[34] Glasgow, 1758. Written by himself.
_A WONDERFUL VOYAGE_
THIS is a story of a man who, when in command of his ships and when
everything went prosperously with him, was so overbearing and cruel that
some of his men, in desperation at the treatment they received, mutinied
against him. But the story shows another side of his character in
adversity which it is impossible not to admire.
In 1787 Captain Bligh was sent from England to Otaheite in charge of the
'Bounty,' a ship which had been specially fitted out to carry young
plants of the breadfruit tree, for transplantation to the West Indies.
'The breadfruit grows on a spreading tree, about the size of a large
apple tree; the fruit is round, and has a thick tough rind. It is
gathered when it is full-grown, and while it is still green and hard; it
is then baked in an oven until the rind is black and scorched. This is
scraped off, and the inside is soft and white like the crumb of a penny
loaf.'
The Otaheitans use no other bread but the fruit kind. It is, therefore,
little wonder that the West Indian planters were anxious to grow this
valuable fruit in their own islands, as, if it flourished there, food
would be provided with little trouble for their servants and slaves.
In the passage to Otaheite, Captain Bligh had several disturbances with
his men. He had an extremely irritable temper, and would often fly into
a passion and make most terrible accusations, and use most terrible
language to his officers and sailors.
On one occasion he ordered the crew to eat some decayed pumpkins,
instead of their allowance of cheese, which he said they had stolen from
the ship's stores.
The pumpkin was to be given to the men at the rate of one pound of
pumpkin to two pounds of biscuits.
The men did not like accepting the substitute on these terms. When the
captain heard this, he was infuriated, and ordered the first man of
each mess to be called by name, at the same time saying to them, 'I'll
see who will dare refuse the pumpkin or anything else I may order to be
served out.' Then, after swearing at them in a shocking way, he ended by
saying, 'I'll make you eat grass, or anything else you can catch before
I have done with you,' and threatened to flog the first man who dared to
complain again.
While they were at Otaheite several of the sailors were flogged for
small offences, or without reason, and on the other hand, during the
seven months they stayed at the island, both officers and men were
allowed to spend a great deal of time on shore, and were given the
greatest possible liberty.
Therefore, when the breadfruit plants were collected, and they weighed
anchor on April 4 in 1787, it is not unlikely they were loth to return
to the strict discipline of the ship, and to leave an island so lovely,
and where it was possible to live in the greatest luxury without any
kind of labour.
From the time they sailed until April 27, Christian, the third officer,
had been in constant hot water with Captain Bligh. On the afternoon of
that day, when the captain came on deck, he missed some cocoanuts that
had been heaped up between the guns. He said at once that they had been
stolen, and that it could not have happened without the officers knowing
of it. When they told him they had not seen any of the crew touch them,
he cried, 'Then you must have taken them yourselves!' After this he
questioned them separately; when he came to Christian, he answered, 'I
do not know, sir, but I hope you do not think me so mean as to be guilty
of stealing yours.'
The captain swore terribly, and said, 'You must have stolen them from
me, or you would be able to give a better account of them!' He turned to
the others with much more abuse, and saying, 'D--n you! you scoundrels,
you are all thieves alike, and combine with the men to rob me. I suppose
you'll steal my yams next, but I'll sweat you for it, you rascals! I'll
make half of you jump overboard before you get through Endeavour
Straits!'
Then he turned to the clerk, giving the order to 'stop the villains'
grog, and to give them but half a pound of yams to-morrow: if they steal
_them_, I'll reduce them to a quarter.'
That night Christian, who was hardly less passionate and resentful than
the captain, told two of the midshipmen, Stewart and Hayward, that he
intended to leave the ship on a raft, as he could no longer endure the
captain's suspicion and insults. He was very angry and excited, and
made some preparations for carrying out his plan, though these had to be
done with the greatest secrecy and care.
It was his duty to take the morning watch, which is from four to eight
o'clock, and this time he thought would he a good opportunity to make
his escape. He had only just fallen into a restless slumber when he was
called to take his turn.
[Illustration: The captain guarded by the mutineers]
He got up with his brain still alert with the sense of injury and wrong,
and most curiously alive to seize any opportunity which might lead to an
escape from so galling a service.
On reaching the deck, he found the mate of the watch had fallen asleep,
and that the other midshipman was not to be seen.
