THE OPEN-BOAT NAVIGATION
The boat is lower'd with all the haste of hate,
With its slight plank between thee and thy fate;
Her only cargo such a scant supply
As promises the death their hands deny;
And just enough of water and of bread
To keep, some days, the dying from the dead:
Some cordage, canvas, sails, and lines, and twine.
But treasures all to hermits of the brine,
Were added after, to the earnest prayer
Of those who saw no hope save sea and air;
And last, that trembling vassal of the Pole,
The feeling compass, Navigation's soul.
* * * * *
The launch is crowded with the faithful few
Who wait their Chief--a melancholy crew:
But some remained reluctant on the deck
Of that proud vessel, now a moral wreck--And
view'd their Captain's fate with piteous eyes;
While others scoff'd his augur'd miseries,
Sneer'd at the prospect of his pigmy sail,
And the slight bark so laden and so frail.
Christian had intended to send away his captain and associates in the
cutter, and ordered that it should be hoisted out for that purpose,
which was done--a small wretched boat, that could hold but eight or ten
men at the most, with a very small additional weight; and, what was
still worse, she was so worm-eaten and decayed, especially in the bottom
planks, that the probability was, she would have gone down before she
had proceeded a mile from the ship. In this 'rotten carcass of a boat,'
not unlike that into which Prospero and his lovely daughter were
'hoist,'
not rigg'd,
Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very rats
Instinctively had quit it,
did Christian intend to cast adrift his late commander and his eighteen
innocent companions, or as many of them as she would stow, to find, as
they inevitably must have found, a watery grave. But the remonstrances
of the master, boatswain, and carpenter prevailed on him to let those
unfortunate men have the launch, into which nineteen persons were
thrust, whose weight, together with that of the few articles they were
permitted to take, brought down the boat so near to the water, as to
endanger her sinking with but a moderate swell of the sea--and to all
human appearance, in no state to survive the length of voyage they were
destined to perform over the wide ocean, but which they did most
miraculously survive.
The first consideration of Lieutenant Bligh and his eighteen unfortunate
companions, on being cast adrift in their open boat, was to examine the
state of their resources. The quantity of provisions which they found to
have been thrown into the boat, by some few kind-hearted messmates,
amounted to one hundred and fifty pounds of bread, sixteen pieces of
pork, each weighing two pounds, six quarts of rum, six bottles of wine,
with twenty-eight gallons of water, and four empty barricoes. Being so
near to the island of Tofoa, it was resolved to seek there a supply of
bread-fruit and water, to preserve if possible the above-mentioned stock
entire; but after rowing along the coast, they discovered only some
cocoa-nut trees, on the top of high precipices, from which, with much
danger owing to the surf, and great difficulty in climbing the cliffs,
they succeeded in obtaining about twenty nuts. The second day they made
excursions into the island, but without success. They met however with a
few natives, who came down with them to the cove where the boat was
lying; and others presently followed. They made inquiries after the
ship, and Bligh unfortunately advised they should say that the ship had
overset and sunk, and that they only were saved. The story might be
innocent, but it was certainly indiscreet to put the people in
possession of their defenceless situation; however, they brought in
small quantities of bread-fruit, plantains, and cocoa-nuts, but little
or no water could be procured. These supplies, scanty as they were,
served to keep up the spirits of the men; 'They no longer, says Bligh,
'regarded me with those anxious looks, which had constantly been
directed towards me, since we lost sight of the ship: every countenance
appeared to have a degree of cheerfulness, and they all seemed
determined to do their best.'
The numbers of the natives having so much increased as to line the whole
beach, they began knocking stones together, which was known to be the
preparatory signal for an attack. With some difficulty on account of the
surf, our seamen succeeded in getting the things that were on shore into
the boat, together with all the men, except John Norton, quarter-master,
who was casting off the stern-fast. The natives immediately rushed upon
this poor man, and actually stoned him to death. A volley of stones was
also discharged at the boat, and every one in it was more or less hurt.
This induced the people to push out to sea with all the speed they were
able to give to the launch, but to their surprise and alarm, several
canoes, filled with stones, followed close after them and renewed the
attack; against which, the only return the unfortunate men in the boat
could make, was with the stones of the assailants that lodged in her, a
species of warfare in which they were very inferior to the Indians. The
only expedient left was to tempt the enemy to desist from the pursuit,
by throwing overboard some clothes, which fortunately induced the canoes
to stop and pick them up; and night coming on, they returned to the
shore, leaving the party in the boat to reflect on their unhappy
situation.
The men now intreated their commander to take them towards home; and on
being told that no hope of relief could be entertained till they
reached Timor, a distance of full twelve hundred leagues, they all
readily agreed to be content with an allowance, which, on calculation of
their resources, the commander informed them would not exceed one ounce
of bread, and a quarter of a pint of water, per day. Recommending them,
therefore, in the most solemn manner, not to depart from their promise
in this respect, 'we bore away,' says Bligh, 'across a sea where the
navigation is but little known, in a small boat twenty-three feet long
from stem to stern, deeply laden with eighteen men. I was happy,
however, to see that every one seemed better satisfied with our
situation than myself. It was about eight o'clock at night on the 2nd
May, when we bore away under a reefed lug-foresail; and having divided
the people into watches, and got the boat into a little order, we
returned thanks to God for our miraculous preservation, and, in full
confidence of His gracious support, I found my mind more at ease than it
had been for some time past.'
At day-break on the 3rd, the forlorn and almost hopeless navigators saw
with alarm the sun to rise fiery and red,--a sure indication of a severe
gale of wind; and accordingly, at eight o'clock it blew a violent storm,
and the sea ran so very high, that the sail was becalmed when between
the seas, and too much to have set when on the top of the sea; yet it is
stated that they could not venture to take it in, as they were in very
imminent danger and distress, the sea curling over the stern of the
boat, and obliging them to bale with all their might. 'A situation,'
observes the commander, 'more distressing has, perhaps, seldom been
experienced.'
The bread, being in bags, was in the greatest danger of being spoiled by
the wet, the consequence of which, if not prevented, must have been
fatal, as the whole party would inevitably be starved to death, if they
should fortunately escape the fury of the waves. It was determined,
therefore, that all superfluous clothes, with some rope and spare sails,
should be thrown overboard, by which the boat was considerably
lightened. The carpenter's tool-chest was cleared, and the tools stowed
in the bottom of the boat, and the bread secured in the chest. All the
people being thoroughly wet and cold, a teaspoonful of rum was served
out to each person, with a quarter of a bread-fruit, which is stated to
have been scarcely eatable, for dinner; Bligh having determined to
preserve sacredly, and at the peril of his life, the engagement they
entered into, and to make their small stock of provisions last eight
weeks, let the dally proportion be ever so small.
The sea continuing to run even higher than in the morning, the fatigue
of baling became very great; the boat was necessarily kept before the
sea. The men were constantly wet, the night very cold, and at daylight
their limbs were so benumbed, that they could scarcely find the use of
them. At this time a teaspoonful of rum served out to each person was
found of great benefit to all. Five small cocoa-nuts were distributed
for dinner, and every one was satisfied; and in the evening, a few
broken pieces of bread-fruit were served for supper, after which prayers
were performed.
