A CONSPIRAGY. 229 
of his ability to exeeute his commission, and to 
become the benefactor of the West Indies, by 
extending to them one of the greatest bless- 
ings bestowed by nature on her favourite 
children. 
But it was otherwise written in the book of 
Fate. The remorseless severity with which he 
treated those under his command,—the insults 
he offered them, having subjected even his 
mate, Christian Fletcher, to corporal chastise- 
ment, combined with the recollecticn of the 
pleasant time spent in Tahaiti, produced a 
conspiracy of some of the crew, headed by 
Fletcher, to seize on the ship, remove from 
it the commander and his adherents, and, re- 
nouncing England for ever, to return to Ta- 
haiti, and spend there the remaider of their 
lives in ease and enjoyment. 
The conspirators kept their plan so pro- 
foundly secret, that neither Bligh nor any of 
those who remained faithful to him, imbibed 
the least suspicion of the criminal project, which 
was put in execution at sun-rise on the 28th of 
April. The mate Christian, who then com- 
manded the watch, entered, with two petty officers 