Then he made a sudden determination to seize the ship, and rushing down
the gangway ladder, whispered his intention to Matthew Quintal and Isaac
Martin, seamen, both of whom had been flogged. They readily agreed to
join him, and several others of the watch were found to be quite as
willing.
Someone went to the armourer for the keys of the arm chest, telling him
they wanted to fire at a shark alongside.
Christian then armed those men whom he thought he could trust, and
putting a guard at the officers' cabins, went himself with three other
men to the captain's cabin.
It was just before sunrise when they dragged him from his bed, and tying
his hands behind his back, threatened him with instant death if he
should call for help or offer any kind of resistance. He was taken up to
the quarter deck in his nightclothes, and made to stand against the
mizzen mast with four men to guard him.
Christian then gave orders to lower the boat in which he intended to
cast them adrift, and one by one the men were allowed to come up the
hatchways, and made to go over the side of the ship into it. Meanwhile
no heed was given to the remonstrances, reasoning, and prayers of the
captain, saving threats of death unless he was quiet.
Some twine, canvas, sails, a small cask of water, and a quadrant and
compass were put into the boat, also some bread and a small quantity of
rum and wines. When this was done the officers were brought up one by
one and forced over the side. There was a great deal of rough joking at
the captain's expense, who was still made to stand by the mizzen-mast,
and much bad language was used by everybody.
When all the officers were out of the ship, Christian said, 'Come,
Captain Bligh, your officers and men are now in the boat, and you must
go with them; if you make the least resistance you will be instantly put
to death.'
He was lowered over the side with his hands still fastened behind his
back, and directly after the boat was veered astern with a rope.
Someone with a little pity for them threw in some pieces of pork and
some clothes, as well as two or three cutlasses; these were the only
arms given.
There were altogether nineteen men in this pitiful strait. Although much
of the conduct of the mutineers is easily understood with regard to the
captain, the wholesale crime of thrusting so many innocent persons out
on to the mercy of the winds and waves, or out to the death from hunger
and thirst which they must have believed would inevitably overtake them,
is incomprehensible.
As the 'Bounty' sailed away, leaving them to their fate, those in the
boat cast anxious looks to the captain as wondering what should then be
done. At a time when his mind must have been full of the injury he had
received, and the loss of his ship at a moment when his plans were so
flourishing and he had every reason to congratulate himself as to the
ultimate success of the undertaking, it is much in his favour that he
seems to have realised their unfortunate position and to have been
determined to make the best of it.
[Illustration: THE SAVAGES ATTACK THE BOAT]
His first care was to see how much food they had. On examining it they
found there was a hundred and fifty pounds of bread, thirty-two pounds
of pork, six quarts of rum, six bottles of wine, and twenty-eight
gallons of water.
As they were so near Tofoa they determined to put in there for a supply
of breadfruit and water, so that they might keep their other provisions.
But after rowing along the coast for some time, they only discovered
some cocoanut trees on the top of a stony cliff, against which the sea
beat furiously. After several attempts they succeeded in getting about
twenty nuts. The second day they failed to get anything at all.
However, some natives came down to the boat and made inquiries about the
ship; but the captain unfortunately told the men to say she had been
lost, and that only they were saved.
This proved most disastrous; for the treacherous natives, finding they
were defenceless, at first brought them presents of breadfruit,
plantains and cocoanuts, rendering them all more hopeful and cheerful by
their kindness. But towards night their numbers increased in a most
alarming manner, and soon the whole beach was lined by them.
Presently they began knocking stones together, by which the men knew
they intended to make an attack upon them. They made haste to get all
the things into the boat, and all but one, named John Norton, succeeded
in reaching it. The natives rushed upon this poor man and stoned him to
death.
Those in the boat put to sea with all haste, but were again terribly
alarmed to find themselves followed by natives in canoes from which they
renewed the attack.
Many of the sailors were a good deal hurt by stones, and they had no
means at all with which to protect themselves. At last they threw some
clothes overboard; these tempted the enemy to stop to pick them up, and
as soon as night came on they gave up the chase and returned to the
shore.
