130 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



Bligh was elated and cheerful during these prepara- 

 tions, as was very natural. That Sir Joseph had fixed 

 his eye upon him during his absence could not but be 

 very gratifying. Banks thought very highly of those 

 men of Captain Cook's school who showed anything of 

 promise. Several of them benefited in their profession 

 through his personal knowledge of them. And a splendid 

 chance had thus come to Bligh. 



Lieutenant Bligh to Sir Joseph Banks. 



" SPITHEAD, November 5, 1787. 



" SIR, I think the ship very capable. . . . The master 

 [John Fryer] is a very good man, and gives me every 

 satisfaction, and I think between this and the latitude 

 of 60 S. I shall have them all in very good order. The 

 conduct of Nelson and the garden is satisfactory, and 

 we all seem embarked heartily in our cause, which I 

 shall cherish as much as possible. . . . My Surgeon may 

 be a very capable man, but his indolence and corpulency 

 render him rather unfit for the voyage. I think it would 

 be very proper for me to endeavour to get some young 

 man as surgeon's mate, and enter him as A.B. ... I 

 trust nothing can prevent me from completing my voyage 

 much to your satisfaction. Difficulties I laugh at. . . ." 



A surgeon's mate was obtained for the ship, Thomas 

 Ledward by name. Bligh's apprehensions over the 

 surgeon were well-founded ; he died at Otaheite six weeks 

 after arrival, from an illness aggravated by indolence 

 and intemperance. 



The Bounty sailed in November, 1787 ; but she was 

 weather-bound in the Channel. A new start was made from 

 Spithead on December 23, with a fine easterly breeze. 

 Silence now closed over the ship's company for upwards 

 of two years. At length a letter reached Sir Joseph Banks, 

 dated Batavia, October 13, 1789, revealing the story of the 