On the night of the 4th and morning of the 5th, the gale had abated; the
first step to be taken was to examine the state of the bread, a great
part of which was found to be damaged and rotten--but even this was
carefully preserved for use. The boat was now running among some
islands, but after their reception at Tofoa, they did not venture to
land. On the 6th, they still continued to see islands at a distance; and
this day, for the first time, they hooked a fish, to their great joy;
'but,' says the commander, 'we were miserably disappointed by its being
lost in trying to get it into the boat.' In the evening, each person had
an ounce of the damaged bread, and a quarter of a pint of water for
supper.
Lieutenant Bligh observes, 'it will readily be supposed our lodgings
were very miserable, and confined for want of room'; but he endeavoured
to remedy the latter defect, by putting themselves at watch and watch;
so that one half always sat up, while the other lay down on the boat's
bottom, or upon a chest, but with nothing to cover them except the
heavens. Their limbs, he says, were dreadfully cramped, for they could
not stretch them out; and the nights were so cold, and they were so
constantly wet, that, after a few hours' sleep, they were scarcely able
to move. At dawn of day on the 7th, being very wet and cold, he says, 'I
served a spoonful of rum and a morsel of bread for breakfast.'
In the course of this day they passed close to some rocky isles, from
which two large sailing-canoes came swiftly after them, but in the
afternoon gave over the chase. They were of the same construction as
those of the Friendly Islands, and the land seen for the last two days
was supposed to be the Fiji Islands. But being constantly wet, Bligh
says, 'it is with the utmost difficulty I can open a book to write, and
I feel truly sensible I can do no more than point out where these lands
are to be found, and give some idea of their extent.' Heavy rain came on
in the afternoon, when every person in the boat did his utmost to catch
some water, and thus succeeded in increasing their stock to thirty-four
gallons, besides quenching their thirst for the first time they had been
able to do so since they had been at sea: but it seems an attendant
consequence of the heavy rain caused them to pass the night very
miserably; for being extremely wet, and having no dry things to shift or
cover themselves, they experienced cold and shiverings scarcely to be
conceived.
On the 8th, the allowance issued was an ounce and a half of pork, a
teaspoonful of rum, half a pint of cocoa-nut milk, and an ounce of
bread. The rum, though so small in quantity, is stated to have been of
the greatest service. In the afternoon they were employed in cleaning
out the boat, which occupied them until sunset before they got every
thing dry and in order. 'Hitherto,' Bligh says, 'I had issued the
allowance by guess, but I now made a pair of scales with two cocoa-nut
shells; and having accidentally some pistol-balls in the boat,
twenty-five of which weighed one pound or sixteen ounces, I adopted one
of these balls as the proportion of weight that each person should
receive of bread at the times I served it. I also amused all hands with
describing the situations of New Guinea and New Holland, and gave them
every information in my power, that in case any accident should happen
to me, those who survived might have some idea of what they were about,
and be able to find their way to Timor, which at present they knew
nothing of more than the name, and some not even that. At night I served
a quarter of a pint of water and half an ounce of bread for supper.
On the morning of the 9th, a quarter of a pint of cocoa-nut milk and
some of the decayed bread were served for breakfast; and for dinner, the
kernels of four cocoa-nuts, with the remainder of the rotten bread,
which, he says, was eatable only by such distressed people as
themselves. A storm of thunder and lightning gave them about twenty
gallons of water. 'Being miserably wet and cold, I served to the people
a teaspoonful of rum each, to enable them to bear with their distressing
situation. The weather continued extremely bad, and the wind increased;
we spent a very miserable night, without sleep, except such as could be
got in the midst of rain.'
The following day, the 10th, brought no relief, except that of its
light. The sea broke over the boat so much, that two men were kept
constantly baling; and it was necessary to keep the boat before the
waves for fear of its filling. The allowance now served regularly to
each person was one twenty-fifth part of a pound of bread and a quarter
of a pint of water, at eight in the morning, at noon, and at sunset.
To-day was added about half an ounce of pork for dinner, which, though
any moderate person would have considered only as a mouthful, was
divided into three or four.
The morning of the 11th did not improve. 'At day-break I served to every
person a teaspoonful of rum, our limbs being so much cramped that we
could scarcely move them. Our situation was now extremely dangerous, the
sea frequently running over our stern, which kept us baling with all our
strength. At noon the sun appeared, which gave us as much pleasure as is
felt when it shows itself on a winter's day in England.
'In the evening of the 12th it still rained hard, and we again
experienced a dreadful night. At length the day came, and showed a
miserable set of beings, full of wants, without any thing to relieve
them. Some complained of great pain in their bowels, and every one of
having almost lost the use of his limbs. The little sleep we got was in
no way refreshing, as we were constantly covered with the sea and rain.
The weather continuing, and no sun affording the least prospect of
getting our clothes dried, I recommended to every one to strip and wring
them through the sea-water, by which means they received a warmth that,
while wet with rain-water, they could not have.' The shipping of seas
and constant baling continued; and though the men were shivering with
wet and cold, the commander was under the necessity of informing them,
that he could no longer afford them the comfort they had derived from
the teaspoonful of rum.
On the 13th and 14th the stormy weather and heavy sea continued
unabated, and on these days they saw distant land, and passed several
islands. The sight of these islands, it may well be supposed, served
only to increase the misery of their situation. They were as men very
little better than starving with plenty in their view; yet, to attempt
procuring any relief was considered to be attended with so much danger,
that the prolongation of life, even in the midst of misery, was thought
preferable, while there remained hopes of being able to surmount their
hardships.
The whole day and night of the 15th were still rainy; the latter was
dark, not a star to be seen by which the steerage could be directed, and
the sea was continually breaking over the boat. On the next day, the
16th, was issued for dinner an ounce of salt pork, in addition to their
miserable allowance of one twenty-fifth part of a pound of bread. The
night was again truly horrible, with storms of thunder, lightning, and
rain; not a star visible, so that the steerage was quite uncertain.
On the morning of the 17th, at dawn of day, 'I found,' says the
commander, 'every person complaining, and some of them solicited extra
allowance, which I positively refused. Our situation was miserable;
always wet, and suffering extreme cold in the night, without the least
shelter from the weather. The little rum we had was of the greatest
service: when our nights were particularly distressing, I generally
served a teaspoonful or two to each person, and it was always joyful
tidings when they heard of my intentions. The night was again a dark and
dismal one, the sea constantly breaking over us, and nothing but the
wind and waves to direct our steerage. It was my intention, if possible,
to make the coast of New Holland to the southward of Endeavour Straits,
being sensible that it was necessary to preserve such a situation as
would make a southerly wind a fair one; that we might range along the
reefs till an opening should be found into smooth water, and we the
sooner be able to pick up some refreshments.'
On the 18th the rain abated, when, at their commander's recommendation,
they all stripped and wrung their clothes through the sea-water, from
which, as usual, they derived much warmth and refreshment; but every one
complained of violent pains in their bones. At night the heavy rain
recommenced, with severe lightning, which obliged them to keep baling
without intermission. The same weather continued through the 19th and
20th; the rain constant--at times a deluge--the men always baling; the
commander, too, found it necessary to issue for dinner only half an
ounce of pork.
