Dec. 



1825. 



76 VOYAGE TO THE 



chap, and kept there while the ship stood towards the 

 island. During this time Lieutenant Bligh re- 

 quested some muskets, to protect his party against 

 the natives; but they were refused, and four cut- 

 lasses thrown to them instead. When they were 

 about ten leagues from Tofoa, at Lieutenant Bligh's 

 request, the launch was cast off, and immediately 

 " Huzza for Otaheite !" echoed throughout the 



Bounty. 



There now remained in the ship, Christian, who 

 was the mate, Heywood, Young, and Stewart, mid- 

 shipmen, the master-at-arms, and sixteen seamen, 

 besides the three artificers, and the gardener ; form- 

 ing in all twenty -five. 



In the launch were the lieutenant, master, sur- 

 geon, a master's mate, two midshipmen, botanist, 

 three warrant-officers, clerk, and eight seamen, mak- 

 ing in all nineteen ; and had not the three persons 

 above mentioned been forcibly detained, the captain 

 would have had exactly half the ship's company. 

 It may perhaps appear strange to many, that with 

 so large a party in his favour, Lieutenant Bligh 

 made no attempt to retake the vessel ; but the mu- 

 tiny was so ably conducted that no opportunity was 

 afforded him of doing so ; and the strength of the 

 crew was decidedly in favour of Christian. Lieu- 

 tenant Bligh's adventures and sufferings, until he 

 reached Timor, are well known to the public, and 

 need no repetition. 



The ship, having stood some time to the W. N. 

 W., with a view to deceive the party in the launch, 

 was afterwards put about, and her course directed as 

 near to Otaheite as the wind would permit. In a 

 few days they found some difficulty in reaching 