All the men now begged Captain Bligh to take them towards England; but
he told them there could be no hope of relief until they reached Timor,
a distance of full twelve hundred leagues; and that, if they wished to
reach it, they would have to content themselves with one ounce of
bread and a quarter of a pint of water a day. They all readily agreed to
this allowance of food, and made a most solemn oath not to depart from
their promise to be satisfied with the small quantity. This was about
May 2. After the compact was made, the boat was put in order, the men
divided into watches, and they bore away under a reefed lug-foresail.
A fiery sun rose on the 3rd, which is commonly a sign of rough weather,
and filled the almost hopeless derelicts with a new terror.
In an hour or two it blew very hard, and the sea ran so high that their
sail was becalmed between the waves; they did not dare to set it when on
the top of the sea, for the water rushed in over the stern of the boat,
and they were obliged to bale with all their might.
The bread was in bags, and in the greatest danger of being spoiled by
the wet. They were obliged to throw some rope and the spare sails
overboard, as well as all the clothes but what they wore, to lighten the
boat, then the carpenter's tool-chest was cleared and the bread put into
it.
They were all very wet and cold, and a teaspoonful of rum was served to
each man, with a quarter of a breadfruit which was so bad that it could
hardly be eaten; but the captain was determined at all risks to keep to
the compact they had entered into, and to make their provisions last
eight weeks.
In the afternoon the sea ran even higher, and at night it became very
cold; but still they did not dare to leave off baling for an instant,
though their legs and arms were numb with fatigue and wet.
In the morning a teaspoonful of rum was served to all, and five small
cocoanuts divided for their dinner, and everyone was satisfied.
When the gale had subsided they examined the bread, and found a great
deal of it had become mouldy and rotten; but even this was carefully
kept and used. The boat was now near some islands, but they were afraid
to go on shore, as the natives might attack them; while being in sight
of land, where they might replenish their poor stock of provisions and
rest themselves, added to their misery. One morning they hooked a fish,
and were overjoyed at their good fortune; but in trying to get it into
the boat it was lost, and again they had to content themselves with the
damaged bread and small allowance of water for their supper.
They were dreadfully cramped for room, and were obliged to manage so
that half their number should lie down in the bottom of the boat or upon
a chest, while the others sat up and kept watch: their limbs became so
stiff from being constantly wet, and from want of space to stretch them
in, that after a few hours' sleep they were hardly able to move.
About May 7 they passed what the captain supposed must be the Fiji
Islands, and two large canoes put off and followed them for some time,
but in the afternoon they gave up the chase. It rained heavily that day,
and everyone in the boat did his best to catch some water, and they
succeeded in increasing their stock to thirty-four gallons, besides
having had enough to drink for the first time since they had been east
adrift; but the rain made them very cold and miserable, and as they had
no dry things their shiverings were terrible.
The next morning they had an ounce and a half of pork, a teaspoonful of
rum, half a pint of cocoanut milk, and an ounce of bread for breakfast,
which was quite a large meal for them. The rum, though (or because) in
such small quantities, is said to have been of the greatest service to
them.
Through fifteen weary days and nights of ceaseless rain they toiled,
sometimes through fierce storms of thunder and lightning, and before
terrific seas lashed into foam and fury by swift and sudden squalls,
with only their miserable pittance of bread and water to keep body and
soul together. Now and then a little rum was given after any extra
fatigue of baling, but only at the times set apart for meals.
In this rain and storm the little sleep they got only added to their
discomfort, save for the brief forgetfulness it brought; for they had to
lie down in water in the bottom of the boat, and with no covering but
the streaming clouds above them.
The captain then advised them to wring their clothes through sea-water,
which they found made them feel much warmer for a time.
On May 17 everyone was ill and complaining of great pain, and begging
for more food; but the captain refused to increase their allowance,
though he gave them all a small quantity of rum.
Until the 24th they flew before the wild seas that swept over stem and
stern of their boat, and kept them constantly baling.
Some of them now looked more than half dead from starvation, but no one
suffered from thirst, as they had absorbed so much water through the
skin.
A fine morning dawned on the 25th, when they saw the sun for the first
time for fifteen days, and were able to eat their scanty allowance in
more comfort and warmth. In the afternoon there were numbers of birds
called boobies and noddies near, which are never seen far from land.
