Revised Jun 5 2021

Mr John Samuel Clerk of the Bounty called in and sworn.

The Court asked.

Q. Did you ever hear the Prisoner insolent or impertinent to Lieutenant Bligh in any manner whatsoever?

A. I have frequently heard him insolent.

Q. Do you remember what way he was disrespectfull to him?

A. At Van Dieman's Land he positively refused to obey Captain Bligh's orders in hoisting at the Tackle fall, when there were only three People the Master, his Mate and a Quarter Master, upon which Captain Bligh ordered me that I should issue no Provisions to him unless he work'd and likewise charged any of the People upon Pain of Punishment not to give him any, upon which he said he would Work sooner than starve, just before we got to Otaheite he refused to drink the Elixir of Vitriol, and said he was well enough and did not want such Stuff. On the 5th of Dec'r I was upon the Quarter Deck with Lieutenant Bligh when he ordered the Carpenter to be called aft, and desired that he would cut a Grindstone which had been begun for one of the Chiefs but he said he would not because it would spoil his Chisels. Upon Captain Bligh's insisting upon it to — obey his Orders he told him there might be Law to take his Cloaths but none to take his Tools, upon which Captain Bligh desired the Master to be called and ordered him into confinement, from which he released him the next Day, desiring him to consider himself a Prisoner at large. Upon the Coast of New Holland in the Boat we had been out gathering Shell fish the Carpenter came in with what he had gathered, he was desired by Captain Bligh to bring them into the Stern Sheets which he refused saying that he thought every Person was to have what they had gathered for themselves. Upon Captain Bligh's again ordering him to deliver the Fish he told him he was as good a Man as him, upon which Captain Bligh laid hold of a Cutlass and threw another to him and desired him to defend himself, upon which he immediately made Concessions and delivered up the Fish. At Timor the Captain ordered him to give him some Chalk which he refused saying that it was his Property and that no Person had any right to it but himself. After some time he went to the Chest and gave the Chalk but still continued Murmuring and insolent upon which Captain Bligh ordered him on board a Ship then laying in the Road. The general Tenor of his Conduct has not been such as is usual in the Service from an inferior to a superior Officer.

The Prosecutor asked

Q. Was it not absolutely necessary for every Man to assist in the Duty of the Ship?

A. It was.

Q. When our Parties were divided were we not so weak that it required all my attention to take Care of the Safety of the Ship from the Natives and had we any more than the Master, his Mate, and Quarter Master to do the Duty of the Ship then on board?

A. No and the Boatswain and one Man upon the Rigging.

Q. Do you think that I was particularly oppressive in my Orders to the Carpenter?

A. No, not that I ever heard or saw.

Q. In the Series of Distresses we experienced in the South Seas do you not think that I was particularly kind to the Carpenter and the Warrant Officers in general, and asked them occasionally that they might share the little Power I had in supplying them with fresh Meat by asking them to my Table?

A. Yes they were regularly asked in their Turns to dine in the Cabin.

The Court asked.

Q. When was the last Time you recollect of the Prisoner's being asked to Lieutenant Bligh's Table?

A. I do not recollect his being asked after leaving Van Dieman's Land.

Q. Was he on any Occasion asked to Lieutenant Bligh's Table subsequent to any of those Instances of Misbehaviour which you have related to the Court?

A. Not to my Knowledge.

Q. Can you say he was not?

A. He might have dined there but to the best of my Knowledge he did not.

The Prisoner asked.

Q. When Captain Bligh ordered me to the Tackle fall was not Mr Ledward the Surgeon's Mate on board and Richard Skinner and John Williams on shore a washing and did I not make Application at the Time to fit a Piece of Cant which was wanted under the Whale [wale] of the larboard Bow being necessary to be done before the Ship was brought down in the Water, by bringing the Wood and Water on board?

A. Mr Ledward was on board but as for Richard Skinner and John Williams what there Duty was on shore I cannot say as I was not there. I did not hear that he made any Application to fit the Piece of Cant.

Q. Did you not hear Captain Bligh after (as you say) Words had passed between us at Sunda[y] Island, asking Pardon and say that he was sorry any thing happened between us?

A. No I did not hear Captain Bligh ask his Pardon, but I heard him say as near as I can recollect, that as it was a Mistake in the Expression it was all over.

The Court asked

Q. Can you recollect whether it was upon Account of the Chalk or what passed the Day after that Captain Bligh sent him on board the Dutch Guardship?

A. I know of no other Reason but upon Account of the Chalk and the Insolence which he then made Use of.

The Witness withdrew