At dawn of day, Lieutenant Bligh states, that some of his people seemed
half dead; that their appearances were horrible; 'and I could look,'
says he, 'no way, but I caught the eye of some one in distress. Extreme
hunger was now too evident, but no one suffered from thirst, nor had we
much inclination to drink, that desire perhaps being satisfied through
the skin. The little sleep we got was in the midst of water, and we
constantly awoke with severe cramps and pains in our bones. At noon the
sun broke out and revived every one.
'During the whole of the afternoon of the 21st we were so covered with
rain and salt water, that we could scarcely see. We suffered extreme
cold, and every one dreaded the approach of night. Sleep, though we
longed for it, afforded no comfort; for my own part, I almost lived
without it. On the 22nd, our situation was extremely calamitous. We were
obliged to take the course of the sea, running right before it, and
watching with the utmost care, as the least error in the helm would in a
moment have been our destruction. It continued through the day to blow
hard, and the foam of the sea kept running over our stern and quarters.
'The misery we suffered this night exceeded the preceding. The sea flew
over us with great force, and kept us baling with horror and anxiety. At
dawn of day I found every one in a most distressed condition, and I
began to fear that another such night would put an end to the lives of
several, who seemed no longer able to support their sufferings. I served
an allowance of _two_ teaspoonfuls of rum; after drinking which, and
having wrung our clothes and taken our breakfast of bread and water, we
became a little refreshed.
On the evening of the 24th, the wind moderated and the weather looked
much better, which rejoiced all hands, so that they ate their scanty
allowance with more satisfaction than for some time past. The night also
was fair; but being always wet with the sea, we suffered much from the
cold. I had the pleasure to see a fine morning produce some cheerful
countenances; and for the first time, during the last fifteen days, we
experienced comfort from the warmth of the sun. We stripped and hung up
our clothes to dry, which were by this time become so thread-bare, that
they could not keep out either wet or cold. In the afternoon we had many
birds about us, which are never seen far from land, such as boobies and
noddies.'
As the sea now began to run fair, and the boat shipped but little water,
Lieutenant Bligh took the opportunity to examine into the state of their
bread; and it was found that, according to the present mode of living,
there was a sufficient quantity remaining for twenty-nine days'
allowance, by which time there was every reason to expect they would be
able to reach Timor. But as this was still uncertain, and it was
possible that, after all, they might be obliged to go to Java, it was
determined to proportion the allowance, so as to make the stock hold out
six weeks. 'I was apprehensive,' he says, 'that this would be ill
received, and that it would require my utmost resolution to enforce it;
for, small as the quantity was which I intended to take away for our
future good, yet it might appear to my people like robbing them of life;
and some who were less patient than their companions, I expected would
very ill brook it. However, on my representing the necessity of guarding
against delays that might be occasioned by contrary winds, or other
causes, and promising to enlarge upon the allowance as we got on, they
cheerfully agreed to my proposal.' It was accordingly settled that every
person should receive one twenty-fifth part of a pound of bread for
breakfast, and the same quantity for dinner as usual, but that the
proportion for supper should be discontinued; this arrangement left them
forty-three days' consumption.
On the 25th about noon, some noddies came so near to the boat, that one
of them was caught by hand. This bird was about the size of a small
pigeon. 'I divided it,' says Bligh, 'with its entrails, into eighteen
portions, and by a well-known method at sea, of "_Who shall have
this?_"[9] it was distributed, with the allowance of bread and water for
dinner, and eaten up, bones and all, with salt water for sauce. In the
evening, several boobies flying very near to us, we had the good
fortune to catch one of them. This bird is as large as a duck. They are
the most presumptive proof of being near land, of any sea-fowl we are
acquainted with. I directed the bird to be killed for supper, and the
blood to be given to three of the people who were the most distressed
for want of food. The body, with the entrails, beak, and feet, I divided
into eighteen shares, and with the allowance of bread, which I made a
merit of granting, we made a good supper compared with our usual fare.
'On the next day, the 26th, we caught another booby, so that Providence
appeared to be relieving our wants in an extraordinary manner. The
people were overjoyed at this addition to their dinner, which was
distributed in the same manner as on the preceding evening; giving the
blood to those who were the most in want of food. To make the bread a
little savoury, most of the men frequently dipped it in salt water, but
I generally broke mine into small pieces, and ate it in my allowance of
water, out of a cocoa-nut shell, with a spoon; economically avoiding to
take too large a piece at a time, so that I was as long at dinner as if
it had been a much more plentiful meal.'
The weather was now serene, which, nevertheless, was not without its
inconveniences, for, it appears, they began to feel distress of a
different kind from that which they had hitherto been accustomed to
suffer. The heat of the sun was now so powerful, that several of the
people were seized with a languor and faintness, which made life
indifferent. But the little circumstance of catching two boobies in the
evening, trifling as it may appear, had the effect of raising their
spirits. The stomachs of these birds contained several flying-fish, and
small cuttle-fish, all of which were carefully saved to be divided for
dinner the next day; which were accordingly divided with their entrails,
and the contents of their maws, into eighteen portions, and, as the
prize was a very valuable one, it was distributed as before, by calling
out, '_Who shall have this?_'--'so that to-day,' says the lieutenant,
'with the usual allowance of bread at breakfast and at dinner, I was
happy to see that every person thought he had feasted.' From the
appearance of the clouds in the evening, Mr. Bligh had no doubt they
were then near the land, and the people amused themselves with
conversing on the probability of what they would meet with on it.
Accordingly, at one in the morning of the 28th, the person at the helm
heard the sound of breakers. It was the 'barrier reef' which runs along
the eastern coast of New Holland, through which it now became the
anxious object to discover a passage; Mr. Bligh says this was now become
absolutely necessary, without a moment's loss of time. The idea of
getting into smooth water and finding refreshments kept up the people's
spirits. The sea broke furiously over the reef in every part; within,
the water was so smooth and calm, that every man already anticipated the
heartfelt satisfaction he was about to receive, as soon as he should
have passed the barrier. At length a break in the reef was discovered, a
quarter of a mile in width, and through this the boat rapidly passed
with a strong stream running to the westward, and came immediately into
smooth water, and all the past hardships seemed at once to be forgotten.
They now returned thanks to God for His generous protection, and with
much content took their miserable allowance of the twenty-fifth part of
a pound of bread, and a quarter of a pint of water, for dinner.
The coast now began to show itself very distinctly, and in the evening
they landed on the sandy point of an island, when it was soon discovered
there were oysters on the rocks, it being low water. The party sent out
to reconnoitre returned highly rejoiced at having found plenty of
oysters and fresh water. By help of a small magnifying--glass a fire was
made, and among the things that had been thrown into the boat was a
tinder-box and a piece of brimstone, so that in future they had the
ready means of making a fire. One of the men too had been so provident
as to bring away with him from the ship a copper pot; and thus with a
mixture of oysters, bread, and pork, a stew was made, of which each
person received a full pint. It is remarked that the oysters grew so
fast to the rocks, that it was with great difficulty they could be
broken off; but they at length discovered it to be the most expeditious
way to open them where they were fixed.
The general complaints among the people were a dizziness in the head,
great weakness in the joints, and violent tenesmus, but none of them are
stated to have been alarming; and notwithstanding their sufferings from
cold and hunger, all of them retained marks of strength. Mr. Bligh had
cautioned them not to touch any kind of berry or fruit that they might
find; yet it appears they were no sooner out of sight, than they began
to make free with three different kinds that grew all over the island,
eating without any reserve. The symptoms of having eaten too much began
at last to frighten some of them; they fancied they were all poisoned,
and regarded each other with the strongest marks of apprehension,
uncertain what might be the issue of their imprudence: fortunately the
fruit proved to be wholesome and good.