The captain took this opportunity to look at the state of their bread,
and found if they did not exceed their allowance there was enough to
last for twenty-nine days, when they hoped to reach Timor. That
afternoon some noddies came so near the boat that one was caught. These
birds are about the size of a small pigeon; it was divided into eighteen
parts and given by lot. The men were much amused when they saw the beak
and claws fall to the lot of the captain. The bird was eaten, bones and
all, with bread and water, for dinner.
Now they were in calmer seas they were overtaken by a new trouble. The
heat of the sun became so great that many of them were overcome by
faintness, and lay in the bottom of the boat in an apathetic state all
day, only rousing themselves towards evening, when the catching of birds
was attempted.
On the morning of the 28th the sound of breakers could be heard plainly;
they had reached the Great Barrier Beef, which runs up much of the east
coast of Australia.
After some little time a passage nearly a quarter of a mile in width was
discovered through the reef, and they were carried by a strong current
into the peaceful waters which lie within the Barrier.
For a little time they were so overjoyed that their past troubles were
forgotten. The dull blue-grey lines of the mainland, with its white
patches of glaring sandhills, could be seen in the distance, and that
afternoon they landed on an island.
They found the rocks around it were covered with oysters and huge clams,
which could easily be got at low tide. Some of their party sent out to
reconnoitre returned greatly pleased at having found plenty of fresh
water.
A fire was made by help of a small magnifying-glass. Among the things
thrown into the boat from the ship was a small copper pot; and thus with
a mixture of oysters, bread, and pork a stew was made, and everyone had
plenty to eat.
The day after they landed was the 29th of May, the anniversary of the
restoration of King Charles II., and as the captain thought it applied
to their own renewed health and strength, he named it Restoration
Island.
After a few days' rest, which did much to revive the men, and when they
had filled all their vessels with water and had gathered a large supply
of oysters, they were ready to go on again.
As they were about to start everybody was ordered to attend prayers, and
as they were embarking about twenty naked savages came running and
shouting towards them, each carrying a long barbed spear, but the
English made all haste to put to sea.
For several days they sailed over the lake-like stillness of the Barrier
reef-bound waters, and past the bold desolations of the Queensland
coast, every headland and bay there bearing the names Cook gave them
only a few years before, and which still tell us by that nomenclature
each its own story of disappointment and hope.
Still making way to the north, they passed many more islands and keys,
the onward passage growing hot and hotter, until on June 3, when they
doubled Cape York, the peninsula which is all but unique in its
northward bend, they were again in the open sea.
By this time many of them were ill with malaria, then for the first time
some of the wine which they had with them was used.
But the little boat still bravely made its way with its crew, whose
faces were so hollow and ghastly that they looked like a crew of
spectres, sailing beneath the scorching sun that beat down from the pale
blue of the cloudless sky upon a sea hardly less blue in its greater
depths. Only the hope that they would soon reach Timor seemed to rouse
them from a state of babbling delirium or fitful slumber.
On the 11th the captain told them they had passed the meridian of the
east of Timor; and at three o'clock on the next morning they sighted the
land.
It was on Sunday, June 14, when they arrived at Company Bay, and were
received with every kindness by the people.
Thus ended one of the most remarkable voyages that has ever been made.
They had been sent out with provisions only sufficient for their number
for _five_ days, and Captain Bligh had, by his careful calculation, and
determination to give each man only that equal portion they had agreed
to accept, made it last for _fifty_ days, during which time they had
come three thousand six hundred and eighteen nautical miles.
There had been days when the men were so hunger-driven that they had
besought him with pitiful prayers for more to eat, and when it was his
painful duty to refuse it; and times, as they passed those islands where
plentiful food could be got, when he had to turn a deaf ear to their
longings to land. He had to endure the need of food, the cramped
position, the uneasy slumber, as did his men; as well as the more
perfect knowledge of their dangers. There had been days and nights while
he worked out their bearings when he had to be propped up as he took the
stars or sun.
It was, therefore, Captain Bligh's good seamanship, his strict
discipline and fairness in the method of giving food and wine to those
who were sick, that enabled them to land at Timor with the whole of
their number alive, with the exception of the one man who was stoned to
death by the savages at Tofoa.
_THE PITCAIRN ISLANDERS_
IT will be remembered that nothing had been heard of the 'Bounty' since
she was seen off Point Venus on the morning of September 22, 1789.
