Mutiny on the Bounty

by Nordhoff

  While the boat was yet alongside, the boatswain and carpenter and some others collected several necessary things, and with some difficulty a compass and quadrant were got, but no arms of any kind and none of my maps or drawings. The size of the boat was 23 feet from stem to stern, and rowed six oars. We were cast adrift with the following provision: 25 gallons of water, 150 pounds of bread, 30 pounds of pork, 6 quarts of rum, and 6 bottles of wine.

  The boat was so lumbered and deep in the water that it was believed we could never reach the shore, and some of the pirates made their joke of this. I asked for arms, but the request was received with the greatest abuse and insolence. Four cutlasses were, however, thrown into the boat at the last moment, and in this miserable situation we set out for the island of Tofoa, one of the Friendly Islands, ten leagues distant from where the ship then was. This island we reached at seven o'clock the same evening, but the shore being very steep and rocky, we could find no chance of landing till the following day.

  During our search for water at this island we were attacked by the savages and barely escaped with our lives, one of our number, John Norton, a quartermaster, being killed as he attempted to recover the launch's grapnel.

  After considering our melancholy situation, I was earnestly solicited by all hands to take them toward home; and when I told them that no hope of relief remained for us until we came to Timor, a distance of 1200 leagues, they all agreed to live upon one ounce of bread per man each day, and one gill of water. Therefore, after recommending this promise forever to their memory, I bore away for New Holland and Timor, across a sea but little known, and in a small boat laden with 18 souls, without a single map of any kind, and nothing but my own recollection and general knowledge of the situation of places to direct us.

  After enduring dangers and privations impossible to describe, we sighted Timor on the 12th of June, and on the morning of the 15th, before daylight, I anchored under the fort at the Dutch settlement at Coupang. This voyage in an open boat I believe to be unparalleled in the history of Navigation.

  At Timor my boat's company were treated with the greatest humanity by the Governor and the officers of the Dutch East India Company. Here, for 1000 Rix dollars—for which I gave bills on His Majesty's Government—I purchased a small schooner, thirty-four feet long, which I fitted for sea under the name of His Majesty's schooner, Resource. In this vessel we proceeded by way of Surabaya and Samarang to the Dutch settlement of Batavia, where I sold the Resource and, with my people, embarked for Europe in ships of the Dutch East India Company.

  The lists, which I herewith submit, of those who were cast adrift with me in the launch and those who remained in the Bounty will show the strength of the pirates.

  I beg leave to inform their Lordships that the secrecy of the mutiny was beyond all conception, so that I cannot discover that any who were with me had the least knowledge of it.

  It is of great importance to add that, on the night preceding the mutiny, coming upon deck during the middle watch, according to my custom, I discovered Fletcher Christian, the ringleader of the pirates, in earnest conversation with Roger Byam, one of the midshipmen. In the darkness of the deck I was not observed by these men, who were standing on the starboard side of the quarter-deck between the guns; nor had I any apprehension at that time that their conversation was not innocent. But as I approached, unseen, I saw Roger Byam shake hands with Christian, and I distinctly heard him say these words: "You can count on me," to which Christian replied:

  "Good! That's settled, then." The moment they discovered me they broke off their talk. I have not the slightest doubt that this conversation concerned the forthcoming mutiny.

  A moment of deep silence followed the reading of Captain Bligh's statement. I was conscious of the gaze of many pairs of eyes directed upon me. No more damning statement could have been brought forward, and it was only too plain how deep an impression it had made upon the Court. How, without Tinkler's evidence, could it possibly be refuted? A sense of the hopelessness of my situation came over me. I knew that had I been in the place of any of my judges, I should have felt certain of the guilt of at least one of the prisoners.

  The Judge Advocate asked: "Do you wish me to read the names on the appended lists, my lord?"

  Lord Hood nodded. "Proceed," he said.

  The lists were then read—first the names of those who had gone in the launch with Bligh, then of those who remained with Christian's party. One thing that astonished me was Bligh's silence with respect to Coleman, Norman, and McIntosh. He well knew of their desire to go with him in the launch, and that they had been prevented from doing so by the mutineers. The barest justice demanded that he should have acknowledged their innocence; yet he made no distinction between them and the guiltiest members of Christian's party. To this day I am unable to account for his injustice to these men.

