Revised Jun 21 2021
Two of the other guests, the Baron de Thierry, and Mr. Hugh Carleton, especially the latter, applied themselves to the task of teaching the whole of the adult population to sing. Fortunately, the Baron happened to have a tuning-fork in his pocket; and the people, whose efforts in psalmody in church had been noticed as somewhat imperfect, caught with delight at the idea of a little musical instruction. They proved, according to Mr. Brodie, remarkably intelligent, not one among the number being deficient in ear, while many had exceedingly fine voices. The progress surpassed the most sanguine expectations of the teacher. On the fourth day, they sang through a catch in four parts with great steadiness: and the performance was very remarkable. Mr. Brodie has given the names of 57 pupils being 30 males, and 27 females, as the "list of Carleton's musical class."
For some time their chief musical instrument in the church had been an accordion; but among the gifts procured for them by the kindness of friends in England was an excellent organ.
With regard to Mr. Brodie, it is worthy of remark, that, though he had been thus detained at Pitcairn, he arrived in the barque Colonist at San Francisco, in California, twenty-eight days before the Noble, which had been ninety-three days on her passage from Pitcairn! The crew of the Noble had suffered great privations, owing to the want of provisions and water. His disappointment, which appeared so grievous, in missing his ship at Pitcairn, ended in his escaping the miseries to which the people in the Noble had been exposed, and in finding the few weeks on Pitcairn's Island among the happiest periods of his life.