In 1809, just twenty years after, when Captain Folger, of the American
ship 'Topaz,' landed at Pitcairn Island, one of the most remote of the
islands in the Pacific, he found there a solitary Englishman and five
Otaheitan women and nineteen children. The man, who gave his name as
Alexander Smith, said he was the only remaining person of the nine who
had escaped in the 'Bounty.'
Although this information was given to the Admiralty shortly after, it
was not until the year 1814, when the 'Briton,' under the command of Sir
Thomas Staines, and the 'Tagus,' under that of Captain Pipon, were
cruising in the Pacific, that one day on which the ships were sailing in
the same direction about six leagues apart, both commanders were greatly
surprised to see an island in lat. 24 deg. 40' and long. 130 deg. 24' W.
They were puzzled to know what it could be, as Pitcairn Island (named
after a son of Major Pitcairn who was lost in the 'Aurora'), the only
one known in the neighbourhood, was marked on their charts as in long.
133 deg. 24' W., more than three degrees out.
They thought they had made a new discovery, and as they ran in for the
land they were astonished to see some neatly-built huts surrounded by
gardens and plantations.
Some people were seen coming down the cliff with canoes on their
shoulders. Presently one was launched and made off through the heavy
surf towards the ships. They were more surprised than ever when one of
the young men in it cried out in English as they came alongside, 'Won't
you heave us a rope, now?'
He sprang up the side of the ship swiftly. When on deck he told Sir
Thomas Staines and Captain Pipon, when they asked him who he was, that
his name was Thursday October Christian, and that he was the son of the
late Fletcher Christian by an Otaheitan mother; that he was the first
born on the island, and his name was given him as he had been born on a
Thursday in October. He was now twenty-four years of age, and had a fine
muscular figure, dark hair, and a brownish complexion, and 'in his
good-natured and benevolent countenance he had all the features of an
honest English face.' He wore no clothing except a small piece of cloth
about his loins and a straw hat trimmed with cock's feathers. He spoke
English correctly and pleasantly both as to grammar and pronunciation.
He also told them he was married to a woman much older than himself, one
of those who had come with his father from Otaheite. His companion was a
fine boy of about seventeen or eighteen years, named George Young, son
of Young the midshipman.
[Illustration: The Pitcairn islanders on board the English frigate]
The islanders were much surprised at the many things new to them in the
ship, at the guns, and everything around them. They were greatly
entertained at the sight of a little dog. 'Oh, what a pretty little
thing it is!' exclaimed Young. 'I know it is a dog, for I have heard of
such an animal.'
The young men told the captains of many of the events that had happened
among the first settlers; but said that John Adams, now an old man,
could tell them much more. He was the only surviving Englishman that
came away in the 'Bounty,' and at that time he was called Alexander
Smith.
The captains determined to go on shore to see Adams, and to hear from
him the true story of Christian's fate, and of that of his companions.
Adams, who had been concealed since the arrival of the ships, when he
found that the two captains had landed and were not armed, and that they
did not intend to take him prisoner, came to the beach to meet them, and
brought his wife with him, who was a very old woman and nearly blind.
After so many years the sight of the King's uniform no doubt brought
back the scene of the 'Bounty' to Adams, for at first he was very
nervous and ill at ease.
However, when Sir Thomas Staines assured him they were not there with
any intention of taking him away, that they were not even aware that
such a person as himself existed, he regained confidence, and then told
them he had taken the name of John Adams since the sole care of the
women and children on the island had fallen upon him. He pretended he
had not taken any great share in the mutiny, that he was sick in bed
when it took place, and that he had been roused up and compelled to take
a musket in his hand. He said he was now ready and willing to go back to
England in one of the ships.
When the islanders heard him say this, all the women and children wept
bitterly, and the young men stood motionless and absorbed in grief. When
the officers again assured them that he should on no account be
molested, the people were overcome with joy and gratitude. Adams then
told them of the fate of the 'Bounty' and of the rest of the mutineers.
* * * * *
It is easy to suppose that when Christian sailed for the last time from
Otaheite his mind was full of misgiving; that he bitterly repented the
rash act by which the ship had fallen into his hands and by which in all
probability nineteen men had lost their lives, and also the wrecked and
criminal lives of his followers. The picture of the derelict crew in
their little boat was ever in his mind as he had last seen them watching
with despairing eyes their ship sail away; and again as distance blurred
all form, and it lay a blot on the sunny waters, immediately before it
was hidden by the horizon line.
