Mutiny on the Bounty

by Peter Fitzsimons

  ‘This keen reproach stung Christian’s soul,’ Coleman would recount, ‘and he was never afterwards on friendly terms with Heywood.’82

  Truthfully?

  In these difficult times, Christian is seldom on friendly terms even with himself as the full implications of his choices weigh upon him so heavily. And yet, despite his self-condemnation, he remains defiant.

  ‘No, never, never shall I be brought to justice for what I have done: though thousands and ten thousands attacked me, I’d die ’ere I would surrender,’ he declares before his men. ‘I’d rather meet a host of devils than once see the injured Captain Bligh’s [wife and children].’83

  It is only in the arms and loving embrace of Isabella, losing himself in her soothing touch and soft voice, that he is able to dispel his shame and gloom to find true solace, if only for a short time.

  Of course, the state of Christian’s mind worries the other Mutineers. He is frequently so depressed they even worry about leaving him on his own, and it is found that only the soothing ministrations of Isabella can lift him up from his remorseful reverie.

  More than ever, Christian becomes eager to leave the island forever, to return to Tubuai, perhaps, to establish a new life there. If all goes well, they may even be able to entreat some of the Tahitians to accompany them, so they could liaise with their hosts – for their languages are similar, if not identical – which should help keep the peace. The Tahitians could also do much of the work that will be necessary to establish the new settlement.

  But there is fierce resistance from some of the Mutineers – with none more vocal than the increasingly angry Isaac Martin and Charley Churchill.

  Are we really to suffer ‘perpetual banishment’, Martin asks in his American twang, condemned to wander forever like ‘vagabonds upon earth’?84

  For his part, Churchill is insistent – and he seems to have more and more to say lately, and be ever louder about it, almost challenging Christian’s leadership – that they could do no better than where they are right now.

  ‘We will have a worse chance with islanders we are unacquainted with,’ he insists, ‘than with these people we have known for so long.’85

  But Christian insists. They must leave. Now, as to convincing some Tahitians to come with them, there are varying degrees of difficulty.

  For some, like Isabella, despite her strong ties to her family, there is never any question but that she will come with Titriano now, whatever he does, wherever he goes, for the rest of his life. Others, too, are coming forward to accompany them, either women who have Mutineer partners, or Native men in search of adventure.

  One fact that Christian is determined to hide is his intention to never return to Tahiti, as it is the first place that the Royal Navy will come looking for them, and the Navy will, of course, be merciless. Instead, he makes vague promises of return. Other Mutineers make similar promises to their own women, without knowing if a return is possible or not.

  As for the Tahitian men the Mutineers need – primarily for the labour necessary to both run the ship, and, more importantly, to settle Tubuai and till the fields – they are promised adventure, the chance to explore the world beyond their horizons!

  •

  The Bounty is once again fully laden – ‘460 Hogs, mostly breeders, 50 Goats and a quantity of fowls, a few dogs & Cats’,86 as well as a bull and cow, once gifts to Tahiti from Captain Cook, which stand confused on the upper deck of the gently rocking ship. In the late morning the anchor is weighed, and the Bounty is on its way once more, under reefed sails in a strong breeze.

  As one, Christian and his fellow Mutineers gaze back at these islands of paradise slowly sinking beneath the northern horizon. And they are not the only ones.

  For, also on the ship, are no fewer than 28 Tahitians – nine men, ten women, eight boys and a small female child. Among them, of course, is Isabella, who is feeling as vulnerable as she ever has in her life.

  If she could, she would stay tight to Fletcher throughout, but at this time of all times he is busy on the quarter-deck shouting commands – ‘Bear Away, Mr Young! Man the helm, Quintal. Mr Churchill, tell the men their watches’87 – as the winds of change now fill the sails and their ship is soon gathering way.

  Others of the ‘wives’ gazing back at Tahiti getting ever smaller over their stern include Sarah, who is with Matt Quintal, and Teio, who is with Bill McCoy.

  Unknown to any of them, meanwhile, down in the furthest reaches of the hold, behind some barrels of water, the Bounty has a stowaway, none other than Hetee-Hetee, who, 15 years before, had sailed with Captain Cook, and is now keen to go adventuring once more. As soon as the Bounty is out to sea, Hetee-Hetee is out in the open, to the bemusement and amusement of Captain Christian.

