THE VOYAGE OF THE "BOUNTY." 285 



CHAPTER XIV. 



THE REVERSE OP THE PICTURE MUTINY. 



Bligh's Bread-fruit Expedition Voyage of the Bounty Otaheite The Happy Islanders First Appearance of a Mutinous 

 Spirit The Cutter Stolen and Recovered The Bounty sails with 1,000 Trees The Mutiny Bligh Overpowered and 

 Bound Abandoned with Eighteen Others Their Resources Attacked by Natives A Boat Voyage of 3,618 miles- 

 Violent Gales Miserable Condition of the Boat's Crew Bread by the Ounce Rum by the Tea-spoonful Noddies 

 and Boobies "Who shall have this?" Off the Barrier Reef A Haven of Rest Oyster and Palm-top Stews 

 Another Thousand Miles of Ocean Arrival at Coupang Hospitality of the Residents Ghastly Looks of the Party 

 Death of Five of the Number The Pandora Dispatched to Catch the Mutineers Fourteen in Irons Pandora's 

 Box The Wreck Great Loss of Life Sentences of the Court Martial The Last of the Mutineers Pitcairn Island 

 A Model Settlement Another Example : The greatest Mutiny of History 40,000 Disaffected Men at one point- 

 Causes Legitimate Action of the Men at First Apathy of Government Serious Organisation The Spithead Fleet 

 Ordered to Sea Refusal of the Crews Concessions Made, and the First Mutiny Quelled Second Outbreak Lord 

 Howe's Tact The Great Mutiny of the Nore Richard Parker A Vile Character but Man of Talent Wins the Men 

 to his Side Officers Flogged and Ducked Gallant Duncan's Address Accessions to the Mutineers Parker 

 practically Lord High Admiral His Extravagant Behaviour Alarm in London The Movement Dies out by 

 Degrees Parker's Cause Lost His Execution Mutinies at Other Stations Prompt Action of Lords St. Vincent 

 and Macartney. 



THE Royal Navy has ever been the glory of our country, but there are spots even on the 

 bright sun. The service has been presented hitherto almost entirely under its best aspects. 

 Example after example of heroic bravery, unmurmuring 1 endurance, and splendid discipline, 

 have been cited. Nor can we err in painting- it couleur de rose, for its gallant exploits 

 have won it undying fame. But in the service at one time thank God those times are 

 hardly possible now mutiny and desertion on a large scale were eventualities to be 

 considered and dreaded ; they were at least remote possibilities. In a few instances they 

 became terrible facts. In the merchant service we still hear of painful examples : every 

 reader will remember the case of the Lennie mutineers, who murdered the captain and 

 mates in the Bay of Biscay, with the object of selling the ship in Greece, and were 

 defeated by the brave steward, who steered for the coast of France, and was eventually 

 successful in communicating with the French authorities. The example about to be 

 related is a matter of historical fact, from which the naval service in particular may still 

 draw most important lessons. 



In the year 1787, being seventeen years after Captain Cook's memorable first voyage, 

 a number of merchants and planters resident in London memorialised his Majesty 

 George III., that the introduction of the bread-fruit tree from the southern Pacific Islands 

 would be of great benefit to the West Indies, and the king complied with their request. 

 A small vessel, the Bounty, was prepared, the arrangements for disposing the plants being 

 made by Sir Joseph Banks, long the distinguished President of the Royal Society, and 

 one of the most eminent men of science of the day. Banks had been with Cook among 

 these very islands; indeed, it is stated that in his zeal for acquiring knowledge, he had 

 undergone the process of tattooing himself. The ship was put under the command of 

 Lieutenant Bligh, with officers and crew numbering in all forty-four souls, to whom were 

 added a practical botanist and assistant. 



The Bounty sailed from Spithead on December 23rd, 17<S7 and soon encountered very 



