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REVIEW OF HISTORICAL BOOKS.

A NARRATIVE OF THE MUTINY WHICH TOOK PLACE ON BOARD THE BOUNTY ARMED SHIP. CONCLUDED FROM P. 217.

IN

N our laft, we left lieutenant Bligh and his miferable crew, on Reftoration Ifland; we fhall now proceed with them to Timor, by giving fuch extracts as will enable our readers to form a comprehenfive view of the whole of this interesting Narrative.

"Saturday, May the 30th. This afternoon I fent parties out again to gather oyfters, with which, and fome of the inner part of the palm-top, we made another good stew for fupper, each per fon receiving a full pint and a half; but I refused bread to this meal, for I confidered our wants might yet be very great, and as fuch I reprefented the neceffity of faving our principal fupport whenever it was in our power.

"At night we again divided, and one half of us flept on fhore by a good fire. In the morning I difcovered a vifible alteration in every one for the better, and I fent them away again to gather oyfters. I had now only two pounds of pork left. This article, which I could not keep under lock and key, as I did the bread, had been pilfered by fome inconfiderate perfon, but every one moft folemnly denied it; I therefore refolved to put it out of their power for the future, by fharing what remained for our dinner. While the party was out getting oyfters, I got the boat in readiness for fea, and filled all our water veffels, which amounted to nearly fixty gallons.

Sunday, May the 31ft. Being all ready for fea, I directed every perfon to attend prayers, and by four o'clock we were preparing to embark; when twenty natives appeared, running and holloaing to us, on the oppofite fhore. They were armed with a fpear or lance, and a fhort weapon which they carried in their left hand: they made figns for us to come to them. On the top of the hills we faw the heads of many more; whether these were their wives and children, or others who waited for our landing, until which they meant not to VOL. II.

fhow themselves, left we might be inti midated, I cannot fay; but, as I found we were discovered to be on the coaft, I thought it prudent to make the best of my way, for fear of canoes; though, from the accounts of captain Cook, the chance was that there were very few or none of any confequence. I paffed thefe people as near as I could, which was within a quarter of a mile; they were naked, and apparently black, and their hair or wool bushy and short."

Thenext morning, about eight o'clock, lieutenant Bligh again landed at another island, which lies N. by W. W. from Reftoration Island, in lat. Ir deg. 58 min. S; and, ordering one party to go in fearch of provifions while another staid with the boat-"On this occafion," fays he, "their fatigue and weakness fo far got the better of their sense of duty, that fome of them began to mutter who had done moft, and declared they would rather be without their dinner than go in fearch of it. One perfon, in particular, went fo far as to tell me, with a mutinous look, he was as good a man as myfelf. It was not poffible for me to judge where this might have an end, if not stopped in time; I therefore determined to strike a final blow at it, and either to preferve my command, or die in the attempt: and, feizing a cutlafs, I ordered him to take hold of another and defend himself; on which he called out I was going to kill him, and began to make conceffions. I did not allow this to interfere further with the harmony of the boat's crew, and every thing foon became quiet.

"The parties continued collecting what could be found, which confifted of fome fine oyfters and clams, and a few fmall dog-fifh that were caught in the holes of the rocks. We also found about two tons of rain-water in the hollow of the rocks, on the north part of the island, fo that of this effential article we were again fo happy as not to be in want.

"At two o'clock in the afternoon of June 1, we dined; each perfon having a full pint and a half of ftewed oysters and clams, thickened with fmall beans, which Mr. Nelfon informed us were a I i Species

fpecies of dolichos. Having eaten heartily, and taken the water we were in want of, I only waited to determine the time of high-water, which I found to be at three o'clock, and the rife of the tide about five feet.

"I now failed for the key which I had seen in the N. W. by N. giving the name of Sunday Island to the place I left; we arrived juft at dark, but found it fo furrounded by a reef of rocks, that I could not land without danger of staving the boat; and on that account 1 came to a grapnel for the night. At dawn of day we got on fhore, and tracked the boat into shelter.

"Innumerable birds of the noddy kind made this ifland their refting place; fo that I had reafon to flatter myfelf with hopes of getting fupplies in greater abundance than it had hitherto been in my power. The fituation was at least four leagues diftant from the main. We were on the north-westernmost of four small keys, which were furrounded by a reef of rocks connected by fand-banks, except between the two northernmost; and there likewife it was dry at low water; the whole forming a lagoon ifland, into which the tide flowed at this entrance I kept the boat.