  Sail on!

  •

  Captain Bligh, who had been so buoyant at sea, so indomitable, now finds that he is sinking fast on land and can do nothing to stop it.

  ‘Every person is now beginning to recover except myself,’ he writes, five days after their arrival at Coupang. ‘Great weakness and fever still hangs about me which keeps me confined. A little sago is the only thing my stomach can bear.’88

  Mr Fryer, in contrast, is in good spirits as he is contemplating the joys of exacting revenge over a villain: Bligh. He has decided the best way will be to gather proof that the wretch has been systematically defrauding the Admiralty.

  It is not just the matter of the stolen cheese, all those months ago. For there were also those accounts Fryer was forced to sign in front of the crew and, far more importantly for the moment, the fraud that appears to be going on right now.

  Like these new quarters that Spikerman has so kindly provided the Loyalists – a residence that belongs to the good man himself, for which, he is not charging the Englishmen rent. Why, Fryer has heard that from Spikerman himself: ‘I never mean to charge you for anything for the house.’89

  Yet on this day Fryer overhears Bligh mention in passing, ‘A house is hired for me.’90

  Hired? No, it was given, Fryer knows. How very interesting.

  And it is all the more interesting when Fryer asks Bligh about it.

  ‘I paid for it,’91 he snaps, in a tone that clearly indicates Fryer would do well to mind his own business.

  Really, Captain Bligh?

  In Fryer’s view, Bligh is up to his old tricks, intent on defrauding the Royal Navy by charging them for expenses that simply do not exist.

  Yes, for the moment, Fryer has no proof, but it does not take long, as he starts to discreetly poke around, ask quiet questions, and most importantly record how much things actually cost, and what Bligh actually paid for them. It will be a simple matter, come the time, to compare these facts with whatever Bligh has claimed.

  (Is he being disloyal to a man who has successfully guided them across an unprecedented distance in an open boat, to give them their salvation? Not the way he sees it, later maintaining, ‘There was others in the boat – that would have found their way to Timor as well as Captain Bligh and made everyone with them more pleasant.’)92

  26 June 1789, Tubuai, back in Bloody Bay

  Land ahoy!

  On the morning of 26 June 1789, Christian and the Mutineers sail back into Tubuai’s Bloody Bay. They stand on deck, wary, looking all around for signs of a revenge attack from the Natives.

  And here they come now!

  Hands go to muskets and cutlasses. Christian gives a sharp order to man the cannon and train them on the approaching Natives.

  But no.

  These particular Natives are not remotely hostile. They have no weapons with them, no conch shells, and are all smiles. They even come on board in a peaceable manner.

  Over the next few days, by endlessly shuttling the smaller boats back and forth, most of the supplies from the Bounty are unloaded on the shore and a start is made on establishing their new settlement. Fortunately, the Tahitian Natives on the Bounty waste no time in mastering the local Tubuaian dialect, which helps
them make friends, and get information. One of the first things they learn is that Bloody Bay is in the territory of a Chief Tinnarow, who still feels very grim indeed about their last visit, the killing of his people, and he has not forgiven them …

  Ah, so it is Tinnarow they must be wary of, and all the more so when, via an emissary, the Chief makes it clear he refuses to meet with Christian or any of his murderous Mutineers.

  Very well then. Best to prepare for some kind of an attack.

  In the meantime, it can be no bad thing to impress upon the Natives around them right now just how powerful the European magical weapons are, and with that in mind, Christian authorises the firing of some of the muskets at designated targets, shattering coconuts at a distance of 50 yards. The Natives are impressed, some even proudly showing the Englishmen the musket balls that now hang from strings around their necks; they collected the balls from the foot of trees after the battle at Bloody Bay.

  Despite the fact that Chief Tinnarow is a declared enemy, Christian is welcomed as a friend by another Chief, Tummotoa. They are off to a better start than they might have hoped for.