  John Fryer, master of the Bounty , was now called. He had not changed in the least since I had last seen him, on the morning of the mutiny. He glanced quickly in our direction, but there was time for no more than a glance. He was directed to stand at the end of the table, opposite Lord Hood, and was sworn.

  The Court said: "Inform the Court of all the circumstances within your knowledge concerning the running away with His Majesty's ship, Bounty ."

  I shall give Fryer's testimony with few omissions, for it provides a clear picture of what was seen by the Bounty's master on the day of the mutiny.

  "On the 28th of April, 1789, we tacked and stood to the south'ard and westward until the island of Tofoa bore north; then we steered west-northwest. In the first part of the evening we had little wind. I had the first watch. The moon was at that time in its first quarter. Between ten and eleven o'clock, Mr. Bligh came on deck agreeable to his usual custom, to leave his orders for the night. After he had been on deck some little time, I said, 'Sir, we have got a moon coming on which will be fortunate for us when we come on the coast of New Holland.' Mr. Bligh replied, 'Yes, Mr. Fryer, so it will,' which was all the conversation that passed between us. After leaving his orders, he went off the deck.

  "At twelve o'clock everything was quiet on board. I was relieved by Mr. Peckover, the gunner. Everything remained quiet until he was relieved, at four o'clock, by Mr. Christian. At the dawn of day I was much alarmed, whether from the noise Mr. Bligh said he made or by the people coming into my cabin, I cannot tell. But when I attempted to jump up, John Sumner and Matthew Quintal laid their hands upon my breast and desired me to lie down, saying, 'You are a prisoner, sir. Hold your tongue or you are a dead man, but if you remain quiet, there is no person on board that will hurt a hair of your head.'

  "I then, by raising myself on the locker, which place I always slept on for coolness, saw Mr. Bligh in his shirt, with his hands tied behind him, going up the ladder, and Mr. Christian holding him by the cord. The master-at-arms, Charles Churchill, then came to my cabin and took a brace of pistols and a hangar, saying, 'I will take care of these, Mr. Fryer.' I asked what they were going to do with their captain. 'Damn his eyes!' Sumner said. Put him into the boat and let the dog see if he can live on half a pound of yams a day.' 'Into the boat!' I said. 'For God's sake, what for?' 'Sir,' Quintal said, 'hold your tongue. Christian is captain of the ship, and recollect that Mr. Bligh has brought all this upon himself.'

  "I then said, 'What boat are they going to put Captain Bligh into?' They said, 'The large cutter: 'Good God!' I said, 'the cutter's bottom is almost out of her, being very much eaten with worms.' 'Damn his eyes,' Sumner and Quintal said, 'it is too good for him even so!' I said, 'I hope they are not going to set Captain Bligh adrift by himself?' They answered, 'No. Mr. Samuel, his clerk, and Mr. Hayward and Mr. Hallet are going with him.'

  "At last I prevailed on them to call on deck to Christian to give me permission to go up, which, after some hesitation, he granted. Mr. Bligh was standing by the mizzenmast with his hands tied behind his back, and there were several men guarding him. I said, 'Mr. Christian, consider what you are about.' 'Hol
d your tongue, sir,' he replied. 'I have been in hell for weeks past. Captain Bligh has brought all this on himself.'

  "Mr. Purcell, the carpenter, had been permitted to come on deck at the same time with myself, and Mr. Christian now ordered him to have the gear for the large cutter brought up. When we came to Mr. Christian, Mr. Byam was talking with him. I said, 'Mr. Byam, surely you are not concerned in this?' He appeared to be horrified at such a thought. Mr. Christian said, 'No, Mr. Fryer, Mr. Byam has no hand in this business.' I then said, 'Mr. Christian, I will stay with the ship,' thinking that, if permitted to do so, a chance might offer for retaking the vessel. Christian replied, 'No, Mr. Fryer, you will go with Captain Bligh.' He then ordered Quintal, one of the seamen under arms, to conduct me to my cabin while I collected such things as I should need.