'This day (29th May) being,' says Lieutenant Bligh, 'the anniversary of
the restoration of King Charles II, and the name not being inapplicable
to our present situation (for we were _restored_ to fresh life and
strength), I named this "Restoration Island"; for I thought it probable
that Captain Cook might not have taken notice of it.'
With oysters and palm-tops stewed together the people now made excellent
meals, without consuming any of their bread. In the morning of the 30th,
Mr. Bligh saw with great delight a visible alteration in the men for the
better, and he sent them away to gather oysters, in order to carry a
stock of them to sea, for he determined to put off again that evening.
They also procured fresh water, and filled all their vessels to the
amount of nearly sixty gallons. On examining the bread, it was found
there still remained about thirty-eight days' allowance.
Being now ready for sea, every person was ordered to attend prayers; but
just as they were embarking, about twenty naked savages made their
appearance, running and hallooing, and beckoning the strangers to come
to them; but, as each was armed with a spear or lance, it was thought
prudent to hold no communication with them. They now proceeded to the
northward, having the continent on their left, and several islands and
reefs on their right.
On the 31st they landed on one of these islands, to which was given the
name of 'Sunday.' 'I sent out two parties (says Bligh), one to the
northward and the other to the southward, to seek for supplies, and
others I ordered to stay by the boat. On this occasion, fatigue and
weakness so far got the better of their sense of duty, that some of the
people expressed their discontent at having worked harder than their
companions, and declared that they would rather be without their dinner
than go in search of it. One person, in particular, went so far as to
tell me, with a mutinous look, that he was as good a man as myself. It
was not possible for one to judge where this might have an end, if not
stopped in time; to prevent therefore such disputes in future, I
determined either to preserve my command or die in the attempt; and
seizing a cutlass, I ordered him to lay hold of another and defend
himself; on which he called out that I was going to kill him, and
immediately made concessions. I did not allow this to interfere further
with the harmony of the boat's crew, and every thing soon became quiet.'
On this island they obtained oysters, and clams, and dog-fish; also a
small bean, which Nelson, the botanist, pronounced to be a species of
dolichos. On the 1st of June, they stopped in the midst of some sandy
islands, such as are known by the name of _keys_, where they procured a
few clams and beans. Here Nelson was taken very ill with a violent heat
in his bowels, a loss of sight, great thirst, and an inability to walk.
A little wine, which had carefully been saved, with some pieces of bread
soaked in it, was given to him in small quantities, and he soon began to
recover. The boatswain and carpenter were also ill, and complained of
headache and sickness of the stomach. Others became shockingly
distressed with tenesmus; in fact, there were few without complaints.
A party was sent out by night to catch birds; they returned with only
twelve noddies, but it is stated, that, had it not been for the folly
and obstinacy of one of the party, who separated from the others and
disturbed the birds, a great many more might have been taken. The
offender was Robert Lamb, who acknowledged, when he got to Java, that he
had that night eaten _nine_ raw birds, after he separated from his two
companions. The birds, with a few clams, were the whole of the supplies
afforded at these small islands.
On the 3rd of June, after passing several keys and islands, and doubling
Cape York, the north-easternmost point of New Holland, at eight in the
evening the little boat and her brave crew once more launched into the
open ocean. 'Miserable,' says Lieutenant Bligh, 'as our situation was in
every respect, I was secretly surprised to see that it did not appear to
affect any one so strongly as myself; on the contrary, it seemed as if
they had embarked on a voyage to Timor in a vessel sufficiently
calculated for safety and convenience. So much confidence gave me great
pleasure, and I may venture to assert that to this cause our
preservation is chiefly to be attributed. I encouraged every one with
hopes that eight or ten days would bring us to a land of safety; and,
after praying to God for a continuance of His most gracious protection,
I served out an allowance of water for supper, and directed our course
to the west south-west.
'We had been just six days on the coast of New Holland, in the course of
which we found oysters, a few clams, some birds and water. But a
benefit, probably not less than this, was that of being relieved from
the fatigue of sitting constantly in the boat, and enjoying good rest at
night. These advantages certainly preserved our lives; and small as the
supply was, I am very sensible how much it alleviated our distresses.
Before this time nature must have sunk under the extremes of hunger and
fatigue. Even in our present situation, we were most deplorable
objects, but the hopes of a speedy relief kept up our spirits. For my
own part, incredible as it may appear, I felt neither extreme hunger nor
thirst. My allowance contented me, knowing that I could have no more.'
In his manuscript journal, he adds, 'This, perhaps, does not permit me
to be a proper judge on a story of miserable people like us being at
last driven to the necessity of destroying one another for food--but, if
I may be allowed, I deny the fact in its greatest extent. I say, I do
not believe that, among us, such a thing could happen, but death through
famine would be received in the same way as any mortal disease.'[10]
On the 5th a booby was caught by the hand, the blood of which was
divided among three of the men who were weakest, and the bird kept for
next day's dinner; and on the evening of the 6th the allowance for
supper was recommenced, according to a promise made when it had been
discontinued. On the 7th, after a miserably wet and cold night, nothing
more could be afforded than the usual allowance for breakfast; but at
dinner each person had the luxury of an ounce of dried clams, which
consumed all that remained. The sea was running high and breaking over
the boat the whole of this day. Mr. Ledward, the surgeon, and Lawrence
Lebogue, an old hardy seaman, appeared to be giving way very fast. No
other assistance could be given to them than a teaspoonful or two of
wine, that had been carefully saved for such a melancholy occasion,
which was not at all unexpected.
On the 8th the weather was more moderate, and a small dolphin was
caught, which gave about two ounces to each man: in the night it again
blew strong, the boat shipped much water, and they all suffered greatly
from wet and cold. The surgeon and Lebogue still continued very ill, and
the only relief that could be afforded them was a small quantity of
wine, and encouraging them with the hope that a very few days more, at
the rate they were then sailing, would bring them to Timor.
'In the morning of the 10th, after a very comfortless night, there was a
visible alteration for the worse,' says Mr. Bligh, 'in many of the
people, which gave me great apprehensions. An extreme weakness, swelled
legs, hollow and ghastly countenances, a more than common inclination to
sleep, with an apparent debility of understanding, seemed to me the
melancholy presages of an approaching dissolution. The surgeon and
Lebogue, in particular, were most miserable objects. I occasionally gave
them a few teaspoonfuls of wine, out of the little that remained, which
greatly assisted them. The hope of being able to accomplish the voyage
was our principal support. The boatswain very innocently told me that he
really thought I looked worse than any in the boat. The simplicity with
which he uttered such an opinion amused me, and I returned him a better
compliment.'
On the 11th Lieutenant Bligh announced to his wretched companions that
he had no doubt they had now passed the meridian of the eastern part of
Timor, a piece of intelligence that diffused universal joy and
satisfaction. Accordingly at three in the morning of the following day
Timor was discovered at the distance only of two leagues from the shore.