  Of course, two men with a talent for finishing off bright starts are Charley Churchill and Matthew Thompson. Christian is not sure precisely what happened, neither is Heywood, who notes in his journal: ‘on 5 July [on Tubuai] some of the people began to be mutinous – on the 6th, two of the men were put in irons by a majority of votes – drunken fighting and threatening each other’s life was so common that those abaft were obliged to arm themselves with pistols’.93

  Churchill at least accepts the majority verdict, as the liquor wears off and the irons begin to wear on his skin. Matthew Thompson, typically, does not. But, no matter. He can stay in irons a little longer, to think about it.

  6 July 1789, Coupang, a sour mutiny starts …

  It has taken three weeks of recuperation, medication and organisation, but now Bligh is seriously turning his thoughts to the next part of the journey, to get to the principal Dutch settlement in these parts, Batavia, on the island of Java, where it should be possible to board a ship bound for Europe – ideally one going to England. The key will be to complete the 1200-mile journey to Batavia before the bulk of the Dutch fleet leave – and with no Dutch ships leaving Coupang any time soon, it leaves only one alternative …

  In short order, Bligh, courtesy of a Royal Navy promissory note, purchases a small schooner, naming it His Majesty’s Schooner Resource. The 34-foot long vessel is satisfactory, except for her fittings, and so Bligh orders Purcell to busy himself with making obvious repairs to the boat and getting her ready to sail. Purcell agrees to follow orders, it is just that his definition of ‘busy’ and Bligh’s are not quite the same. For, as soon as the following morning, Fryer finds Bligh fulminating over how slow the Carpenter is, even though some skilled Chinese workers have been organised to help him.

  Walking around the room where the Loyalists lounge, still recuperating, Bligh wants to know if any man has seen Purcell do anything at all. Finally, he comes to the Master to enquire what exactly was the last ‘work’ Purcell has done.

  ‘Mr Fryer. Where did the Carpenter leave off?’94 asks Bligh.

  ‘Sir, I informed you last night,’95 replies Fryer, knowing it is no answer at all.

  ‘Have you been down this morning?’96 asks Bligh.

  ‘No. I am unwell, sir,’97 replies Mr Fryer.

  ‘What is your complaint?’98 asks Bligh, not bothering to hide his scepticism.

  ‘The prickly heat is much out on me,’ answers Fryer. ‘The Doctor told me to take care and not catch cold.’99

  ‘Is that all your complaint?’ Bligh scornfully asks. ‘Take physic!’100

  Juice of the lime, rubbed into the skin, sir. That is the best method.

  Now, perhaps, among the Loyalists, there might be a man – Hayward, most likely – who would be more than happy to hear a medical lecture from Bligh, but Fryer is not of their number.

  ‘The Doctor,’ Fryer says carefully, ‘is the only man to prescribe on that matter.’101

  The Doctor, be damned! Bligh can take no more.

  ‘Sir, it is my order that you see the Carpenter at work every morning by Daybreak and keep him at work!’102

  ‘Sir, I am not a judge of Carpenter’s work,’ replies Fryer coolly. ‘Neither do I think it my Duty to attend the Carpenter’s.’103

  ‘It IS your Duty, Sir, and you SHALL do it!’ Bligh bellows. ‘Sir, you are very impertinent to tell me you are not a judge of the Carpenter’s work. Were you in any place where I could try you I would confine you immediately!’104

  Fryer is not cowed.

  ‘I do not understand that I have any right to attend to Mr Purcell’s work,’ says he. ‘At any rate I shall have an order first.’105

  ‘Sir, take care. We are onshore now – mind what you say.’106

  ‘If you mean to put yourself on a footing with me, you will find me ready, when I am called on,’107 Fryer says quietly.

  Captain Bligh pauses.

  And pauses some more. While it is one thing to call an underling out, it is quite another when the underling comes outside and rolls up his sleeves.

  ‘You take things in a wrong light, sir,’ answers Bligh.

  ‘In the course of the Voyage,’ Fryer continues angrily, ‘you have done and said all you could to provoke me to say something that you might have that opportunity to take hold of.’

