BLIGH'S VOYAGES 131 



mutiny, and the miserable failure of this well-intended 

 and well-thought-out enterprise. 



Lieutenant Bligh to Sir Joseph Banks. 



" BATAVIA, October 13, 1789. 



" DEAR SIR, I am now so ill that it is with the utmost 

 difficulty I can write to you ; but as I hope to be in 

 England before you can receive it, the necessary informa- 

 tion which may be omitted in this letter will be of no 

 consequence. I have, however, for your satisfaction 

 enclosed to you a short account of my voyage : it is 

 nearly a copy of what I have given to the Governor of 

 Coupang, and the Governor-General here, because my 

 weak habit of body will not allow me to do more. 



" You will now, Sir, with all your generous endeavours 

 for the public good, see an unfortunate end to the under- 

 taking ; and I feel very sensibly how you will receive the 

 news of the failure of an Expedition that promised so 

 much. The anxious and miserable hours I have past 

 is beyond my description ; but while I have health the 

 strange vicissitudes of human affairs can never affect me. 

 Unfortunately, I have lost it at present, for, on my 

 arrival here, I was seized with a fever, which fixing in 

 my head made me almost distracted. But I am now 

 better, and am to sail in the packet on Thursday next, 

 which will save my life. 



" You will find that the ship was taken from me in a 

 most extraordinary manner, and I presume to say it 

 could not have been done in any other way. I can, 

 however, promise to you that my honour and character 

 are without a blemish. And I shall appear before the 

 Admiralty as soon as I can, that my conduct may be 

 inquired into, and where I shall convince the world I 

 stand as an officer despising mercy and forgiveness, if my 

 conduct is at all blameable. 



