Bond Letters

[Francis Godolphin Bond was William Bligh's half-nephew (the son of Bligh's half-sister Catherine) and served as First Lieutenant on the Providence on Bligh's second breadfruit expedition. The following is an excerpt of a letter from Francis to his brother Thomas, written in December, 1792, when the Providence was at St. Helena, on her way to Jamaica from Tahiti. 'Our relation' is their half-uncle Bligh. The second letter is from Thomas to Francis, and was waiting for him at St. Helena when the Providence arrived there.]

I assure you that it is no small disappointment to my hopes that I have not gained as much information as expected;—an insurmountable bar has always lain in my way, since my pride will not allow me to receive magisterial tuition, nor bow with servile flattery. Is it the fashion to begin or end a miscellaneous epistle with our grievances?... Before this enigma is cleared up, let me enjoin the strictest secersy [sic] and insist on your not acquiring even your good wife, my mother, nor my dear sister with the circumstance.... Yes, Tom, our relation had the credit of being a tyrant in his last expedition, where his misfortunes and good fortune have elevated him to a situation he is incapable of supporting with decent modesty. The very high opinion he has of himself makes him hold every one of our profession with contempt, perhaps envy. Nay, the Navy is but a sphere for fops and lubbers to swarm in, without one gem to vie in brilliancy with himself. I don't mean to depreciate his extensive knowledge as a seaman and nautical astronomer, but condemn that went [wont] of modesty in self-estimation. To be less prolix I will inform you that he has treated me (nay, all on board) with the insolence and arrogance of a Jacobs; and not withstanding his passion is partly to be attributed to a nervous fever, with which he has been attacked most of the voyage, the chief part of his conduct must have arisen from the fury of an ungovernable temper. Soon after leaving England I wished to receive instruction from this imperious master, until I found he publically exposed any deficiency on my part in the Nautical Art, &c. A series of this conduct determined me to trust to myself, which I hope will in some measure repay me for the trouble of this disagreeable voyage — in itself pleasant, but made otherwise by being worried at every opportunity. His maxims are of a nature that at once pronounce him an enemy to the lovers of Natural Philosophy; for to make use of his own words, "No person can do the duty of a ist Lieut., who does more than write the days work in his publick journal!" This is so inimical to the sentiments that I find the utmost difficulty in keeping on to tolerate terms with him. The general orders which have been given are to that purport.—I am constantly to keep on my legs from 8 o'th morning to 12 or noon, altho' I keep the usual watch. The officer of the morning watch attends to the cleaning of of the decks; yet I am also to be present, not only to get it done, but be even mentally active on these and all other occasions. He expects me to be acquainted with every transasction on board, notwithstanding he himself will give the necessary orders to the Warrant Officers before I can put it in execution. Every dogma of power and consequence has been taken from the Lieutenants, to establish, as he thinks, his own reputation—what imbecility for a post Captn! The inferior warrants have had orders from the beginning of the expedition, not to issue the least article to a Lieut. without his orders; so that a cleat, fathom of log line, or indeed a hand swab, must have the Commander's sanction. One of the last and most beneficent commands was, that the carpenter's crew should not drive a nail for me without I would first ask his permission, — but my heart is filled with the proper material always to disdain this humiliation.... My messmates have remarked he never spoke of my possessing one virtue — tho' by the bye he has never dared to say I have none. Every officer who has nautical information, a knowledge of natural history, a taste for drawing, or anything to constitute him proper for circumnavigating, becomes odious; for great as he is in his own good opinion, he must have entertained fears some of his ship's company meant to (submit) a spurious Narrative to the judgement and perusal of the publick.... The future will determine whether promotion will be the reward of this voyage. I still flatter myself it will, notwithstanding what I have said. Consistent with self-respect, I still remain tolerably passive; and if nothing takes place very contrary to my feelings, all may end will; but this will totally depend on circumstances, one of which is the secrecy requested of you concerning the tenor of this letter....