  ‘Sir,’ Bligh replies, ‘if you was home now it would rest with me if you stayed five minutes in the Service.’108

  The problem remains, of course, they are not home right now and Bligh – to his clear and infinite regret – cannot act as Fryer’s judge and jury. Which means that, for the moment at least, they are stuck with each other. Bligh can barely bear it, but with the insolent Fryer in tow, the two of them head to the harbour foreshore to check on Purcell. He is not there. Apoplectic with rage, Bligh strides with intent back through the town – scattering ‘coolies’ as he goes – all the way to the Carpenter’s quarters, where, sure enough, Purcell is found, resting on his bed.

  Bligh’s explosion of fury could singe whiskers and peel paint as he hurls accusations at his Carpenter, who, jumping to his feet, returns a key accusation in kind.

  ‘I have seen you!’ Purcell tells the furious Bligh. ‘Frequently when serving the bread [on the Launch] drop a piece down and pick it up after the bread was served!’109

  Bligh looks like a thunderstorm of rage, about to burst anew, but Purcell is launched.

  ‘At other times you put a piece of bread in your mouth!’110 the Carpenter continues.

  Bligh, as angry as he has ever been on the entire journey from England, which is no little thing, now grabs Purcell by his jacket and shoves him out of the room.

  Things get no better the next morning when Bligh requires some precious chalk – in short supply in these parts – to give to the ailing Governor Van Este, and tells Purcell he would like some, from his tool chest.

  The inevitable happens.

  ‘The chalk that is in my Chest is mine!’111 roars Purcell. ‘You have no right to it, Mr Bligh!’112

  Very well then, Purcell, have it your way, but now you must face the consequences.

  A short time later, Spikerman is interested to see a sole sailor aboard the newly purchased vessel as it bobs in the harbour this evening. It is, of course, none other than Purcell, who Bligh has made his prisoner.

  Just as it had been during their visit to Van Diemen’s Land, the Carpenter is confined at night to what is effectively his nautical cell, only to be released during the day to work.

  Good God, it never bloody ends.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  BATAVIA BOUND

  During the time men live without a common Power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called war; and such a war, as is of every man, against every man … where every man is Enemy to every man, wherein men live without other security than what their own strength shall
furnish them … and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent death; And the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.1

  Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan

  7 July 1789, Tubuai, a truce of sorts

  The good news is that after weeks of terrible tension, Fletcher Christian has a formal peace treaty before him, and is about to sign it.

  Sadly, however, it is not with the hostile Chiefs of Tubuai – who, with their warriors, continue to circle and threaten the newcomers – but with his fellow Bounty men. Yes, so divided have the Mutineers become among themselves in recent weeks, with so many bearing grudges for acts real and imagined, and with so many differing views as to how they should proceed, that it is faithfully recorded that, ‘Articles were drawn up by Christian and Churchill specifying a mutual forgiveness of all past grievances which every man was obliged to swear and to sign.’ All of the white men sign bar one: ‘Matthew Thompson excepted who refused to comply.’2

  Yes, the ever-glowering Thompson remains a problem. But, at least for the moment, the others are agreed. They are going to let bygones be bygones, and they are going to stay here, and really try to make a go of it on Tubuai.

  Christian is pleased to have it signed, and peace for the moment, while acutely aware that pens and paper can only go so far. William Bligh, after all, had been backed by the Articles of War, backed by the King, and centuries of tradition, and even that had not kept him safe in his bed.

  18 July 1789, Tubuai, a fortress, by George!

  It is now becoming obvious. Tubuai is shaping up to be an extremely difficult place to live in peace. Rather than having arrived in a tropical paradise, they have dropped anchor in the midst of a tribal war.

  Tubuai has three main tribes, one headed by Chief Tinnarow (whose men Christian had slaughtered on their first encounter, something the Chief still clearly feels grim about); one by Chief Taroatchoa, and one by Chief Tummotoa. Now, despite all living on the one small island, only 17 square miles, as far as Christian can see, all the tribes, whenever in close proximity to each other – which is often – fight like cats in a sack for control of the island. This could be a useful circumstance, with the tribes taken up with fighting with each other, rather than the Mutineers, bar one thing. Whenever Christian is seen to make a friendly gesture to one tribe, both of the other tribes are mortified by it, and seem to unite against Christian and his prospective allies. For such is the deathly dynamic on the island that he has only to parley peace with one tribe, then the others start circling.