91 



After staying at Timor for two months to recruit their strength, and 

 receiving every attention and assistance from the settlers, Captain Bligh 

 and sixteen of his companions left for England. Mr. Ledward, the 

 surgeon, preferred to remain behind, and five of the others died on their 

 homeward journey. Captain Bligh himself safely landed at the Isle of 

 Wight on the 14th March, 1790; and it need hardly be said that the 

 tale of his experience, under such extraordinary and romantic circum- 

 stances, aroused much interest throughout the country. The mutineers' 

 version of the chief event being as yet untold, it is not to be wondered 

 at either that Captain Bligh became the object of general sympathy, or 

 that Fletcher Christia.n and his comrades were regarded as culprits 

 of the blackest dye. The Government lost no time in fitting out the 

 " Pandora" frigate, under the command of Captain Edwards, to go out 

 in search of the mutineers. She sailed direct for Otaheite, and arrived 

 there on the 23rd of March, 1791. 



Meanwhile Captain Bligh had been promoted to the rank of a 

 rCommander, and sent out a second time to transplant bread-fruit plants 

 [to the West Indies ; and on this occasion he successfully performed his 

 [mission. He was afterwards employed in active service, and in command 

 [of the " Glatton " took a conspicuous part in the famous battles of 

 [St. Vincent, Camperdown, and Copenhagen. In 1805 he was appointed 

 lOvernor of New South Wales. It is worthy of particular remark that 

 tin that capacity his judgment was again overturned by his bad temper, 

 [and that his offensive and arbitrary conduct was actually the cause of 

 [another mutiny. The New South Wales Military Corps, commanded by 

 [Colonel Johnstone, revolted against the Governor, deposed him, and 

 sent him back to England ; and though Colonel Johnstone was tried by 

 Icourt-martial and cashiered, so little further notice was taken of the 

 Imatter as to indicate that Captain Bligh could not have had a very strong 

 [case. Bligh then retired into private life, and after attaining the rank of 

 ^Vice- Admiral of the Blue he died in London in 1 818, at the age of sixty- 

 ive years. Taking a final leave of Captain Bligh, whose capacity 

 ^inspires one witli respect, and his misfortunes with pity, notwithstanding 

 Lall his faults, and leaving the "Pandora" at anchor off Otaheite, I now 



