BLIGH'S VOYAGES 135 



deserted at Otaheite and been pardoned by their gentle- 

 hearted commander. 



Bligh landed at Portsmouth on March 14, 1790. The 

 story of his heroic adventure across the seas had preceded 

 him. Great indignation found utterance in England 

 on learning the news of Bligh and his disaster. The 

 Mutiny of the Bounty henceforth took a place among our 

 most thrilling naval annals. In early Victorian days it 

 was still a charm to work with boys ; and there may even 

 now be found a few persons who know of it through the 

 Story of Pitcairn Island. 



Some months after Bligh's return home, Captain 

 Edwards, in the Pandora, went in search of the culprits. 

 The majority of them were long since gone from Otaheite, 

 and all but one of those met with violent deaths. But 

 several were taken, and brought away from Otaheite. 

 One of these perished in the wreck of the Pandora, 1 the 

 others were brought to court martial, and there were 

 hanged. The fate of Fletcher Christian is uncertain. 

 It is positively stated that he was seen in Plymouth 

 streets, several years later, by one of his former ship- 

 mates. And there was a published account of his after- 

 adventures, which, it must be said, however, bears all the 

 appearance of being a supercherie. 2 



It was always, afterward, an open question as to the 

 culpability of Captain Bligh for this misfortune, through 

 faults of temper. There were officers of his own school who 

 condemned him. This was, however, greatly duej to the 

 energetic advocacy of Edward Christian, a distinguished 

 jurist of the period, who took his brother's part with much 

 vehemence. But the matter is simple enough. No reliance 

 can be placed on the oaths of the mutinous seamen 



1 v. A voyage round the world in H.M. frigate Pandora, by George 

 Hamilton, surgeon (Berwick, 1793). 



2 Voyages and Travels of Fletcher Christian, and a narrative of the 

 Mutiny on board H.M. ship Bounty at Otaheite. From the French 

 (London, 1798). 



