CAPTAIN BLIGH'S ACCOUNT
OF THE MUTINY
'Just before dawn I woke with a start. Rough hands took hold of my arms
and my chest was pinned to my back. My eyes widened with shock as I saw
the naked bayonets pointed at my heart. Charles Churchill, the master at
arms, hissed, "Make a sound Mr Bligh and you will be a dead man."
Alarmed I looked about
and in the half light saw the officer of the watch Fletcher Christian then
Quintal, McKoy, Churchill, Mills, Thompson and Issac Martin all under arms
in a very excited state.
I shouted, "Mr Fryer
come at once!" As loud as I could ignoring the threats of the villains.
"Roll the bastard
over and hold him tight so I can tie 'im," ordered McKoy and I was
roughly turned on my stomach while cord was used to cruelly bind my hands.
"Come Mr Bligh,"
snorted Christian and I was at once jerked to my feet while the villains
crowded in around me.
The conspiracy was so
well planned that all the officer's cabin doors and hatches were guarded
by the mutineers. Neither Nelson, Peckover, Samuels nor the Master Fryer
or any other officer could come to my aid. There were now three men at
my cabin door all armed with muskets and bayonets and the four inside with
cutlass.
"Get the bastard
up on deck," shouted Churchill and the cord was pulled with such vigour
that my hands suffered the severest torture. Christian, at my side, held
his bayonet at my chest while Smith and Thompson fell in behind with loaded
muskets. Flints were cocked, bayonets fixed and all were pointed at me
as I was hauled up the aft hatch. I reached the deck dressed only in my
nightshirt. Suddenly more mutineers emerged all aggressively displaying
their weapons. I escorted aft to stand beside the mizzen mast where I was
placed under guard by Churchill and Smith.
Smith had an an evil grin
and said, "We will soon be back in Tahiti Mr Bligh never you fear."
"Aye that we will,"
enjoined Quintal. They were so certain they and others nearby rejoiced
in their plans. I looked about me for some hope of rescue or at least assistance.
Sadly there was none.
Mr Hayward and Mr Hallet,
though in Christian's watch, were like me caught completely unprepared.
They had no idea of what was happening and they possessed no weapons. Also
the arms were secured by the mutineers and well guarded. Mr Elphinstone
the master's mate was held below in his hammock and Mr Nelson and Mr Peckover
in their cabins. The fore-hatchway was well guarded by mutineers.
Suddenly Mr Cole appeared
followed by Mr Purcell. They both looked aft and observed me near the mizzen
mast my hands tightly bound behind my back and under guard. Christian stood
nearby. "Mr Cole" I cried, "they have taken the ship. We
must do something, it is our sworn duty! Be alive to any chance sir."
The mutineer's muskets immediately swung from me and towards my boatswain
Mr Cole and the carperter's mate Mr Peckover. Christian's bayonet still
pressed against my neck however.
"Stand or I shall
fire! Take great care Mr Cole," yelled Christian. Then he said, "If
you do not hoist out the small cutter or you will instantly be taken care
of yourself."
This alarmed and confused
Mr Cole and Mr Peckover but seeing no alternative they began loosening
the stays holding the ship's boat. Quickly Mr Cole turned from the boat
"But Mr Christian," he pleaded, "the cutter is rotten and
full of leaks – it will sink."
"'Tis true Mr Christian,"
said Peckover.
"Then you shall have
the launch." I could see that Christian was becoming impatient. "Hoist
it out." So the launch was hoisted out with the assistance of some
of the crew allowed on deck solely for that purpose. "Mr Burkitt put
Mr Hallet, Mr Hayward and Mr Samuels into the boat," ordered Christian.
The two young midshipmen and my clerk were collared and roughly shoved
by the sailor Burkitt towards the boat.
Seeing the way they were
forced into the boat I spoke up. "What was the meaning of this Mr
Christian, why are you ordering them off and by what authority do you do
this.... Where is your duty sir?" I demanded Christian answer me.
"Hold your tongue,
or you are dead this instant," shouted Christian and his eyes turned
bloody. At that moment I feared for my life. Then another threat. "I
will do it Mr Christian; I will kill the bastard right now." Mathew
Quintall advanced towards me his bayonet held low as if intending to disembowel
me. His weapon stopped an inch from my groin and he hissed, "Keep
your mouth shut mister! If I should make a mistake it will never be righted
in your lifetime! What do you say Mr Christian, shall I do it?"
I held my breath till
at the last instant Christian stayed his hand. I understood then that my
appeal had only the effect of arousing more violence. But I fear not to
stop in my duty and in any opportunity I saw to retake the ship even though
the mutineers, with Christian at their head, still held me capture isolated
and abaft the mizzen mast.