That blot became ever blacker and heavier to his mental vision as one by
one his projects failed. A sullen and morose outcast for ever from
civilisation, he sailed out into the unknown seas with his little band
of desperate followers, to find if possible some solitary island, some
unknown spot, where they might be lost for ever from the world.
Curiously, the place which he pictured, the object for which he sought,
was soon after given to him to find.
Its steep cliffs rise from the sea precipitously, and beyond and above
them a ridge of rocky hills runs from north to south, from which, again,
two mountainous peaks of a thousand feet and more in height stand up
like sentinels.
At a little distance from the coast-line a white wall of surf lashes
itself into fury, and breaks everlastingly over the hidden reefs that
raise so formidable a guard around the island as to render safe landing
impossible save only at particular places and times.
Encouraged by this forbidding coast-line, after they had sailed all
round the island they effected a landing, and finding it uninhabited,
they decided to make it their home. The 'Bounty' was run into an inlet
between the cliffs, and after she had been dismantled and her materials
used for building houses, in 1790 they burnt her, as they feared she
might attract the notice of any ship that should chance to pass.
The first thing they did after their arrival was to divide the land into
nine equal parts, giving none to the Otaheitan men, who it is said had
been carried off from their own island by force. At first they were
kindly treated by the white men; but afterwards they made them their
slaves.
When they had been on the island a few weeks Christian became more
gloomy and taciturn, and his conduct to the others grew more overbearing
and unreasonable day by day.
Fear entered into his soul, and he looked with dislike and suspicion
upon all around him, shunned their companionship and sought a place
where he could be alone with his dark thoughts. Up at the extreme end of
the ridge of hills that runs across the island the almost inaccessible
cave may still be seen to which he carried a store of provisions and
ammunition, and thus shut himself off from the others, and with only the
sound of the roaring breakers as they beat on the shore below to disturb
his solitude, the madman dwelt alone with his terrible history of the
past.
[Illustration: 'THE MADMAN DWELT ALONE']
One story is that in a fit of maniacal insanity he flung himself over
the rocks into the sea. Another that he was shot by one of the mutineers
whilst digging in a plantation.
The accounts are contradictory. But whether from suicide or murder, his
death happened within a year after he landed at Pitcairn Island.
For about two years, while they all worked at the building of the houses
and at cultivating the ground, the Otaheitan men toiled without a
murmur. But when Williams, who had lost his wife, insisted that he would
take one of theirs or leave the island in one of the 'Bounty's' boats,
the other Englishmen, who did not want to part with him, compelled one
of the Otaheitans to give his wife to him.
From this time the Otaheitans became discontented, until the man whose
wife had been taken away was murdered in the woods; then things went on
more quietly for a year or two longer, when two of the most desperate
and cruel of the mutineers, Quintal and M'Koy, at last drove them to
form a plot to destroy their oppressors. A day was fixed by them to
attack and put to death all the Englishmen when they were at work in the
yam plots.
They killed Martin and Brown, one with a maul, the other with a musket,
while Adams made his escape, though he was wounded in the shoulder by a
bullet.
Young, who was a great favourite with the women, was hidden by them
during the attack, while M'Koy and Quintal fled to the woods.
That night all the native men were murdered by the widows of the
Europeans. This happened in 1793. From that time till 1798 the colonists
went on quietly, until M'Koy, who had once been employed in a Scotch
distillery, and had for some time been making experiments on the _ti_
root, succeeded in extracting from it an intoxicating liquor.
After this Quintal also gave his whole time to making the spirit, and in
consequence the two men were constantly drunk, and in one of his fits of
delirium M'Koy threw himself from a cliff, and was instantly killed.
Quintal became more and more unmanageable, and frequently threatened
to destroy Adams and Young--who, knowing that he would carry out his
threat, determined to kill him. This they did by felling him with an axe
as they would an ox.
Thus it was that at last only two men were left on the island, Adams and
Young. The latter, who was of a quiet and studious nature, resolved to
have prayers every morning and evening, and regular services on Sunday,
and to teach the children, of whom there were nineteen, several of them
then being between the ages of seven and nine years. Young, however, did
not live long, but died of asthma about a year after the murder of
Quintal.
