Bligh Letters to Heywood Family Home Peter Heywood Letter to Rev. Scott
Revised May 28 2021
Savage, Lochryan, 29th of March, 1792.
[Should be the 19th.]
MADAM,—Your affecting letter, dated February 12th, did not come to hand till the 15th of this month, which I take the earliest opportunity of answering, and assure you that I sympathize strongly in your grief, and will, as far as in me lies, answer your different interrogations. I shall begin with saying that before the unfortunate period at which the mutiny in the Bounty took place, the conduct of your brother was such as to have procured him an universal esteem; but what were the unpropitious motives by which he was actuated to side with the criminal party I am totally ignorant of, nor can I (as you may readily conceive it was a time of great confusion among us) declare positively the part he acted in it. Should I ever be called upon to give my evidence—which you must be sensible will be a distressing thing for a person of any feeling to give, against those with whom he has formerly lived in habits of intimacy—notwithstanding the friendship I had for your brother, I shall be strictly bound by oath to adhere to truth, though I hope, if ever a trial should take place, that the consideration of his youth at the time he committed the rash act will plead with the jury in his favor. I am, madam, your most obedient humble servant,
JOHN HALLETT.
Bligh Letters to Heywood Family Home Peter Heywood Letter to Rev. Scott