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"As ufual, I fent parties away in fearch of fupplies, but, to our great difappointment, we could only get a few clams and fome dolichos: with thefe, and the oysters we had brought from Sunday Island, I made up a mefs for dinner, with an addition of a fmall quantity of bread.

"In my walk round the ifland, I found feveral cocoa-nut fhells, the remains of an old wigwam, and the backs of two turtle, but no fign of any quadruped. One of my people found three fea-fowl's eggs.

"It is certain, therefore, that the natives fometimes refort to this place, and have canoes: but I did not apprehend that we ran any risk by remaining here. I directed our fire, however, to be made in the thicket, that we might not be difcovered in the night.

"At noon, I obferved the latitude of this inland to be 11 deg. 47 min. S. "Towards evening, on the 2d, I cautioned every one against making too large a fire, or fuffering it after dark to

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blaze up. Mr. Samuel and Mr. Peckover had the fuperintendance of this bulinefs, while I was ftrolling about the beach to obferve if I thought it could be feen from the main. I was just fatiffied that it could not, when on a fudden the island appeared all in a blaze, that might have been feen at a much more confiderable distance. I ran to learn the caufe, and found it was occafioned by the imprudence and obstinacy of one of the party, who, in my abfence, had infifted on having a fire to himself; in making which the flames caught the neighbouring grafs and rapidly fpread. This mifconduct might have produced very ferious confequences, by discovering our fituation to the natives; for, if they had attacked us, we must inevitably have fallen a facrifice, as we had neither arms nor ftrength to oppofe an enemy. Thus the relief which 1 expected from a little fleep, was totally loft, and I anxiously waited for the flowing of the tide, that we might proceed to fea.

"I tied up a few gilt buttons and fome pieces of iron to a tree, for any of the natives that might come after us ; and, happily finding my invalids much better for their night's rest, I got every one into the boat, and departed by dawn of day. Wind at S. E; course to the N. by W.

"We had fcarcely ran two leagues to the northward, when the fea fuddenly became rough, which not having experienced fince we were within the reefs, I concluded to be occafioned by an open channel to the ocean. Soon afterwards we met with a large fhoal, on which were two fandy keys; between these and two others, four miles to the weft, I paffed on to the northward, the fea ftill continuing to be rough

"Towards noon, I fell in with fix other keys, most of which produced fome small trees and brush-wood. These formed a pleafing contraft with the main land we had paffed, which was full of fand-hills.

"I divided fix birds, and iffued one twenty-fifth of a pound of bread, with half a pint of water, to each perfon for dinner, and I gave half a glass of wine to Mr. Nelfon, who had been ill.

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Wednesday, June the 3d. Freth gales S. S. E. and S. E. and fair weather,

After happily paffing all the rocks nd fhoals of the north part of New Holland, at "eight o'clock in the evenng of the 4th, we once more launched to the open ocean. Miferable as our tuation was in every respect, I was feretly furprised to fee that it did not apear to affect any one fo ftrongly as my elf; on the contrary, it feemed as if ey had embarked on a voyage to Tior, in a veffel fufficiently calculated or fafety and convenience. So much onfidence gave me great pleasure, and may affert that to this caufe their preervation is chiefly to be attributed; or if any one of them had defpaired, e would moft probably have died be -ore we reached New Holland.

"I now gave every one hopes that ight or ten days might bring us to a and of fafety; and, after playing to God for a continuance of his most gracious protection, I ferved an allow ance of water for fupper, and kept my courfe to the W, S. W. to counteract the foutherly winds, in cafe they should low ftrong.

"We had been juft fix days on the coaft of New Holland, in the courfe of which we found oysters, a few clams, Tome birds, and water. But perhaps benefit nearly equal to this we received from not having fatigue in the boat, and enjoying good reft at night. Thefe advantages certainly preferved our lives; for, mall as the fupply was, I am very fenfible how much it relieved our diftreffes. About this time nature would have funk under the extremes of hunger and fatigue. Some would have ceafed to fruggle for a life that only promifed wretchednefs and mifery; while others, though poffeffed of more bodily ftrength, muft foon have followed their unfortunate companions. Even in our prefent situation, we were moft wretched fpectacles; yet our fortitude

perfon. At noon, latitude obferved 10 deg. 48 min. S.

