gourds of water, and Lieutenant Bligh's spirit-case, besides some bottles of wine, were then put into the launch. By this time it was so deeply laden as to be scarcely seven inches above the water's edge, and Bligh implored Christian to relent, saying, "I'll pawn my honor, Mr. Christian -I'll give my word-never to think of this if you will desist. Consider my wife and family!"

To this appeal Christian replied peremptorily, “No, Captain Bligh, if you had any honor, things would not have come to this extremity; and if you had any regard for your wife and family you should have thought of them before, and not behaved so like a villain as you have done."

The boatswain then attempted to soften Christian, who only said," No, it is too late, Mr. Cole; I have been in hthis fortnight past, and am determined to bear it no longer. You know that during the whole voyage I have been treated like a dog."

Bligh then urged upon Christian that the master might be allowed to remain, and also some of the men who had been ordered into the launch, as she was so low in the wa"The men may remain, sir," was Christian's answer, "but the master must go with you."

ter.

Bligh then addressed them, and said, "Never mind, my boys; you can't all go with me, but I will do you justice if ever I reach England."

The boatswain, on leaving the vessel, was reminded by Morrison, his relative, of Bligh's promise, as he had intended to take his chance on board the vessel, and the reply was, "God bless you, my boy! but for my wife and children, I would remain also."

All being ready, Lieutenant Bligh's hands were released, and he was ordered into the boat. He had been allowed to take his clothes, his commission, private journal, and

pocket-book. Christian then handed over the side, and placed in Bligh's hands, a book of nautical tables and his own sextant, saying, "That book, sir, is sufficient for every purpose, and you know my sextant to be a good one.

The launch was then veered astern and cast adrift, and her crew took to their oars. There was little wind, and the sea was calm and waveless. It was then 8 A.M., and the nearest land about eight or ten leagues distant. Bligh's vows of vengeance as he left the ship reached the ears of many on board, and many were his indiscriminate accusations involving the innocent and the guilty. He was heard to be especially severe with regard to his young charge, Peter Heywood, who, he said, "ought to have raised a party in his favor, and retaken the vessel." In the first instance, however, neither Bligh nor any of his people ever made the least resistance, or attempted to seize the arms, and the mutiny was so sudden and so soon over, that it was not possible for any one, much less a young boy, to make any attempt at rescue.

As soon as the launch was gone, orders were given for all those who were detained in the ship to be released, among whom were Stewart and Peter Heywood. The latter had gone below with Stewart, to collect some clothes, by his friend's advice, and to accompany him in the launch. "Do not think of remaining," said Stewart; "if you do, you will bear an equal amount of guilt with the mutineers, although you have had no hand in the mutiny." When they attempted to return on deck Thompson, by Churchill's orders, presented a pistol at Stewart's breast, ordering him to remain below. Stewart then hailed Churchill, and said, "If you will not let us go, I desire you will inform the captain that we are detained by force." The reply was, "Aye, aye, sir," but the message was not delivered. Upon returning on deck, Stewart de

manded of Christian the reason for his detention, who denied having given any orders to that effect; but Churchill said he "had kept Mr. Stewart and Mr. Heywood below, to prevent their going with Lieutenant Bligh in the launch;" and added, "If any thing should happen to you, Mr. Christian, there would be no one else to depend upon for navigating the ship."

Christian afterwards gave these two young officers the following account of this strange outbreak: He said he had borne much from Bligh, but the late accusations of theft had wounded his feelings so much that in desperation he determined to leave the ship, and with this view constructed a small raft of some pieces of wood tied together to a stout plank. Two or three persons were aware of this intention, among whom were the steward and Thomas Hayward. He finally put some food, nails, beads, and other things into a bag given him by Thomas Hayward for that purpose (which Morrison observed, as he had made the bag for Hayward); and thus provided, he intended to leave during either the first or the middle watch, in the hope of reaching some of the islands not far distant; but the ship was making no way through the water, and people were moving about the deck, so that no opportunity for escape offered. He had lain down to rest about half-past three in the morning, feeling very unwell, when Stewart called him to take the morning watch, and at the same time strongly recommended him to desist from all further attempts to leave the ship. Soon afterwards he went on deck, and finding Hayward asleep between the guns, and Hallett not having made his appearance, the idea presented itself that he should take possession of the vessel. He rushed down, communicated with some of the seamen who had been flogged by Bligh—who at once joined him with two or three others, seven in all—

and by an artifice they obtained from Churchill the keys of the arm-chest. At this juncture they found Hallett asleep on the main hatchway, and sent him on deck, where Norman, one of the seamen, was watching the motions of a shark round the vessel, and had awakened T. Hayward, the midshipman of the watch, to observe it. Christian and his confederates now appeared on deck armed, after having placed arms in the hands of several men below, who were quite unaware of their design. Lieutenant Bligh was then brought up from his cabin, and a guard placed over the cabin of the master, the gunner and botanist being also under the charge of two sentinels. Thus, in the course of a few hours, the whole state of affairs was changed on board the Bounty.

Lieutenant Bligh having been dismissed so summarily, the command naturally devolved upon Christian as next in rank.

But Christian himself was a changed man. A reaction had taken place; passion and resentment had cooled. He stood with his arms folded in moody thought, and with his eyes riveted on the departing boat. Nor was it matter for surprise that such should have been the case. What would be the result of the mutiny to himself? Degradation; and, should he ever fall into the hands of his countrymen, the death of a felon. This rash act had reduced him to a level with the worst and the lowest of his companions, and doomed him to a life of exile from all civilized society. Alas for him, that there had not been some friend at hand to have pointed out to him the fatal consequences of such a crime: the wide-spread anguish it would occasion to so many families; the misery and disgrace to his own; and who also could have urged upon him the solemn warning, that it is not for man to avenge his own wrongs! Thus might this unfortunate young

man have been saved from the abyss of ruin into which he had so recklessly plunged, and in which all, more or less, were hopelessly involved.

The men raised the cry-"Hurrah for Tahiti !" the ship wore round and Christian roused himself from his painful reflections. The die was cast; all that had been done was irrevocable, and it was essential for his own and the common weal that he should assume command and maintain discipline.

Instead of Tahiti he ordered the vessel to be steered for the small island of Toubouai, where they arrived on the 28th of May. It appeared a very fertile island, wooded almost to the water's edge, and surrounded by coral reefs. Among these there was but one opening-that described by Captain Cook-through which a vessel might be warped and moored close to the shore. The natives were assembled in great numbers as the vessel approached, armed with clubs and spears, and vehemently blowing their conch-shells. Their aspect was so savage, and they seemed so determined to oppose a landing, that Christian thought it as well for the time being to give up the attempt to form a settlement there, and he gave orders to change the course of the vessel for Tahiti. He also directed that the ship should be cleared of all the young bread-fruit trees, which were accordingly thrown overboard, and he appropriated to himself the captain's cabin, which was filled with all the curiosities collected during the voyage, and which he intended to use as articles of barter.

The mutineers had no sooner freed themselves from the odious tyranny of one man than they became tyrants to one another, and those who had taken no part in the mutiny were oppressed and regarded with especial dislike and suspicion. Some had endeavored to form a plot to retake