Later Christian spoke
up. "Mr Burkitt, take some of your men and bring those officers and
crew who are not with us up on deck ... and take care they are not armed!"
Bring them one by one through the aft hatch then assemble them by the launch."
Then while the officers and men were gathering on deck, Christian called
their attention to him. He grabbed the cord binding my hands and wrists
and pulled it high at the same instant placing cold iron at my breast.
His demonstration showed everyone he was in charge of my life and it proved
to all there was no chance of my escape.
Again I began to call
out to my officers but Christian put his face to mine. "Mr Bligh,"
he hissed, "you will instantly be put to death if you interfere, I
warn you—be silent sir." He changed the bayonet for a cutlass and
pressed it to the skin under my neck.
"Kill me if you will,"
I challenged. Suddnely the villains around us all cocked their barking
irons and others fixed their bayonets. It only required the slip of a finger
and a discharged musket and I knew I was a dead man. All became still.
The only movement being the eyes of the villains as they darted about seeking
evidence of a combined threat.
Christian saw none. "Mr
Fryer, Mr Leward, Mr Peckover into the boat," he shouted braking the
tension. "You too Mr Elphinstone ... and Mr Lebogue if that be your
desire. Mr Burkitt hurry them on."
When I concluded I was
to be set adrift with those in the launch I said to Christian, "Sir
you cannot be so cruel as to send these people to their doom; they have
harmed no one."
"Someone blow the
buggers brains out!" shouted McKoy who overheard. "I have heard
enough of this yap."
"Give all who remain
on board a dram of rum," ordered Christian and there was much joy
on behalf of the mutineers as one of their number was dispatched below
for that purpose.
I was becoming exceedingly
tired by this time and unhappily saw I could do nothing to effect the recovery
of HMS.'Bounty' – every chance was threatened with instant death.
When the officers and men were all put into the boat some of the mutineers
laughed and pointed to the perilous situation of the boat; it being very
deep in the water with insufficient room for those who were in her.
Christian seemed surprised
by the large number of the crew that desired to follow me and became dejected.
He seemed to be plotting instant destruction on himself and everyone else.
For of all diabolical looking men he exceeded every possible description.
"Mr Christian, could
you spare some muskets or cutlasses?" I called.
McKoy shouted back sarcastically,
"But why would you need 'em? You say you know the Indians mightily
well and you always said they will welcome you 'ere you go. Now we shall
see!" After having to endure much more similar ridicule we were at
last cast adrift to our fate in the open ocean. "There goes the Bounty
bastard, bread-fruit Bligh!" I heard Churchill call as he tossed one
of the plants after us. We were finally set adrift at half past the hour
of nine. 'Huzzah for Tahiti' was frequently shouted as we rowed away from
the stern of HMS.'Bounty'.'
So their evil plans had
hatched their cruel conspiracy succeeded. They cast us adrift with twenty-five
gallons of water, one hundred and fifty pounds of bread, thirty pounds
of pork, six quarts of rum and six bottles of wine. The boat was so lumbered
and deep in the water that most believed we could never reach the shore
and some of the mutineers made their jokes of this.
We reach Tofua at seven
that evening but the shore being very steep and rocky, we cannot land until
the next day when, during our search for water, we are attacked by the
savages and barely escape with our lives, one of our number John Norton
a Quartermaster was killed as he tries to recover the launch's grapnel.
After considering our
sad situation, I am earnestly pressed by all hands to take them towards
home; and when I informed them no hope of relief remained for us until
we came to Timor, a distance of 1,200 leagues, they all agreed to live
on one gill of water and one ounce of bread per day. I reminded them this
promise should never be forgotten and I bore away for New Holland and Timor.
My intention to cross a little known sea in a small boat, laden with eighteen
souls, without a map of any kind, and nothing but by recollections and
general knowledge of the situation of placed to direct us.
After endearing dangers
and privations impossible to describe we sight Timor on the 12th June,
and on the morning of the 15th before daylight, I anchored under the fort
off the Dutch settlement of Coupang. This voyage, in an open boat, I believe
to be unparalleled in the history of navigation.
At Timor my boat's company
are treated with the greatest humanity by the Governor and the officers
of the Dutch East India Company. Here for 1,000 RIX dollars – for which
I gave Bills on H.M.'s Government I purchase a small schooner, thirty four
feet long, which I fitted for sea under the name of H.M.'s schooner 'Resource'.
In this vessel we continued by way of Samarang to the Dutch settlement
of Batavia, where I sold the Resource and, with my people embarked for
Europe in ships of the Dutch East India Co...'
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