Mar. 1, 1789  Home  Logbook Remarks GM  Mar. 3, 1789

Bounty Logbook Remarks, Mar. 2, 1789

Remarks in Toahroah Harbour Monday 2nd March 1789

Fresh Gales and Squally Weather with constant heavy Rain. Wind NW, WNW, NNW, WBS and the Thermometer 78° to 80½°.

The Weather this 24 Hours being very bad and the night very dark, a Theif took the Advantage of us and stole from the Tent an empty water Cask and part of an Azimuth Compass. Also the Bedding out of Mr. Peckovers Hammock while he had the look out.

I was acquainted with the circumstance in the morning, & as I began to doubt the fidelity of our Friends here, I went on shore with a determination to make the Cheifs produce the Offender. However when I got to the shore they were all gone to the Mountains, I therefore sent a message to Tynah and declared publickly I was no longer friends with them unless the Theif was produced, and that also must be done in the Course of the day. About two hours now elapsed during which I went off to my breakfast and returned. I now saw Tynah and Oreepyah at a House with a number of People about them consulting how to proceed, and soon after having come to a determination, they all marched on to the Eastward. They passed by me close to the Post but I took no notice of them. Several of their Men were armed, and Oddidee who is my spy on all their Actions told me that Tynah was gone in quest of the Theif. In the course of an hour news flew back to me that the Theif was taken, and soon after the Cask was produced and the whole party returned. Tynah himself had hold of the Theif by the arm. There is the Theif (he said) kill him. I now told him he had acted very properly and that he had secured my friendship and good will, and explained with much Success how unjust it was and unfriendly to steal any thing from us, and the risk which they run in the attempt. That I punished my people for the most trifling offence against them, and that I would therefore insist on like punishment, on their side. Tynah now stopt me from saying any more by embracing me and the whole croud calling out Tyo myty. The Glass and Card of the Compass were found useless and Tynah left me to go in search of the bedding which is said to be taken away by another person. I now ordered the Theif into my Boat and took him on board and punished him with one hundred lashes severely given, and from thence into Irons. He bore it surprizingly and only asked me twice to forgive him altho he expected he was to die. His Back became very much swelled but only the last stroke broke the Skin. I think proper to confine him as an Hostage for the good behavior of others for the future. It is a pleasure to me to relate that this wretch is not of Oparre or Matavai but of a district farther to Windward, so that no aspersion lies on our Friends here.

At noon I sent the Boat on shore as usual for Tynah and his Brother, and they came off to dine with me. The Father and Mother are gone to the mountains but people are sent to desire them to return. It is not yet found out who has got the bedding, and this man says he knows nothing of it.

The Wind blowing Strong from the NW I sent a man down to Taowne Harbour to see if the Sea set much in, it being open to that quarter. He returned with an account that a great Sea broke all over it and that it would have been bad riding there for any Ship, and that a Great surf run on the Shore.

Matavai is equally bad, but here we lye as smooth as in a mill-pond.

Mar. 1, 1789  Home  Logbook Remarks GM  Mar. 3, 1789