  "At the hatchway I saw James Morrison, the boatswain's mate. I said to him, 'Morrison, I hope you have no hand in this?' He replied, 'No, sir, I have not.' 'If that's the case,' I replied, in a low voice, 'be on your guard. There may be an opportunity for recovering ourselves.' His answer was, 'I'm afraid it is too late, Mr. Fryer.'

  "I was then confined to my cabin, and a third sentinel was put on, John Millward, who, I thought, seemed friendly. Mr. Peckover, the gunner, and Mr. Nelson, the botanist, were confined in the cockpit, to which place I persuaded the sentinels to let me go. Mr. Nelson said, 'What is best to be done, Mr. Fryer?' I said to them, 'If we are ordered into the boat, say that you will stay on board, and I flatter myself that we shall recover the ship in a short time.' Mr. Peckover said, 'If we stay we shall all be deemed pirates.' I told them not; that I would answer for them and everyone that would join with me. At the time we were talking, Henry Hillbrandt, the cooper, was in the bread room, getting some bread to be put into the boat for Captain Bligh. I suppose he must have heard our conversation and had gone on deck to tell Mr. Christian, as I was immediately ordered up to my cabin. I heard from the sentinels that Christian had consented to give Mr. Bligh the launch, not for his own sake but for the safety of those who were going with him. I asked if they knew who was to go with Captain Bligh, and they said they believed a great many.

  "Soon after this, Mr. Peckover, Mr. Nelson, and myself were ordered upon deck. Captain Bligh was then at the gangway. He said, 'Mr. Fryer, stay with the ship.' 'No, by God!' Christian replied. 'Go into the boat or I will run you through,' pointing his bayonet at my breast. I then asked Christian to permit Mr. Tinkler, my brother-in-law, to go with me. Christian said, 'No,' but after much solicitation he permitted him to go.

  "I cannot say who was in the boat first, Mr. Bligh or myself; however, we were both on the gangway together. All of this time there was very bad language made use of by the people to Captain Bligh. We begged that they would give us two or three muskets into the boat, but they would not consent to it. The boat was then ordered astern. After lying astern for some time, four cutlasses were handed in, the people at the same time making use of very abusive language. I heard several of them say, 'Shoot the dog!' meaning Captain Bligh. Mr. Cole, the boatswain, said, 'We had better cast off and take our chance, for they will certainly do us a mischief if we stay much longer.' Captain Bligh very readily agreed. There was little wind. We got out the oars and rowed directly astern. Our reason for so doing was that we should sooner be out of reach of the guns.

  "As soon as the boat was cast off I heard Christian give orders to loose the topgallant sails. They steered the same course as Captain Bligh had ordered, and continued to do so for the time we saw them.

  "The confusion that prevailed on board was so great, and our attention, from that time to our arrival at Timor, so much taken up by regard for the preservation of our lives, that it was not possible for me to make any note or memorandum, even if I had had the means to do so, which I had not. This account is an exact statement of the case to the best of my recollection.

  "The following is the list of persons that I observed under arms: Fletcher Christian, Charles Churchill, the master-at-arms, Thomas Burkitt, one of the prisoners, Matthew Quintal, John Millward, one of the prisoners, John Sumner and Isaac Martin. Joseph Coleman, armourer, one of the prisoners, wished to come into the boat and called several times to us to recollect that he had no hand in the business. Charles Norman, one of the prisoners, and Thomas McIntosh, another of the prisoners, also wished to come with us, but were prevented by the mutineers, who had need of their services on the ship. Michael Byrne, another of the prisoners, wished, I think, to come with us as well, but feared to do so lest the boat should be lost."

  Fryer here ended his testimony.

  The Court asked: "You have named seven persons who were under arms. Did you believe that these were the only persons under arms?"

  Fryer: No.

  The Court: What was your reason for so believing?

  Fryer: From hearing the people in the boat say so, but I did not see any more, to the best of my recollection.

  The Court: Inform the Court of the time you remained on deck at each of the times when you went on deck.

  Fryer: About ten minutes or a quarter of an hour.

  The Court: When you were upon the quarter-deck, did you see any of the prisoners active in obeying any orders from Christian or Churchill?