'It is not possible for me,' says this experienced navigator, 'to
describe the pleasure which the blessing of the sight of this land
diffused among us. It appeared scarcely credible to ourselves that, in
an open boat, and so poorly provided, we should have been able to reach
the coast of Timor in forty-one days after leaving Tofoa, having in that
time run, by our log, a distance of three thousand six hundred and
eighteen nautical miles; and that, notwithstanding our extreme distress,
no one should have perished in the voyage.'
On Sunday the 14th they came safely to anchor in Coupang Bay, where they
were received with every mark of kindness, hospitality, and humanity.
The houses of the principal people were thrown open for their reception.
The poor sufferers when landed were scarcely able to walk; their
condition is described as most deplorable. 'The abilities of a painter
could rarely, perhaps, have been displayed to more advantage than in the
delineation of the two groups of figures which at this time presented
themselves to each other. An indifferent spectator (if such could be
found) would have been at a loss which most to admire, the eyes of
famine sparkling at immediate relief, or the horror of their preservers
at the sight of so many spectres, whose ghastly countenances, if the
cause had been unknown, would rather have excited terror than pity. Our
bodies were nothing but skin and bones, our limbs were full of sores,
and we were clothed in rags, in this condition, with the tears of joy
and gratitude flowing down our cheeks, the people of Timor beheld us
with a mixture of horror, surprise, and pity.
'When,' continues the commander, 'I reflect how providentially our lives
were saved at Tofoa, by the Indians delaying their attack? and that,
with scarcely anything to support life, we crossed a sea of more than
twelve hundred leagues, without shelter from the inclemency of the
weather; when I reflect that in an open boat, with so much stormy
weather, we escaped foundering, that not any of us were taken off by
disease, that we had the great good fortune to pass the unfriendly
natives of other countries without accident, and at last to meet with
the most friendly and best of people to relieve our distresses--I say,
when I reflect on all these wonderful escapes, the remembrance of such
great mercies enables me to bear with resignation and cheerfulness the
failure of an expedition, the success of which I had so much at heart,
and which was frustrated at a time when I was congratulating myself on
the fairest prospect of being able to complete it in a manner that would
fully have answered the intention of his Majesty, and the humane
promoters of so benevolent a plan.'
Having recruited their strength by a residence of two months among the
friendly inhabitants of Coupang, they proceeded to the westward on the
20th August in a small schooner, which was purchased and armed for the
purpose, and arrived on the 1st October in Batavia Road, where Mr. Bligh
embarked in a Dutch packet, and was landed on the Isle of Wight on the
14th March, 1790. The rest of the people had passages provided for them
in ships of the Dutch East India Company, then about to sail for Europe.
All of them, however, did not survive to reach England. Nelson, the
botanist, died at Coupang; Mr. Elphinstone, master's-mate, Peter
Linkletter and Thomas Hall, seamen, died at Batavia; Robert Lamb, seaman
(the booby-eater), died on the passage; and Mr. Ledward, the surgeon,
was left behind, and not afterwards heard of. These six, with John
Norton, who was stoned to death, left twelve of the nineteen, forced by
the mutineers into the launch, to survive the difficulties and dangers
of this unparalleled voyage, and to revisit their native country. With
great truth might Bligh exclaim with the poet,
--'Tis mine to tell their tale of grief,
Their constant peril and their scant relief;
Their days of danger, and their nights of pain;
Their manly courage, even when deem'd in vain;
The sapping famine, rendering scarce a son
Known to his mother in the skeleton;
The ills that lessen'd still their little store,
And starved even Hunger till he wrung no more;
The varying frowns and favours of the deep,
That now almost engulphs, then leaves to creep
With crazy oar and shatter'd strength along
The tide, that yields reluctant to the strong;
Th' incessant fever of that arid thirst
Which welcomes, as a well, the clouds that burst
Above their naked bones, and feels delight
In the cold drenching of the stormy night,
And from the outspread canvas gladly wrings
A drop to moisten Life's all-gasping springs;
The savage foe escaped, to seek again
More hospitable shelter from the main;
The ghastly spectres which were doom'd at last
To tell as true a tale of dangers past,
As ever the dark annals of the deep
Disclosed for man to dread or woman weep.
It is impossible not fully to accord with Bligh when he says, 'Thus
happily ended, through the assistance of Divine Providence, without
accident, a voyage of the most extraordinary nature that ever happened
in the world,[11] let it be taken either in its extent, duration, or
the want of every necessary of life.' We may go further and say, it is
impossible to read this extraordinary and unparalleled voyage, without
bestowing the meed of unqualified praise on the able and judicious
conduct of its commander, who is in every respect, as far as this
extraordinary enterprise is concerned, fully entitled to rank with
Parry, Franklin, and Richardson. Few men, indeed, were ever placed for
so long a period in a more trying, distressing, and perilous situation
than he was; and it may safely be pronounced, that, to his discreet
management of the men and their scanty resources, and to his ability as
a thorough seaman, eighteen souls were saved from imminent and otherwise
inevitable destruction, it was not alone the dangers of the sea, in an
open boat, crowded with people, that he had to combat, though they
required the most consummate nautical skill, to be enabled to contend
successfully against them; but the unfortunate situation, to which the
party were exposed, rendered him subject to the almost daily murmuring
and caprice of people less conscious than himself of their real danger.
From the experience they had acquired at Tofoa of the savage disposition
of the people against the defenceless boat's crew, a lesson was learned
how little was to be trusted, even to the mildest of uncivilized people,
when a conscious superiority was in their hands. A striking proof of
this was experienced in the unprovoked attack made by those amiable
people, the Otaheitans, on Captain Wallis's ship, of whose power they
had formed no just conception; but having once experienced the full
force of it, on no future occasion was any attempt made to repeat the
attack. Lieutenant Bligh, fully aware of his own weakness, deemed it
expedient, therefore, to resist all desires and temptations to land at
any of those islands, among which they passed in the course of the
voyage, well knowing how little could be trusted to the forbearance of
savages, unarmed and wholly defenceless as his party were.
But the circumstance of being tantalized with the appearance of land,
clothed with perennial verdure, whose approach was forbidden to men
chilled with wet and cold, and nearly perishing with hunger, was by no
means the most difficult against which the commander had to struggle.
'It was not the least of my distresses,' he observes, 'to be constantly
assailed with the melancholy demands of my people for an increase of
allowance, which it grieved me to refuse.' He well knew that to reason
with men reduced to the last stage of famine, yet denied the use of
provisions within their reach, and with the power to seize upon them in
their own hands, would be to no purpose. Something more must be done to
ensure even the possibility of saving them from the effect of their own
imprudence. The first thing he set about, therefore, was to ascertain
the exact state of their provisions, which were found to amount to the
ordinary consumption of five days, but which were to be spun out so as
to last fifty days. This was at once distinctly stated to the men, and
an agreement entered into, and a solemn promise made by all, that the
settled allowance should never be deviated from, as they were made
clearly to understand that on the strict observance of this agreement
rested the only hope of their safety; and this was explained and made so
evident to every man, at the time it was concluded, that they
unanimously agreed to it; and by reminding them of this compact,
whenever they became clamorous for more, and showing a firm
determination not to swerve from it, Lieutenant Bligh succeeded in
resisting all their solicitations.
