24 PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING. 
letter to Bligh, which has been preserved, 
was dated on board the Bounty, at Otaheite, 
January 26th, 1789, and ran as follows : — 
" Sir, — We should think ourselves wholly 
inexcusable if we omitted taking the earliest 
opportunity of returning our thanks for your 
goodness in delivering us from a trial by Court 
Martial, the fatal consequences of which are 
obvious : and although we cannot possibly lay 
claim to so great a favour, yet we humbly beg 
you will be pleased to remit any further punish- 
ment; and we trust our future conduct will fully 
demonstrate our deep sense of your clemency, 
and our steadfast resolution to behave better 
hereafter. We are, Sir, your most obedient and 
most humble servants, C. Churchill, Wm. 
Muspratt, John Millward." 
Three months had now rolled away, when, 
early in the morning of February the 6th, the 
captain discovered that the cable by which the 
ship rode had been cut close to the water's edge, 
so as to be very nearly divided. The offence 
was first charged upon some of the natives ; but 
it afterwards occurred to Bligh, that this scan- 
dalous attempt to cut the ship adrift was most 
probably made by some of his own people, who, 
if she had been driven on shore, might have 
succeeded in remaining at Otaheite. 
The reader will observe that the word Otaheite 
is here used as spelt by Captain Cook. It is 
now often printed, Tahiti. 
The time was at length come for Bligh and his 
companions, with heavy hearts, to bid farewell 
to charming Otaheite. The ship was crowded 