"In the evening of the 6th, a few boobies came about us, one of which I caught with my hand. The blood was divided among three of the men who were weakest, but the bird I ordered to be kept for our dinner the next day. Served a quarter of a pint of water for fupper, and to fome, who were most in need, half a pint.

In the course of the night we fuffered much cold and fhiverings. At day-light, I found that fome of the clams, which had been hung up to dry for fea-ftore, were ftolen; but every one moft folemnly denied having any knowledge of it. This forenoon we faw a gannet, a fand-lark, and fome water-fnakes, which in general were from two to three feet long.

"In the afternoon of the 7th, I took an opportunity of examining again into our store of bread, and found remaining nineteen days allowance, at my former rate of ferving one twenty-fifth of a pound three times a day: therefore, as I faw every profpect of a quick paffage, I again ventured to grant an allowance for fupper, agreeable to my promise at the time it was difcontinued.

"We paffed the night miferably wet and cold, and in the morning I heard heavy complaints of our deplorable fituation. The fea was high and breaking over us, I could only afford the allow ance of bread and water for breakfast but for dinner I gave out an ounce of dried clams to each perfon, which was all that remained.

“The sea ran very high on the 8th, and we were continually wet, fuffering much cold in the night. I now remarked that Mr. Ledward, the furgeon, and Lawrence Lebogue, an old hardy feaman, were giving way very fast. I could only affift them by a tea-fpoonful

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obferved more than a common inclination to fleep, which feemed to indicate that nature was almoft exhaufted. "At four in the afternoon, next day, we caught a fmall dolphin, the first relief of the kind we obtained I iffued about two ounces to each perfon, including the offals, and faved the remainder for dinner the next day. Towards evening the wind freshened, and it blew strong all night, fo that we thipped much water, and fuffered greatly from the wet and cold. At day-light, as ufual, I heard much complaining, which my own feelings convinced me was too well founded. I gave the furgeon and Lebogue a little wine, but I could give no farther relief, than affurances that a very few days longer, at our prefent fine rate of failing, would bring us to Timor.

"On the 10th, in the afternoon, I fuffered great ficknefs from the oily nature of part of the stomach of the fish, which had fallen to my share at dinner. At fun-fet, I ferved an allowance of bread and water for fupper. In the morning, after a very bad night, I could fee an alteration for the worfe in more than half my people. The ufual allowance was ferved for break faft and dinner. At noon I found our fituation to be in latitude 9 deg. 16 min. S; longitude from the north part of New Holland 12 deg. r min. W.

"The rith, birds and rock-weed fhowed that we were not far from land; but I expected fuch figns must be here, as there are many islands between the east part of Timor and New Guinea. I however hoped to fall in with Timor every hour, for I had great apprehenfions that fome of my people could not hold out. An extreme weakness, fwelled legs, hollow and ghaftly countenances, great propenfity to fleep, with an apparent debility of understanding, feemed to me melancholy prefages of their approaching diffolution. The furgeon and Lebogue, in particular, were moft miferable objects. I occafionally gave them a few tea-fpoonfuls of wine, out of the little I had faved for this dreadful stage, which no doubt greatly helped to fupport them.

"For my own part, a great fhare of fpirits, with the hopes of being able to accomplish the voyage, feemed to be my

principal fupport; but the boatswain very innocently told me, that he really thought I looked worfe than any one in the boat. The fimplicity with which he uttered fuch an opinion diverted me, and I had good humour enough to return him a better compliment.

"Every one received his twenty-fifth of a pound of bread, and quarter of a pint of water, at evening, morning, and noon, and an extra allowance of water was given to thofe who defired it.

"At noon I had little doubt of having paffed the meridian of the eaftern part of Timor, which is laid down in 128 deg. E. This diffused univerfal joy and fatisfaction.

"All the afternoon, Friday, June the 12th, we had feveral gannets, and many other birds, about us, that indicated we were near land, and at fun-fet we kept a very anxious look-out. In the evening we caught a booby, which I referved for our dinner the next day.

"At three in the morning, with an excefs of joy, we discovered Timor bearing from W. S. W. to W. N. W. and I hauled on a wind to the N. N. E. till day-light, when the land bore from S. W. by S. about two leagues to N. E. by N. feven leagues.