[Illustration: Old John Adams teaches the children]
In their beautiful island of the sea, where the lordly banyans grow, and
where the feathery cocoanut palms stand boldly along the cliffs, or here
and there fringe the rocky beach--for in this temperate climate just
without the tropics there are but few trees and vegetables that will not
grow--there, unknown for many years to the world, and far away from its
busy jar and fret, the simple and kindly natures that these children of
Pitcairn Island must have inherited from their Otaheitan mothers were
trained to an almost perfect sense of duty and piety by old John Adams.
With a Bible and Prayer-book to aid him he persevered with his
self-imposed task. It was a task that must often have cost him much
labour and patient study, for though he could read he was not able to
write until he was a very old man.
Though in the eyes of the law his crime can never be wiped out, in the
eyes of humanity, his sincere repentance and long and tender devotion to
his charge--a charge that ended only on the day of his death--will for
ever render the last of the mutineers a character to be remembered with
admiration and respect.
_A RELATION OF THREE YEARS' SUFFERING OF ROBERT EVERARD UPON THE ISLAND
OF ASSADA, NEAR MADAGASCAR, IN A VOYAGE TO INDIA, IN THE YEAR 1686_[35]
WHEN I was a boy, my father, Mr. William Everard, apprenticed me to the
captain of a ship bound for Bombay in India, and thence to Madagascar,
for blacks. I left London on August 5, 1686, and after different
adventures on the voyage, of which I need not here speak, our ship
reached Madagascar.
The King of Madagascar received us kindly enough, and promised in about
a month to furnish the captain with as many negroes as he desired. This
satisfied us very well, and, mooring the ship, we stayed some days,
trading with the negroes for rice and hens and bananas.
Now one day the supercargo and six of the men and myself went ashore,
taking guns and powder, and knives and scissors to trade with, and the
ship's dog went with us. And, carrying our chest of goods to the house
of one of the natives, we traded, and the negroes brought us such things
as they had in exchange.
But presently we heard a great noise, and a crowd began to gather, so
that we thought the King was coming. But, alas! we soon found that the
people of the town had risen against us, and ten or twelve broke in with
their lances, and killed five of the boat's crew and the man who took
care of the boat! The supercargo, running out of the house to get to the
King, was thrust through by one of these murderous natives, and died
immediately. I myself, being knocked down by the fall of the others, lay
among the dead like one dead.
When the blacks took them up, however, they saw I was alive, and did not
kill me in cold blood, but carried me to the King's house, which was
just by the house where they had killed our men, whose bodies I saw
them carrying down to fling into the sea as I looked out at the King's
door.
He bade me sit down, and ordered the women to bring me some boiled rice
on a plantain leaf, but in my terrible condition I could not eat. At
night the King's men showed me my lodging in a small hut among the
slaves, where I remained till the morning.
[Illustration: Death of the supercargo]
That morning our ship sailed. All the night as she lay there she had
kept firing her great guns, and one shot came into the middle of the
King's house, and went through it.
But when she had sailed I saw some of the blacks with bottles of wine
taken out of the great cabin, which I myself had filled the morning I
went ashore. They had also the captain's sword and the ship's compass,
and some great pieces of the flag tied round their waists. So I asked
those negroes who understood a little English if they had killed any on
board. They said 'Yes,' and told me that the blacks in a canoe that went
to our ship to trade had lances hidden, and fell upon the captain and
the mate, who suspected nothing, and killed them and some others of our
men, but the rest had time to arm themselves, and so drove the blacks
away.
I asked them also why they killed our men, and they told the King, who
answered that an English ship had been before, and played the rogue with
them, and killed some of the natives, and they had therefore taken
revenge.
After this the King went to visit his towns, and bid me go along with
him; and I went first to one place and then another, to be shown to the
people. But the women when they saw me shrieked and ran away in a
fright--never having seen a white man, and thinking I was a spirit.
