May 1, 1792 Home Providence Log May 3, 1792
Revised Aug 26 2021
Cloudy Weather and Light Variable Winds and Calms. Thermometer from 81 to 83 Degrees.
Employed in the Hold, Carpenters making places for the Plants on the Quarter Deck, and Caulking the Larboard side. Received 3 Tons of Ballast.
Very sufficient supplies.
The People began to collect about Matavai, and particularly Women and Children. A Woman with a Child about 18 Months old, calling herself the Wife of McIntosh, (late of the Bounty and gone home in the Pandora) came to me to day and told me, she had constantly lived with McIntosh, and he was the Father of the Child, a fine little girl, she then in her Arms.
This Woman with several others had been with Christian to Toboui. She related that they stayed two Months there with the Ship. Christians intentions were to settle at that Island, and had begun to build Houses, and a Battery to defend himself with the Ships Guns. Teeneerow and Arra,ivy,taiheah two principal Chiefs on the Island, on seeing their proceedings objected to their stay. Altercations insued, and at last War was declared on both sides, many of the Islanders lost their lives. Christian however did not find it safe to remain among them, and therefore Embarked with all his Party. They arrived at Otaheite two Days afterwards, when such different ways of thinking arose among them, and the principal Chiefs treated Christian with so much coolness, that he determined to part with those who were discontented, and immediately to set Sail. It took place in the course of 16 Hours, and the Bounty left Matavai with some (a) Natives on board never to return again. The only knowledge of his proceedings in future was he declared openly his intentions to look for some Land that would Suit his plans of make a Settlement, and then would haul the Ship on Shore and break her up.
(a) [?] Tobooi Men [?] Otaheite Men [?] Boys [?] Women
[The numbers in the above are hidden by the fold of the ledger's binding.]
This Woman who calls herself Mary (and her Child Elizabeth, for she says all the Mens Wives had English Names) constantly remarked that McIntosh, Coleman, Hilbrant, Norman, Bryne, and Ellison, scarce ever spoke of me without crying. Stewart and Haywood were perfectly satisfied with their situation, as any two Villains could be, and so were the rest of them. They deserved to be killed she said, but hoped those who had cried for me would not be hurt. She agreed with Tabyroo's account that Coleman was obliged to swim from the Ship by Stealth for he was detained as being Blacksmith and a usefull Man.
So perfectly had this Woman been informed of the whole Story, that she told me of all the Men who came into my Cabbin and assisted to tye my Hands, and that no Person beside myself were tied.
It appears that the Ship lay in an open Road at Toobooi, and Rode out some Gales of Wind.
Tynah, Otow, and Oreepyah with their Wives, are always with me at Dinner. We continue on the best footing with the Natives, and our Plants thrive so fast as gives me great satisfaction. Out of so great a number a few are not so flourishing, and I have therefore directed about 68 to be shifted.
Our Sick List consists only of Venereals, and People unfit for duty owing to boils about their extremities, which the change of diet has occasioned.
May 1, 1792 Home Providence Log May 3, 1792