III. 



Dec. 

 1825 



70 VOYAGE TO THE 



chap. an( j transport the bread fruit of that country to the 

 British settlements in the West Indies, and to bring 

 also some specimens of it to England. Her crew 

 consisted of forty-four persons, and a gardener. She 

 was ordered to make the passage round Cape Horn, 

 but after contending a long time with adverse gales, 

 in extremely cold weather, she was obliged to bear 

 away for the Cape of Good Hope, where she under- 

 went a refit, and arrived at her destination in Octo- 

 ber, 1788. Six months were spent at Otaheite, col- 

 lecting and stowing away the fruit, during which 

 time the officers and seamen had free access to the 

 shore, and made many friends, though only one of 

 the seamen formed any alliance there. 



In April, 1789, they took leave of their friends at 

 Otaheite, and proceeded to Anamooka, where Lieu- 

 tenant Bligh replenished his stock of water, and took 

 on board hogs, fruit, vegetables, &c, and put to sea 

 again on the 26th of the same month. Throughout 

 the voyage, Mr. Bligh had repeated misunderstand- 

 ings with his officers, and had on several occasions 

 given them and the ship's company just reasons for 

 complaint. Still, whatever might have been the 

 feelings of the officers, Adams declares there was no 

 real discontent among the crew ; much less was there 

 any idea of offering violence to their commander. 

 The officers, it must be admitted, had much more 

 cause for dissatisfaction than the seamen, especially 

 the master and Mr. Christian. The latter was a pro- 

 tege of Lieutenant Bligh, and unfortunately was 

 under some obligations to him of a pecuniary nature, 

 of which Bligh frequently reminded him when any 

 difference arose. Christian, excessively annoyed at 

 the share of blame which repeatedly fell to his lot, 

 in common with the rest of the officers, could ill 



