A HISTORY OF TAHITI 123 



of such officers as might have come to their comamnder's aid, but obe- 

 dient to young Christian's orders, the Bounty's launch, a boat only 23 

 feet long, was lowered, and Bligh and 18 of his men were forced over 

 the side crowding the frail craft until the gunwale was but seven inches 

 above the level of the sea. 



But mercy came to temper the fate of those who were to be sent 

 adrift. A hundred and fifty pounds of bread, some water and some 

 wine, a little pork, charts, a sextant, a compass, and a few cutlasses were 

 thrown into the boat. Guns the mutineers refused, and then the com- 

 mander and his faithful few were cast away. 



As if in exultation the Bounty awakened to the impulse of the morn- 

 ing breeze and glided off upon the rippling sea while from the throats 

 of her ruffian crew the cry arose "huzza for Otaheiti." As the cheer 

 came over the waters, it brought to Bligh a sense of high resolve to 

 make the best of the narrow chance for life and home that lay before 

 him and his men. But Christian, the mutineer, they say stood moodily 

 with folded arms, his eyes fixed upon the drifting boat which stood for 

 all that remained of law and order on the wave. 



A gentleman by birth and training, he might have risen high, an 

 honored servant of his country. Too late the villain cheer revealed to 

 him the dark import of his vengeful act. An outcast he must be for- 

 evermore. In a world apart from Europe he must live, and memories 

 of youth and home and friends of other days rose up to curse him as he 

 sailed, archpirate as he was, into a life of wantonness and ruin. 



The volcanic peak of Tofoa, one of the Tongan Islands, rose dimly 

 above the northern horizon and toward it Bligh and his men set oars 

 and sail hoping to increase their scanty store of food and water. In this 

 they were foiled for the natives seeing them helpless attacked them with 

 stones, killing one and wounding all so that they considered their ulti- 

 mate escape fortunate. On and on they sailed for dull days and nights, 

 and always onward imtil they passed through the uncharted Fiji group 

 and discovered the northern New Hebrides, never daring to land though 

 they suffered all the pangs of starvation. Two meals a day each con- 

 sisting of 34.5 of a pound of bread and ^ of a pint of water were all stern 

 Captain Bligh allowed, for his destination was Timor, full 3,600 miles 

 from Tonga. His journal describes their suffering in minute detail, 

 and one must respect the courage and resourcefulness of the leader who 

 cheated death a hundred times in the course of this awinl voyage. 

 Through starless nights of storm, bailing constantly, fighting the over- 

 whelming sea, shivering in the rain, blinded by the roasting eastern 

 sun, racked with pain, cramped almost beyond endurance as they 

 crouched sleepless within the boat, they still went on and on and 

 each returning noon saw them nearly 100 miles nearer to Timor. 



Occasionally they succeed*'! in seizing the gulls which flew near the 