May this find my good brother well; we are all so at home, except slight colds, a disorder prevalent at this Season of the year. No kind of change has taken place in our family since your departure, except that I've a fine little Boy, now better than 13 Months old; he is named after you, and my Uncle, (votre commandant) William Francis. His Christening I mean to defer, until your arrival in England, when my Mary, and self, hope to have you as a god-father, and to crack a Comfortable Bottle in a small Hutt I have taken in Clowance Street, near our Mothers, who hath just enterd in her road to [Masket?], and can with pleasrue say, the old woman keeps her wind, better than was ever expected - Charlotte, I think is as usual, not blessed with the strongest of Constitutions I don't know whether Matrimony would not be of service to her, which I think will not be her lot soon, possessing too much Nuns flesh. It will never be otherwise her principles and Manners, are too deeply rivited [riveted] ever to change. You eill be surprised on hearing Miss Bishop has remaind dngerously ill, with scarce an intermission of ese, ever since you saild from Portsmouth, and now firmly believe is at last in her road to Heaven. I say Heaven because I believe she'll ttain it if ever one did - the last Letter received from [Peter?], announced in addition to the old complaints the dropsy, which must soon carry her off. Her long illness has been a most burthensome charge, nd with the little Legacies bequeathed will reduce considerably my expectations I either wish he to Live, or die, as my wife hath Done nothing but weep, from the first momentg of quiting her Sister - We were both, four Month lst winter, at Exeter, and might have remained to Eternity, if I had not have fixed determined Period of seting out for the Grove, whefre we have lived until last Michaelmas Day, a year and Quarter - Breaking up House-keeping and living from home, when once settled is attended with a great esxpence, where ones income is but barely enough to make both end meet - I assure you, Money has flown out apace since our Marriage, that a God Send will be a very acceptable thing as am Affraid, my family won't consist only of one Child. Housekeeping is a very pleasant piece of business in affluence, bgut an unpleasant one one, in the contrary - I do not wonder that my father's temper, was so soured, having so many of us to bring up, added to that of being united to a woman whose temper was so contrary to his - I do not think there are many better than the one I've chosen; still with all the sweets, bitters will intervene. I excerate [execrate] the Idea of taking a wife, haphazard, because she has a great deal of Cash. Nevertheles assure yourself; there's no comforts without it—I did not comply with your request in visiting you at St. Helena; but Charlotte did, and as she, no doubt informed you of all, which I could no more than o, caused me to pospone the pleasure I then would have had until now; tho' C, has also wrote you by the Europa, now on the point of sailing, which conveyance I embrace, but by whose care I yet cannot say, as I'm unacquainted with any of the officers - I hope our Uncle has got the better of his old attacks to whom you will very kindly remember me - I dare say Letters will be at Jamaica for him from Mrs. Bligh, who I believe Oct 29, 1792 with family are well, as I have heard nothing to the contrary from Hookey, who's family, I understand is augmenting. There have been six of Captn. Blighs old shipmates condemnd to die - Three were on the 29 Ultimo executed on bd. the Brunswick - Names, Burkett, Ellison and Milward — Mr. Heywood and Morrison have since the trial been pardoned, and Musprat, is respited - I am very sorry the Minutes of the Tryal are not in print, nor can I get them to send to Captn. Bligh for his inspection — Heywood's friends, have bribed through thick and thin to save him, and from publick report, have not been backward in defaming our uncles character. Government in my Judgment, should have waited until Captn. Blighs, arrival in England, before those Mutineers were brought ot trial. — Great have been the change in France since you've been away - a new Constitution formed, and annihilated and finall a Democratical one on the verge of being Established by a set of Cut Throats, called Jacobines, named so, from planing their informal schemes in a Convent of that Name - The Prussians and Austrians to the Amount of 80000 Men have been against them (and Commanded by the Duke of Brunswick) without effect - I won't sy without effect because it has had a very bad Aug 10, 1792
Sep 2, 1792
Sep 3, 1792
Sep 5, 1792 one the french having driven them from their territories and are succeeding in all their diabolical plans - the poor [Royalists?] Democrats and Innocents Massacred in Paris principally on the 10th August and 2d and 3d of Septr. last - the poor King, Queen, and Children with the Kings Sister are Emprisoned — closely in a dismal Hole called the Temple, very near where the Bastille formerly stood and those poor Creatures are hourly in dread of being murdered the rage of those Jacobins is so violent against them that they are determined to (as a Cloke to their villainy) bring their Majesty's to immediate trial and die there's no doubt but they will, tho our Court has, and is interceding for them, as much as possible. I have sent yhou a few News papers, s it would be endless for me to attempt to say a thousandth pt. of what hath passed. Our friend [Yelland?] is well, and got entirely over his violent attach - have since been to Paris, and only left it the 5th of Septr. is now on a visit near Exeter - he desired his remembrance to you - Poor [Facy?] was at Paris the same time and left it to pursue his Don Quixote Expedition to India by Land, and when he got near Dijon was poisoned, and rendered extremely ill, and whether now dead or alive in consequence of it, God knows, as [Yelland?] was to have heard from him frequently, which he has not at all. I suspect F, was foolish enough to shew his Money, or Watch, which tempted them to this act - It is almost as dangerous fo English to be in France an any other, tho' we have taken no part against the french. — I am sorry to say, we are as ripe for a Revolt in this Country as can be, all the Manufcturing Towns, were the Desenters, chiefly reside have shewn the greatest inclination for it; and those scoundrels on Dock, are not less behind - The Irish, are making large strides; indeed between you and me, nothing but the greatest virtue in the Ministry will prevent it - Nothing is to be more dreaded, after the horrid example of france, where none but the greatest Rascal's property, and Lives, are safe. — I have just bought a fine Goose for to morrow's dinner I wish you and my uncle were here to partake of it, but as that is impossible I shall drink both your Healths in a Bumper - if our friend Yelland returns to day, as expected, He'll not be backwd in Joining me - I shall write you soon again I hope, in mean time - I remain

Your very affectionate brother
TBond

Novr 10th 1792

P.S. I had nearly omited the good wishes
of My Mary to you and Captn. Bligh.
[Hoar?], [King Dyar?] &c &c are all well, and [?] on as usual
Mrs. [Nothery?] is now very bad in the Gout