This rigid adherence to the compact, in doling out their miserable
pittance,--the constant exposure to wet,--the imminent peril of being
swallowed up by the ocean,--their cramped and confined position,--and
the unceasing reflection on their miserable and melancholy
situation;--all these difficulties and sufferings made it not less than
miraculous, that this voyage, itself a miracle, should have been
completed, not only without the loss of a man from sickness, but with so
little loss of health. 'With respect to the preservation of our health,'
says the commander, 'during the course of sixteen days of heavy and
almost continual rain, I would recommend to every one in a similar
situation, the method we practised of dipping their clothes in
salt-water, and to wring them out, as often as they become soaked with
rain; it was the only resource we had, and I believe was of the greatest
service to us, for it felt more like a change of dry clothes than could
well be imagined. We had occasion to do this so often, that at length
all our clothes were wrung to pieces.'
But the great art of all was to divert their attention from the almost
hopeless situation in which they were placed, and to prevent despondency
from taking possession of their minds; and in order to assist in
effecting this, some employment was devised for them; among other
things, a logline, an object of interest to all, was measured and
marked; and the men were practised in counting seconds correctly, that
the distance run on each day might be ascertained with a nearer
approach to accuracy than by mere guessing. These little operations
afforded them a temporary amusement; and the log being daily and hourly
hove gave them also some employment, and diverted their thoughts for the
moment from their melancholy situation. Then, every noon, when the sun
was out, or at other times before and after noon, and also at night when
the stars appeared, Lieutenant Bligh never neglected to take
observations for the latitude, and to work the day's work for
ascertaining the ship's place. The anxiety of the people to hear how
they had proceeded, what progress had been made, and whereabouts they
were on the wide ocean, also contributed for the time to drive away
gloomy thoughts that but too frequently would intrude themselves. These
observations were rigidly attended to, and sometimes made under the most
difficult circumstances, the sea breaking over the observer, and the
boat pitching and rolling so much, that he was obliged to be 'propped
up,' while taking them. In this way, with now and then a little
interrupted sleep, about a thousand long and anxious hours were consumed
in pain and peril, and a space of sea passed over equal to four thousand
five hundred miles, being at the rate of four and one-fifth miles an
hour, or one hundred miles a day.
Lieutenant Bligh has expressed his conviction, that the six days spent
among the coral islands, off the coast of New Holland, were the
salvation of the whole party, by the refreshing sleep they here
procured, by the exercise of walking about, and, above all, by the
nutriment derived from the oysters and clams, the beans and berries,
they procured while there; for that such, he says, was the exhausted
condition of all on their arrival at the 'barrier reef,' that a few days
more at sea must have terminated the existence of many of them. This
stoppage, however, had likewise been nearly productive of fatal
consequences to the whole party. In fact, another mutiny was within an
ace of breaking out, which, if not checked at the moment, could only, in
their desperate situation, have ended in irretrievable and total
destruction. Bligh mentions, in his printed narrative, the mutinous
conduct of a person to whom he gave a cutlass to defend himself. This
affair, as stated in his original manuscript journal, wears a far more
serious aspect.
'The carpenter (Purcell) began to be insolent to a high degree, and at
last told me, with a mutinous aspect, he was as good a man as I was. I
did not just now see where this was to end; I therefore determined to
strike a final blow at it, and either to preserve my command or die in
the attempt; and taking hold of a cutlass, I ordered the rascal to take
hold of another and defend himself, when he called out that I was going
to kill him, and began to make concessions. I was now only assisted by
Mr. Nelson; and the master (Fryer) very deliberately called out to the
boatswain, to put me under an arrest, and was stirring up a greater
disturbance, when I declared, if he interfered, when I was in the
execution of my duty to preserve order and regularity, and that in
consequence any tumult arose, I would certainly put him to death the
first person. This had a proper effect on this man, and he now assured
me that, on the contrary, I might rely on him to support my orders and
directions for the future. This is the outline of a tumult that lasted
about a quarter of hour'; and he adds, 'I was told that the master and
carpenter, at the last place, were endeavouring to produce altercations,
and were the principal cause of their murmuring there.' This carpenter
he brought to a court-martial on their arrival in England, on various
charges, of which he was found guilty in part, and reprimanded. Purcell
is said to be at this time in a mad-house.
On another occasion, when a stew of oysters was distributed among the
people, Lieutenant Bligh observes (in the MS. Journal), 'In the
distribution of it, the voraciousness of some and the moderation of
others were very discernible. The _master_ began to be dissatisfied the
first, because it was not made into a larger quantity by the addition of
water, and showed a turbulent disposition, until I laid my commands on
him to be silent.' Again, on his refusing bread to the men, because they
were collecting oysters, he says, 'this occasioned some murmuring with
the master and carpenter, the former of whom endeavoured to prove the
propriety of such an expenditure, and was troublesomely ignorant,
tending to create disorder among those, if any were weak enough to
listen to him.'
If what Bligh states with regard to the conduct of the master and the
carpenter be true, it was such, on several occasions, as to provoke a
man much less irritable than himself. He thus speaks of the latter, when
in the ship and in the midst of the mutiny. 'The boatswain and carpenter
were fully at liberty; the former was employed, on pain of death, to
hoist the boats out, but the latter I saw acting the part of an idler,
with an impudent and ill-looking countenance, which led me to believe he
was one of the mutineers, until he was among the rest ordered to leave
the ship, for it appeared to me to be a doubt with Christian, at first,
whether he should keep the carpenter or his mate (Norman), but knowing
the former to be a troublesome fellow, he determined on the latter.'
The following paragraph also appears in his original journal, on the day
of the mutiny, but is not alluded to in his printed narrative. 'The
master's cabin was opposite to mine; he saw them (the mutineers) in my
cabin, for our eyes met each other through his door-window. He had a
pair of ship's pistols loaded, and ammunition in his cabin--a firm
resolution might have made a good use of them. After he had sent twice
or thrice to Christian to be allowed to come on deck, he was at last
permitted, and his question then was, "Will you let me remain in the
ship?"--"No." "Have _you_ any objection, Captain Bligh?" I whispered to
him to knock him down--Martin is good (this is the man who gave the
shaddock), for this was just before Martin was removed from me.
Christian, however, pulled me back, and sent away the master, with
orders to go again to his cabin, and I saw no more of him, until he was
put into the boat. He afterwards told me that he could find nobody to
act with him; that by staying in the ship he hoped to have retaken her,
and that, as to the pistols, he was so flurried and surprised, that he
did not recollect he had them.' This master tells a very different story
respecting the pistols, in his evidence before the court-martial.
Whatever, therefore, on the whole, may have been the conduct of Bligh
towards his officers, that of some of the latter appears to have been on
several occasions provoking enough, and well calculated to stir up the
irascible temper of a man, active and zealous in the extreme, as Bligh
always was, in the execution of his duty. Some excuse may be found for
hasty expressions uttered in a moment of irritation, when passion gets
the better of reason; but no excuse can be found for one, who deeply and
unfeelingly, without provocation, and in cold blood, inflicts a wound on
the heart of a widowed mother, already torn with anguish and tortured
with suspense for a beloved son, whose life was in imminent jeopardy:
such a man was William Bligh. This charge is not loosely asserted; it is
founded on documentary evidence under his own hand. Since the death of
the late Captain Heywood, some papers have been brought to light, that
throw a still more unfavourable stigma on the character of the two
commanders, Bligh and Edwards, than any censure that has hitherto
appeared in print, though the conduct of neither of them has been
spared, whenever an occasion has presented itself for bringing their
names before the public.