"It is not poffible for me to defcribe the pleafure which the bleffing of the fight of land diffufed among us. It appeared scarce credible, that in an open boat, and fo poorly provided, we should have been able to. reach the coaft of Timor in forty-one days after leaving Tofoa, having in that time run, by our log, a diftance of three thoufand fix hundred and eighteen miles, and that, notwithstanding our extreme diftrefs, no one fhould have perished in the voyage!"

From this time to the 14th, lieutenant Bligh purfued his progrefs with great caution, fearing, that in the night, they might overlook the fettlements they expected to find. "At two o'clock this afternoon, having run through a very dangerous breaking fea, the caufe of which I attributed to a ftrong tide fetting to windward, and fhoal water, we discovered a fpacious bay or found, with a fair entrance about two or three miles wide. I now conceived hopes that our voyage was nearly at an end, as no place could appear more eligible for shipping,

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or more likely to be chofen for an European fettlement: I therefore came to a grapnel near the eaft fide of the entrance, in a small fandy bay, where we faw a hut, a dog, and fome cattle; and I immediately fent the boatfwain and gunner away to the hut, to discover the inhabitants.

"The S. W. point of the entrance bore W. S. three miles; the S. E. point S. by W. three quarters of a mile; and the island Roti from S. by W. W. to S. W. W. about five leagues. "I foon obferved the boatfwain and gunner returning with fome of the natives: I therefore no longer doubted of our fuccefs, and that our most fanguine expectations would be fully gratified. They brought five Indians, and informed me that they had found two families, where the women treated them with European politenefs. From thefe people I learned, that the governor refided at a place called Coupang, which was fome diftance to the N. E. I made figns for one of them to go into the boat, and fhow me Coupang, intimating that I would pay him for his trouble; the man readily complied, and came into

the boat."

Under the direction of this man, they continued, fometimes ufing fails and fometimes oars for feveral hours. At length" the report of two cannon that were fired, gave new life to every one; and soon after we discovered two fquare-rigged veffels and a cutter at anchor to the eastward. I endeavoured to work to windward, but we were obliged to take to our oars again, having loft ground on each tack. We kept clofe to the fhore, and continued rowing till four o'clock, when I brought to a grapnel, and gave another allowance of bread and wine to all hands. As foon as we had refted a little, we weighed again, and rowed till near day light, when I came to a grapnel, off a Imall fort and town, which the pilot told me was Coupang.

"Among the things which the boatfwain had thrown into the boat before we left the fhip, was a bundle of fignal flags that had been made for the boats to fhow the depth of water in foundings with these I had, in the course of the paffage, made a small jack, which now

hoifted in the main fhrouds, as a fignal of diftrefs; for I did not choose to land without leave.

"Soon after day-break a foldier hailed me to land, which I instantly did, among a croud of Indians, and was agreeably furprised to meet with an English failor, who belonged to one of the veffels in the road. His captain, he told me, was the fecond perfon in the town; I therefore defired to be conducted to him, as I was informed the governor was ill, and could not then be spoken with.

"Captain Spikerman received me with great humanity. I informed him of our miferable fituation; and requested that care might be taken of those who were with me, without delay. On which he gave directions for their immediate reception at his own house, and went himself to the governor, to know at what time I could be permitted to fee him; which was fixed to be at eleven o'clock.

"I now defired every one to come on fhore, which was as much as some of them could do, being scarcely able to walk: they, however, got at lalt to the houfe, and found tea with bread and butter provided for their breakfast.

"The abilities of a painter, perhaps, could never have been difplayed to more advantage than in the delineation of the two groups of figures, which at this time prefented themselves. An indifferent fpectator would have been at a lofs which most to admire: the eyes of famine sparkling at immediate relief, or the horror of their preservers at the fight of fo many spectres, whose ghaftly countenances, if the caufe had been unknown, would rather have excited terror than pity. Our bodies were nothing but fkin and bones, our limbs were full of fores, and we were cloathed in rags; in this condition, with the tears of joy and gratitude flowing down our cheeks, the people of Timor beheld us with a mixture of horror, furprife, and pity.

"The governor, Mr. William Adri an Van Efte, notwithstanding his extreme ill-health, became fo anxious about us, that I faw him before the ap→ pointed time. He received me with great affection, and gave me the fulleft

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