—3 and, as we left Australia early in the year ’61,4 I have had little opportunity since of hearing of them. I should think however, that you would have no difficulty in obtaining such later statistical information as you wish for, through the Colonial Office.5

I remain | Your obedt. servt. | C. L. Denison

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter to C. L. Denison, 14 January 1874.
2
See letter to C. L. Denison, 14 January 1874 and n. 2. The reference is to Denison 1870.
3
In his report of 10 July 1859, William Thomas Denison wrote that two families (sixteen people) had returned to Pitcairn Island and that three other families were considering moving (House of Commons Parliamentary Papers: Pitcairn islanders. Norfolk Island. Copy of correspondence with the government of New South Wales, in reference to Pitcairn Islanders settled in Norfolk Island; 1863 (297) XXXVIII.337, pp. 29–31).
4
W. T. Denison left New South Wales in January 1861 to take up his post as governor of the Madras presidency (ODNB).
5
See letter from William Dealtry, 16 January 1874, for the information sent to CD from the Colonial Office.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-9246,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-9246