Then the King and his army went to the other side of the island, and
carried me with them and our dog, and there he began mustering together
a greater army, taking more men out of every town he visited. As soon as
the women saw the King and his army coming, they got their sticks and
came dancing for joy. And when he came into a town a mat was laid on the
ground for him to sit on. When he sat down the wife of the chief of the
town came out with some white stuff upon a stone, and dipped her finger
in it, and put one spot on the King's forehead, and one on each cheek,
and one on his chin; and so they did to his four wives who went with
him. Then, when the women had done spotting them, the captain of the
town and all his men came before the King, some with great calabashes
full of liquor, and he bid the captain get his men ready to go along
with the army, which was done in a day's time. Thus he went from town to
town.
The dog belonging to our ship went too, and when he saw any hogs, he ran
and barked at them till the negroes came and killed them with their
lances. And sometimes he would fetch a young pig and bring it to me.
It was six or seven weeks before they reached the town of the enemy, and
rushed into it, firing and striking with their lances, and killing or
taking prisoners all who did not run away. Then marching further up the
country they met with the enemy's whole army; and for about a month they
fought with them day after day, our side nearly always getting the
better of it.
When as many prisoners had been taken as the King needed for slaves, we
marched back again through the towns, and the people brought great
parcels of rice made up in plantain leaves, and pots of boiled fish for
the King and his men to eat with their rice. They used to sit four, and
six, or eight together; they also gave me some by myself, on a plantain
leaf. This they did at every town where the King came. But as I was
coming back with them I was taken lightheaded, so that sometimes I fell
down, and could not stir without extreme pain.
About a week after we reached our own town the King asked me if I could
make powder. I told him 'No;' he then asked if I could make shot. I said
'Yes;' and he told his men to fetch some lead, and clay for the moulds,
and as well as I could I made three or four hundred shot. The King was
pleased with these, and while I was making them I had victuals given me,
and some of their best drink.
But afterwards the King bid me go about the island with some of his men
to find flint stones; and when I could find none he took no more notice
of me, but turned me out of his house, and would not let me come into it
any more. Then I had to seek for my own food to save myself from being
starved, and it pleased God that I found such food as the natives
eat--yams and potatoes, which I dug out of the earth with a piece of
sharp stone, having neither knife nor any other tool. And I made fire as
the natives did, rubbing together two pieces of stick, and roasted my
yams, and gathered bananas and oranges and other fruit. Then sometimes I
caught fish with a small, sharp-pointed stick, and crabs, and now and
then a turtle. I also found turtles' eggs. I used to keep yams and
potatoes by me to serve five or six days, and when they were gone I
hunted for more.
My lodging was under a tree on the hard ground, where I slept for two
years and nine months and sometimes in the year it would rain for three
months together, or only become fine for an hour or so--yet for all that
I lay under the tree still. I always had a fire on each side of me to
keep me warm, because I had no covering but the branches and leaves of
the tree. Sometimes in the night I crept outside the cottage of one of
the natives for shelter, but I was forced to be gone before they were up
for fear they would do me harm.
When I wanted water I went almost a mile for a drink, and had nothing to
bring back a little water in to keep by me and drink whenever I was
thirsty. Also, I had to see that there were no blacks near the water,
lest they should set upon me.
Two years after I had come to the country I suffered terrible pain with
sores that broke out upon me, but finding some honey in a rock by the
seaside, I made a kind of salve which gave me a little ease. But now the
time of my worst distress was drawing to an end.
For when I had been three years in the island there came Arabs to buy
negroes, and I pleaded with them to take me away, telling them how it
was that I, an English boy, was left in this condition. Then the chief
merchant of the Arabs said he could not carry me away without the King's
leave, for it would spoil their trade; but he would try to get me clear,
and as long as the Arabian vessel lay there I might come to his house
and get food and drink.
About six weeks after the merchant sent for me, and told me he had
bought me of the King for twenty dollars, and that he would carry me to
my own country people again.
The ship lay there about ten weeks, and when they had got all their
negroes we sailed from Madagascar. But all the history of my voyaging
with the Arabs, who treated me with much kindness, and sold me at last
to Englishmen, would be too long to relate. When I first saw my own
countrymen I had forgotten English, so that I could only speak to them
in the language of Madagascar; but by the time I had been among them six
or seven days my English came back, and I could tell them my story.
At last I was taken on board an English ship called the 'Diana,' and,
sailing in this, I reached Yarmouth and afterwards Blackwall, where I
met my father, to the great joy of us both. Thus I conclude my
narrative, with humble thanks to God for His wonderful preservation of
me through so many hardships and dangers.