A representation to this effect being presented by the merchants and planters to his Majesty, he was pleased to order a vessel to be fitted out and equipped for that specific service. The Bounty, arined transport, was put in commission, and the command given to Lieutenant Bligh, on the 16th of August, 1787.

Her burden was nearly two hundred and fifteen tons; her extreme length on deck, ninety feet; extreme breadth, twenty-four feet; and her height in the hold under the beams, at the main hatchway, ten feet. In the cockpit were the cabins of the surgeon, gunner, botanist, and clerk, with a steward-room and store-rooms. The between decks was divided in the following manner :-the great cabin was appropriated for the preservation of the plants, and extended as far forward as the after hatchway. It had two large sky-lights, and on each side three scuttles for air, and was fitted with a false floor cut full of holes to contain the garden pots, in which the plants were to be brought home. The deck was covered with lead, and at the foremost corners of the cabin were fixed pipes to carry off the water that drained from the plants, into tubs placed below to save it for future use. Captain Bligh had a small cabin on one side to sleep in, adjoining to the great cabin, and a place near the middle of the ship to eat in.

The bulk-head of this apartment was at the after-part of the main hatchway, and on each side of it were the births of the mates and midshipmen; between these births the armchest was placed. The cabin of the master, in which was always kept the key of the arms, was opposite to the Commander's. This particular description of the interior parts of the ship is rendered necessary by the event of the expedition. She carried four four-pounders and ten swivels, and was manned by a ship's company of forty-four in the whole, including officers; two gardeners also were sent out, in addition, to take care of the plants. She was stored and victualled for eighteen months, and a quantity of iron-work and trinkets put on board to facilitate an intercourse with the natives.

According to Lieutenant Bligh's instructions, he was to proceed, with all expedition, round Cape Horn to the Society Islands in the South Sea, and there having taken in a sufficient quantity of bread-fruit plants, to proceed through Endeavour Straits to Prince's Island in the Straits of Sunda, or to the Island of Java,. as should prove most convenient. Thence he was directed to proceed round the Cape of Good Hope to the West Indies, and deposit one half of the plants in his Majesty's garden at St. Vincent, for the benefit of the Windward

Islands, and then, sailing to Jamaica, to leave the remainder there.

Lieutenant Bligh, however, conceiving that it might be too late in the season for doubling Cape Horn, received a discretionary power to proceed to Otaheite, round the Cape of Good Hope. We shall proceed to narrate the singular events of the voyage in this officer's own words.

On the 23rd of December, 1787, the Bounty set sail from Spithead, and passing through the Needles, directed her course down channel, with a fresh gale of wind at East. In the afternoon, one of the seamen, in furling the main-top-gallant-sail, fell off the yard, and was so fortunate as to save himself by catching hold of the main-top-mast-stay in his fall. At night the wind increased to a strong gale, with a heavy sea. It moderated, however, on the 25th, and allowed us to keep our Christmas with cheerfulness; on the 27th of December, it blew a severe storm of wind from the Eastward, in the course of which we suffered greatly. One sea broke away the spare yards and spars out of the star-board main-chains; another broke into the ship and stove all the boats. Several casks of beer that had been lashed on deck broke loose, and were washed overboard; and it was not without great risk and difficulty that we were

able to secure the boats from being washed away entirely. A great quantity of our bread was also damaged, and rendered useless, for the sea had stove in our stern, and filled the cabin with water.

On the 5th of January, 1788, we saw the Island of Teneriffe about twelve leagues distant, and next day being Sunday, came to an anchor in the road of Santa Cruz. This town is about half a mile in extent each way, built in a regular manner, and the houses in general large and airy, but the streets are very ill paved. I am told, that they are subject to few diseases; but if any epidemic distemper breaks out, it is attended with the most fatal consequences. For this reason, they are very circumspect in admitting ships to have communication with the shore without bills of health. There is a degree of wretchedness and want among the lower class of people, which is not any where so common as among the Spanish and Portuguese settlements. To alleviate these evils, the present governor of Teneriffe has instituted a most charitable society, which he takes the trouble to superintend; by considerable contributions, a large airy dwelling, that contains one hundred and twenty poor girls, and as many men and boys, has been built, and endowed with a sufficiency of land round it, not only for

all present purposes, but for enlarging the building for more objects of charity as their funds increase. I had the honour to be shown by his excellency this asylum, (Hospicio, they call it) where there appeared in every countenance the utmost cheerfulness and content. The decency and neatness of the dress of the young females, with the order in which they were arranged at their spinning-wheels and looms, in an extensive airy apartment, was admirable. A governess inspected and regulated all their works, which were the manufacturing of ribbons of all colours, coarse linens, and tapes; all which were managed and brought to perfection by themselves, from the silk and flax in their first state; even the dying of the colours is performed by them. These girls are received for five years, at the end of which they are at li berty to marry, and have for their portions their wheel and loom, with a sum of money proportioned to the state of the funds of the institution, which are assisted by the produce of their labour, and at this time was estimated at two thousand dollars per annum.

The men and boys are not less attended to: they are employed in coarser work, blanketing and all kinds of common woollens: if they become infirm, they spend the remainder of their days here comfortably, and under a