Bligh, it may be recollected, mentions young Heywood only as one of
those left in the ship; he does not charge him with taking any active
part in the mutiny; there is every reason, indeed, to believe that Bligh
did not, and indeed could not, see him on the deck on that occasion: in
point of fact, he never was within thirty feet of Captain Bligh, and the
booms were between them. About the end of March, 1790, two months
subsequent to the death of a most beloved and lamented husband, Mrs.
Heywood received the afflicting information, but by report only, of a
mutiny having taken place on board the _Bounty_. In that ship Mrs.
Heywood's son had been serving as midshipman, who, when he left his
home, in August, 1787, was under fifteen years of age, a boy deservedly
admired and beloved by all who knew him, and, to his own family, almost
an object of adoration, for his superior understanding and the amiable
qualities of his disposition. In a state of mind little short of
distraction, on hearing this fatal intelligence, which was at the same
time aggravated by every circumstance of guilt that calumny or malice
could invent with respect to this unfortunate youth, who was said to be
one of the ringleaders, and to have gone armed into the captain's
cabin, his mother addressed a letter to Captain Bligh, dictated by a
mother's tenderness, and strongly expressive of the misery she must
necessarily feel on such an occasion. The following is Bligh's reply:--
'_London, April 2nd_, 1790.
'MADAM,--I received your letter this day, and feel for you
very much, being perfectly sensible of the extreme distress
you must suffer from the conduct of your son Peter. _His
baseness is beyond all description_, but I hope you will
endeavour to prevent the loss of him, heavy as the misfortune
is, from afflicting you too severely. I imagine he is, with
the rest of the mutineers, returned to Otaheite.--- I am,
Madam,
(Signed) 'WM. BLIGH.'
Colonel Holwell, the uncle of young Heywood, had previously addressed
Bligh on the same melancholy subject, to whom he returned the following
answer:--
'_26th March_, 1790.
'SIR,--I have just this instant received your letter. With
much concern I inform you that your nephew, Peter Hey wood, is
among the mutineers. _His ingratitude to me is of the blackest
dye_, for I was a father to him in every respect, and he never
once had an angry word from me through the whole course of the
voyage, as his conduct always gave me much pleasure and
satisfaction. I very much regret _that so much baseness formed
the character_ _of a young man_ I had a real regard for, and
it will give me much pleasure to hear that his friends _can
bear the loss of him without much concern_.--I am, Sir, etc.
(Signed) 'WM. BLIGH.'
The only way of accounting for this ferocity of sentiment towards a
youth, who had in point of fact no concern in the mutiny, is by a
reference to certain points of evidence given by Hayward, Hallet, and
Purcell on the court-martial, each point wholly unsupported. Those in
the boat would no doubt, during their long passage, often discuss the
conduct of their messmates left in the _Bounty_, and the unsupported
evidence given by these three was well calculated to create in Bligh's
mind a prejudice against young Heywood; yet, if so, it affords but a
poor excuse for harrowing up the feelings of near and dear relatives.
As a contrast to these ungracious letters, it is a great relief to
peruse the correspondence that took place, on this melancholy occasion,
between this unfortunate young officer and his amiable but dreadfully
afflicted family. The letters of his sister, Nessy Heywood (of which a
few will be inserted in the course of this narrative), exhibit so lively
and ardent an affection for her beloved brother, are couched in so high
a tone of feeling for his honour, and confidence in his innocence, and
are so nobly answered by the suffering youth, that no apology seems to
be required for their introduction, more especially as their contents
are strictly connected with the story of the ill-fated crew of the
_Bounty_. After a state of long suspense, this amiable and accomplished
young lady thus addresses her brother:--
'_Isle of Man, 2nd June_, 1792.
'In a situation of mind only rendered supportable by the long
and painful state of misery and suspense we have suffered on
his account, how shall I address my dear, my fondly beloved
brother!--how describe the anguish we have felt at the idea of
this long and painful separation, rendered still more
distressing by the terrible circumstances attending it! Oh! my
ever dearest boy, when I look back to that dreadful moment
which brought us the fatal intelligence that you had remained
in the _Bounty_ after Mr. Bligh had quitted her, and were
looked upon by him as a _mutineer_!--when I contrast that day
of horror with my present hopes of again beholding you, such
as my most sanguine wishes could expect, I know not which is
the most predominant sensation,--pity, compassion, and terror
for your sufferings, or joy and satisfaction at the prospect
of their being near a termination, and of once more embracing
the dearest object of our affections.
'I will not ask you, my beloved brother, whether you are
innocent of the dreadful crime of mutiny; if the transactions
of that day were as Mr. Bligh has represented them, such is my
conviction of your worth and honour, that I will, without
hesitation, stake my life on your innocence. If, on the
contrary, you were concerned in such a conspiracy against
your commander, I shall be as firmly persuaded _his_ conduct
was the occasion of it; but, alas! could any occasion justify
so atrocious an attempt to destroy a number of our
fellow-creatures? No, my ever dearest brother, nothing but
conviction from your own mouth can possibly persuade me, that
you would commit an action in the smallest degree inconsistent
with honour and duty; and the circumstance of your having swam
off to the _Pandora_ on her arrival at Otaheite (which filled
us with joy to which no words can do justice), is sufficient
to convince all who know you, that you certainly staid behind
either by force or from views of preservation.
'How strange does it seem to me that I am now engaged in the
delightful task of writing to you. Alas! my beloved brother,
two years ago I never expected again to enjoy such a felicity,
and even yet I am in the most painful uncertainty whether you
are alive. Gracious God, grant that we may be at length
blessed by your return I but, alas! the _Pandora's_ people
have been long expected, and are not even yet arrived. Should
any accident have happened, after all the miseries you have
already suffered, the poor gleam of hope with which we have
been lately indulged, will render our situation ten thousand
times more insupportable than if time had inured us to your
loss. I send this to the care of Mr. Hayward, of Hackney,
father to the young gentleman you so often mention in your
letters while you were on board the _Bounty_, and who went out
as third lieutenant of the _Pandora_--a circumstance which
gave us infinite satisfaction, as you would, on entering the
_Pandora_, meet your old friend. On discovering old Mr.
Hayward's residence, I wrote to him, as I hoped he could give
me some information respecting the time of your arrival, and
in return he sent me a most friendly letter, and has promised
this shall be given to you when you reach England, as I well
know how great must be your anxiety to hear of us, and how
much satisfaction it will give you to have a letter
immediately on your return. Let me conjure you, my dearest
Peter, to write to us the very first moment--do not lose a
post--'tis of no consequence how short your letter may be, if
it only informs us you are well. I need not tell you that you
are the first and dearest object of our affections. Think,
then, my adored boy, of the anxiety we must feel on your
account; for my own part, I can know no real joy or happiness
independent of you, and if any misfortune should now deprive
us of you, my hopes of felicity are fled for ever.
