79 



of the British Museum, and although the Hbrary contains upwards of 

 twenty of Edward Christian's works. 



Moorland Close, being within two miles of this town, is probably 

 known to most of you as a quadrangular pile of buildings, in the style of 

 the mediaeval manor house, half castle and half farmstead, and those who 

 have visited the field of Waterloo may have noted some points of 

 resemblance between Moorland Close and the famous Chateau of 

 Hougoumont. Few records have been preserved of Fletcher Christian's 

 boyhood. He received his education, first at the parish school of 

 Brigham, and afterwards at the Grammar School, Cockermouth. There 

 was at one time at Moorland Close a painting of a piebald pony, upon 

 which tradition said the boy Fletcher used to ride to and from school ; 

 and I understand that a sketch of the outline of his foot, which he had 

 traced with his initials, may still be seen upon the lead roof of a summer 

 house in the garden. One of Fletcher's schoolfellows at Cockermouth 

 was Isaac Wilkinson, once a poet of some local celebrity. In after years 

 the poet bore this testimony to the early character of the mutineer : — •" I 

 can with truth say, a more amiable youth I never met with ; he was 

 mild, generous, and sincere ;" and Wilkinson repeated this testimony in 

 the following verses : — 



" His soul was open, generous, and humane : 

 His was a heart that felt for others' pain ; 

 Yet quick of spirit as the electric beam 

 When from the darkling clouds its lightnings gleam." 



At an early age, Fletcher Christian entered the navy as a midship- 

 man, and during his two last voyages in that capacity he served under 

 Lieutenant Bligh, who was subsequently appointed to the command of 

 " the Bounty," and commissioned by the Government to sail to Otaheite, 

 for the purpose of transplanting bread-fruit trees thence to the West 

 Indies. Although Fletcher Christian was then only 23 years of age, he 

 was selected by his old commander, Lieutenant Bligh, to act as first 

 mate, or lieutenant, of the " Bounty," which affords a strong proof that 

 the young midshipman must have stood well in the service, both as to 

 character and as to nautical ability. One of the midshipmen of the 



