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Revised May 19 2021

John Fryer Document Written at Coupang, Jul 8, 1789

July 8, 1789

About 9 oclock Am Mr Bligh came out of his room and ask[ed] a question of the [Governors?] people about the Carpenters work of the {?] he then ask[ed] me w[h]ere the Carpenter left off. I said Sir, I inform'd you last night. he ask[ed] me if I had been down this morning — I told him no [?] was. Sir, what is your complaint he said. I told him the [] heat was much out on me & that the Doctor told me to take care and not catch cold — he said is that all your complaint take [?]. I told him the Doctor was the only man to prescribe — on that matter. He said Sir its my order that you see the Carpenter at work [?] morning by Daybreak & keep him at work. I said Sir I am not a judge of Carpenters work neither do I think it my Duty to attend the Carpenters. He said it is your Duty, Sir & you shall do it — & Sir you are very impertinant to tell me you are not a judge of Carpenter work and was you in any place w[h]ere I could try you I would confine you Immediately — & Sir [?] was not on Duty, I would not put up with. [But?] Sir take care. We are onshore now—my [mind] what you say. I said, Sir I do not know [?] you have so [ofttimes?] treating [?] [in?] the course of the Voyage that I am at a loss what [to] say — if you mean to put yourself on a footing with me, you will find me ready, when I am call'd on. He then said you take things in a wrong light Sir — I told him that in the course of [the] Voyage that he had done and said all he could to provoke me to say something that he might have that opertunity to take hold off [of] — he said Sir — if you was home now it would rest with me if you stay'd five minutes in the Service — Pray Sir I said — what have I done — he gave me no answer & then said Sir — that matter please God we get home must be cleared up — or I did not know myself guilty of anything that could do me harm.

This is the sort of treatment the Officers in general have received from Mr Bligh in the course of the Voyage — which in my opinion has been the cause of all our difficult times.


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