'We are at present making all possible interest with every
friend and connexion we have, to ensure you a sufficient
support and protection at your approaching trial; for a trial
you must unavoidably undergo, in order to convince the world
of that innocence, which those who know you will not for a
moment doubt; but, alas! while circumstances are against you,
the generality of mankind will judge severely. Bligh's
representations to the Admiralty are, I am told, very
unfavourable, and hitherto the tide of public opinion has been
greatly in his favour. My mamma is at present well,
considering the distress she has suffered since you left us;
for, my dearest brother, we have experienced a complicated
scene of misery from a variety of causes, which, however, when
compared with the sorrow we felt on your account, was trifling
and insignificant; _that_ misfortune made all others light,
and to see you once more returned, and safely restored to us,
will be the summit of all earthly happiness.
'Farewell, my most beloved brother! God grant this may soon be
put into your hands I Perhaps at this moment you are arrived
in England, and I may soon have the dear delight of again
beholding you. My mamma, brothers, and sisters, join with me
in every sentiment of love and tenderness. Write to us
immediately, my ever-loved Peter, and may the Almighty
preserve you until you bless with your presence your fondly
affectionate family, and particularly your unalterably
faithful friend and sister,
(Signed) 'NESSY HEYWOOD.'[12]
The gleam of joy which this unhappy family derived from the
circumstance, which had been related to them, of young Heywood's
swimming off to the _Pandora_, was dissipated by a letter from himself
to his mother, soon after his arrival in England, in which he
says:--'The question, my dear mother, in one of your letters,
concerning my swimming off to the _Pandora_, is one falsity among the
too many, in which I have often thought of undeceiving you, and as
frequently forgot. The story was this:--On the morning she arrived,
accompanied by two of my friends (natives), I was going up the
mountains, and having got about a hundred yards from my own house,
another of my friends (for I was an universal favourite among those
Indians, and perfectly conversant in their language) came running after
me, and informed me there was a ship coming. I immediately ascended a
rising ground, and saw, with indescribable joy, a ship laying-to off
Hapiano; it was just after daylight, and thinking Coleman might not be
awake, and therefore ignorant of this pleasing news, I sent one of my
servants to inform him of it, upon which he immediately went off in a
single canoe. There was a fresh breeze, and the ship working into the
bay; he no sooner got alongside than the rippling capsized the canoe,
and he being obliged to let go the tow-rope to get her righted, went
astern, and was picked up the next tack and taken on board the
_Pandora_, he being the first person. I, along with my messmate Stewart,
was then standing upon the beach with a double canoe, manned with twelve
paddles ready for launching; and just as she made her last tack into her
berth (for we did not think it requisite to go off sooner), we put off
and got alongside just as they streamed the buoy; and being dressed in
the country manner, tanned as brown as themselves, and I _tattooed_ like
them in the most curious manner, I do not in the least wonder at their
taking us for natives. I was tattooed, not to gratify my own desire, but
theirs; for it was my constant endeavour to acquiesce in any little
custom which I thought would be agreeable to them, though painful in the
process, provided I gained by it their friendship and esteem, which you
may suppose is no inconsiderable object in an island where the natives
are so numerous. The more a man or woman there is tattooed, the more
they are respected; and a person having none of these marks is looked
upon as bearing an unworthy badge of disgrace, and considered as a mere
outcast of society.'
Among the many anxious friends and family connexions of the Heywoods,
was Commodore Pasley, to whom this affectionate young lady addressed
herself on the melancholy occasion; and the following is the reply she
received from this officer.
'_Sheerness, June 8th_, 1792.
'Would to God, my dearest Nessy, that I could rejoice with you
on the early prospect of your brother's arrival in England.
One division of the _Pandora's_ people has arrived, and now on
board the _Vengeance_ (my ship). Captain Edwards with the
remainder, and all the prisoners late of the _Bounty_, in
number ten (four having been drowned on the loss of that
ship), are daily expected. They have been most rigorously and
closely confined since taken, and will continue so, no doubt,
till Bligh's arrival. You have no chance of seeing him, for
no bail can be offered. Your intelligence of his swimming off
on the _Pandoras_ arrival is not founded; a man of the name of
Coleman swam off ere she anchored--your brother and Mr.
Stewart the next day; this last youth, when the _Pandora_ was
lost, refused to allow his irons to be taken off to save his
life.
'I cannot conceal it from you, my dearest Nessy, neither is it
proper I should--your brother appears, by all accounts, to be
the greatest culprit of all, Christian alone excepted. Every
exertion, you may rest assured, I shall use to save his life,
but on trial I have no hope of his not being condemned. Three
of the ten who are expected are mentioned, in Bligh's
narrative, as men detained against their inclination. Would to
God your brother had been one of that number! I will not
distress you more by enlarging on this subject; as
intelligence arises on their arrival, you shall be made
acquainted. Adieu! my dearest Nessy--present my affectionate
remembrances to your mother and sisters, and believe me
always, with the warmest affection,--Your uncle,
THOS. PASLEY.'
How unlike is this from the letter of Bligh! while it frankly apprises
this amiable lady of the real truth of the case, without disguise, as it
was then understood to be from Mr. Bligh's representations, it assures
her of his best exertions to save her brother's life. Every reader of
sensibility will sympathise in the feeling displayed in her reply.
'_Isle of Man, 22nd June_, 1792.
'Harassed by the most torturing suspense, and miserably
wretched as I have been, my dearest uncle, since the receipt
of your last, conceive, if it is possible, the heartfelt joy
and satisfaction we experienced yesterday morning, when, on
the arrival of the packet, the dear delightful letter from our
beloved Peter (a copy of which I send you enclosed) was
brought to us. Surely, my excellent friend, you will agree
with me in thinking there could not be a stronger proof of his
innocence and worth, and that it must prejudice every person
who reads it most powerfully in his favour. Such a letter in
less distressful circumstances than those in which he writes,
would, I am persuaded, reflect honour on the pen of a person
much older than my poor brother. But when we consider his
extreme youth (only sixteen at the time of the mutiny, and now
but nineteen), his fortitude, patience, and manly resignation
under the pressure of sufferings and misfortunes almost
unheard of, and scarcely to be supported at any age, without
the assistance of that which seems to be my dear brother's
greatest comfort--- a quiet conscience, and a thorough
conviction of his own innocence--when I add, at the same time,
with real pleasure and satisfaction, that his relation
corresponds in many particulars with the accounts we have
hitherto heard of the fatal mutiny, and when I also add, with
inconceivable pride and delight, that my beloved Peter never
was known to breathe a syllable inconsistent with truth and
honour;--when these circumstances, my dear uncle, are all
united, what man on earth can doubt of the innocence which
could dictate such a letter? In short, let it speak for him:
the perusal of his artless and pathetic story will, I am
persuaded, be a stronger recommendation in his favour than any
thing I can urge.[13]
'I need not tire your patience, my ever loved uncle, by
dwelling longer on this subject (the dearest and most
interesting on earth to my heart); let me conjure you only, my
kind friend, to read it, and consider the innocence and
defenceless situation of its unfortunate author, which calls
for, and I am sure deserves, all the pity and assistance his
friends can afford him, and which, I am sure also, the
goodness and benevolence of your heart will prompt you to
exert in his behalf. It is perfectly unnecessary for me to
add, after the anxiety I feel, and cannot but express, that no
benefit conferred upon myself will be acknowledged with half
the gratitude I must ever feel for the smallest instance of
kindness shown to my beloved Peter. Farewell, my dearest
uncle. With the firmest reliance on your kind and generous
promises, I am, ever with the truest gratitude and
sincerity,--Your most affectionate niece,
NESSY HEYWOOD.'