  Fryer: I saw Burkitt and Millward under arms as sentinels.

  The Court: When the launch was veered astern, did you observe any of the prisoners join in the bad language which you say passed upon that occasion?

  Fryer: Not to the best of my recollection. I saw Millward upon the taffrail with a musket in his hand. There was so much noise and confusion that I could not hear one man from another.

  The Court: You also say that when the cutlasses were handed into the boat, very bad language was used by the mutineers. Did any of the prisoners join in it upon that occasion?

  Fryer: Not to my recollection. It was a general thing among the whole.

  The Court: Did you see Thomas Ellison, one of the prisoners, upon the morning of the mutiny?

  Fryer: Not at first. Later I did.

  The Court: What was he doing?

  Fryer: He was standing near Captain Bligh, but I cannot charge my memory as to what he was doing.

  The Court: Did he have arms in his hands?

  Fryer: I am not certain whether he had or no.

  The Court: Did you see William Muspratt?

  Fryer: No.

  The Court: When Mr. Bligh and you were ordered into the boat, did any person assist, or offer to assist Mr. Christian in putting those orders into execution?

  Fryer: Yes. Churchill, Sumner, Quintal, and Burkitt.

  The Court: Were you near enough, when you heard Christian order the topgallant sails to be loosed, to know any of the people who went upon the yards?

  Fryer: I saw only one, who was a boy at that time—Thomas Ellison.

  The Court: How many men did it require to hoist out the launch?

  Fryer: It might be done with ten men.

  The Court: Did you see any of the prisoners assist in hoisting her out?

  Fryer: Yes. Mr. Byam, Mr. Morrison, Mr. Coleman, Norman and McIntosh all assisted; but this was done at Mr. Cole's, the boatswain's, orders, passed through him by Mr. Christian.

  The Court: Did you consider these men as assisting the mutineers or as assisting Captain Bligh?

  Fryer: I considered them as assisting Captain Bligh, as giving him a chance for his life.

  The Court: What reason had you to imagine that John Millward was friendly toward you at the time he was placed sentinel over you?

  Fryer: He appeared to be very uneasy in his mind, as though he had taken arms reluctantly.

  The Court: You say that you obtained permission for Tinkler to join the boat with you. Had he been compelled to remain in the ship?

  Fryer: He had been told by Churchill that he was to stay aboard to be his servant, and came to tell me in my cabin.

  The Court: In what part of the ship were the youngsters berthed?

  Fryer: On the lower dec
k, on either side of the main hatchway.

  The Court: Did you observe whether there was a sentinel over the main hatchway?

  Fryer: Yes. I omitted to mention that Thompson was stationed there by the arms chest, with a musket and a bayonet fixed.

  The Court: Did you consider him to have been a sentinel over the midshipmen's berth?

  Fryer: Yes; over the berth and the arms chest at the same time.

  The Court: Do you know that, on that day, any effort was made by any person in the ship to recover her?

  Fryer: No.

  The Court: What time elapsed from the first alarm to the time of your being forced into the boat?

  Fryer: About two hours and a half, or three hours, to the best of my recollection.

  The Court: What did you suppose to be Mr. Christian's meaning when he said that he had been in hell for weeks past?

  Fryer: I suppose he meant on account of the abuse he had received from Captain Bligh.

  The Court: Had there been any very recent quarrel?

  Fryer: The day before the mutiny, Mr. Bligh charged Christian with stealing his coconuts.

  The prisoners were now permitted to question the witness, and I was ordered to speak first. Fryer must have felt the strangeness of our situation as much as did I, myself. He had been more than kind to me during our long association on the Bounty , and to meet for the first time since the mutiny under those circumstances, when our conversation could be only of the most formal kind, was a strain upon the self-control of both of us. I was certain that he considered me as innocent as himself, and that he felt nothing but good will toward me. I asked three questions.

  Myself: When you came upon deck the first time, and found me in conversation with Mr. Christian, did you overhear anything that was said?

  Fryer: No, Mr. Byam. There was...

  Lord Hood interrupted.

  "You must reply to the prisoner's questions by addressing the Court," he said. The master therefore turned to the President.