(From Chambers’s Miscellany.)
About the year 1786, the merchants and planters interested in the West
India Islands became anxious to introduce an exceedingly valuable
plant, the bread-fruit tree, into these possessions, and as this could
best be done by a government expedition, a request was preferred to
the crown accordingly. The ministry at the time being favorable to the
proposed undertaking, a vessel, named the Bounty, was selected to
execute the desired object. To the command of this ship Captain W.
Bligh was appointed, Aug. 16, 1787. The burden of the Bounty was
nearly two hundred and fifteen tons. The establishment of men and
officers for the ship was as follows:—1 lieutenant to command, 1
master, 1 boatswain, 1 gunner, 1 carpenter, 1 surgeon, 2 master’s
mates, 2 midshipmen, 2 quarter-masters, 1 quarter-master’s mate, 1
boatswain’s mate, 1 gunner’s mate, 1 carpenter’s mate, 1 carpenter’s
crew, 1 sailmaker, 1 armorer, 1 corporal, 1 clerk and steward, 23 able
seamen—total, 44. The addition of two men appointed to take care of
the plants, made the whole ship’s crew amount to 46. The ship was
stored and victualled for eighteen months.
Thus prepared, the Bounty set sail on the 23d of December, and what
ensued will be best told in the language of Captain Bligh.
_Monday, 27th April 1789._—The wind being northerly in the evening, we
steered to the westward, to pass to the south of Tofoa. I gave
directions for this course to be continued during the night. The
master had the first watch, the gunner the middle watch, and Mr.
Christian the morning watch.
_Tuesday, 28th._—Just before sunrising, while I was yet asleep, Mr.
Christian, with the master-at-arms, gunner’s mate, and Thomas Burkitt,
seaman, came into my cabin, and seizing me, tied my hands with a cord
behind my back, threatening me with instant death if I spoke or made
the least noise. I, however, called as loud as I could, in hopes of
assistance; but they had already secured the officers who were not of
their party, by placing sentinels at their doors. There were three men
at my cabin door, besides the four within; Christian had only a
cutlass in his hand, the others had muskets and bayonets. I was pulled
out of bed, and forced on deck in my shirt, suffering great pain from
the tightness with which they had tied my hands. I demanded the reason
of such violence, but received no other answer than abuse for not
holding my tongue. The master, the gunner, the surgeon, Mr.
Elphinstone, master’s mate, and Nelson, were kept confined below, and
the fore-hatchway was guarded by sentinels. The boatswain and
carpenter, and also the clerk, Mr. Samuel, were allowed to come upon
deck. The boatswain was ordered to hoist the launch out, with a threat
if he did not do it instantly to take care of himself.
When the boat was out, Mr. Hayward and Mr. Hallett, two of the
midshipmen, and Mr. Samuel, were ordered into it. I demanded what
their intention was in giving this order, and endeavored to persuade
the people near me not to persist in such acts of violence; but it was
to no effect. Christian changed the cutlass which he had in his hand
for a bayonet that was brought to him, and holding me with a strong
grip by the cord that tied my hands, he with many oaths threatened to
kill me immediately if I would not be quiet; the villains round me had
their pieces cocked and bayonets fixed. Particular people were called
on to go into the boat, and were hurried over the side, whence I
concluded that with these people I was to be set adrift. I therefore
made another effort to bring about a change, but with no other effect
than to be threatened with having my brains blown out.
The boatswain and seamen who were to go in the boat were allowed to
collect twine, canvas, lines, sails, cordage, an eight-and-twenty-gallon
cask of water, and Mr. Samuel got a hundred and fifty pounds of bread,
with a small quantity of rum and wine, also a quadrant and compass;
but he was forbidden, on pain of death, to touch either map, ephemeris,
book of astronomical observations, sextant, time-keeper, or any of my
surveys or drawings.
The officers were next called upon deck, and forced over the side into
the boat, while I was kept apart from every one abaft the mizzen-mast.
Isaac Martin, one of the guard over me, I saw had an inclination to
assist me, and, as he fed me with shaddock (my lips being quite
parched), we explained our wishes to each other by our looks; but this
being observed, Martin was removed from me. He then attempted to leave
the ship, for which purpose he got into the boat; but with many
threats they obliged him to return. The armorer, Joseph Coleman, and
two of the carpenters, M’Intosh and Norman, were also kept contrary to
their inclination; and they begged of me, after I was astern in the
boat, to remember that they declared that they had no hand in the
transaction. Michael Byrne, I am told, likewise wanted to leave the
ship.
It appeared to me that Christian was some time in doubt whether he
should keep the carpenter or his mates; at length he determined on the
latter, and the carpenter was ordered into the boat. He was permitted,
but not without some opposition, to take his tool-chest. The officers
and men being in the boat, they only waited for me, of which the
master-at-arms informed Christian; who then said, “Come, Captain
Bligh, your officers and men are now in the boat, and you must go with
them; if you attempt to make the least resistance, you will instantly
be put to death:” and without further ceremony, with a tribe of armed
ruffians about me, I was forced over the side, where they untied my
hands. Being in the boat, we were veered astern by a rope. A few
pieces of pork were thrown to us, and some clothes, also four
cutlasses; and it was then that the armorer and carpenters called out
to me to remember that they had no hand in the transaction. After
having undergone a great deal of ridicule, and having been kept some
time to make sport for these unfeeling wretches, we were at length
cast adrift in the open ocean.
I had eighteen persons with me in the boat. There remained on board
the Bounty twenty-five hands, the most able men of the ship’s company.
Having little or no wind, we rowed pretty fast towards Tofoa, which
bore north-east about ten leagues from us. While the ship was in
sight, she steered to the west-north-west; but I considered this only
as a feint; for when we were sent away, “Huzza for Otaheite!” was
frequently heard among the mutineers.
It will very naturally be asked, What could be the reason for such a
revolt? In answer to which, I can only conjecture that the mutineers
had flattered themselves with the hopes of a more happy life among the
Otaheitans than they could possibly enjoy in England; and this, joined
to some female connections, most probably occasioned the whole
transaction. The women at Otaheite are handsome, mild and cheerful in
their manners and conversation, possessed of great sensibility, and
have sufficient delicacy to make them admired and beloved. The chiefs
were so much attached to our people, that they rather encouraged their
stay among them than otherwise, and even made them promises of large
possessions. Under these, and many other attendant circumstances
equally desirable, it is now perhaps not so much to be wondered at,
though scarcely possible to have been foreseen, that a set of sailors,
most of them void of connections, should be led away: especially when,
in addition to such powerful inducements, they imagined it in their
power to fix themselves in the midst of plenty, on one of the finest
islands in the world, where they need not labor, and where the
allurements of dissipation are beyond anything that can be conceived.