CHAPTER VII.

Library.

Of California

Court-martial.-Correspondence of Members of Peter Heywood's Family. -Acquittal of some of the Crew.-Pardon of Peter Heywood and James Morrison.-Execution of two Prisoners.-Subsequent Career of Captain Bligh and other Officers of the Bounty.-Death of Miss Nessy Heywood.

THE Court-martial assembled on board H.M. ship Duke, under the presidency of Vice-admiral Lord Hood, and continued from the 12th to the 18th September, Sunday excepted.

The charges set forth were that Fletcher Christian, who was mate of the Bounty, assisted by others of the inferior officers and crew, armed with muskets and bayonets, had violently and forcibly taken that ship from Lieutenant Bligh, and that he, together with the master, boatswain, gunner, and other persons (being nineteen in number), were forced into the launch and cast adrift. It was further set forth that Captain Edwards, in the Pandora, was directed to proceed to Otaheite, and other islands in the South Seas, and to use his best endeavors to recover the said vessel, and to bring in confinement to England the said Fletcher Christian and his associates, or as many of them as he might be able to apprehend, in order that they might be brought to condign punishment, etc.; and that Peter Heywood, James Morrison, Charles Norman, Joseph Coleman, Thomas Ellison, Thomas M'Intosh, Thomas Birkett, John Millward, William Muspratt, and Michael Byrne, had been brought to England, etc., and were now put on their trial.

Mr. Fryer, the master of the Bounty, being first sworn, deposed:

That he had the first watch; that between ten and eleven o'clock Mr. Bligh came on deck, according to custom, and after a short conversation, and having given his orders for the night, left the deck; that at twelve he was relieved by the gunner, and retired, leaving all quiet; that at dawn of day he was greatly alarmed by an unusual noise; and that on attempting to jump up, John Sumner and Matthew Quintal laid their hands upon his breast and desired him to lie still, saying he was their prisoner; that on expostulating with them he was told, "Hold your tongue, or you are a dead man, but if you remain quiet there is none on board will hurt a hair of your head." He further deposed, that on raising himself on the locker, he saw Mr. Bligh, in his shirt, going on deck by the ladder, with his hands tied behind him, and Christian holding him by the cord; that the master-at-arms, Churchill, then came to his cabin and took a brace of pistols and a hanger, saying, “I will take care of these, Mr. Fryer;" that he asked, on seeing Mr. Bligh bound, what they were going to do with the captain: that Sumner replied, “Put him into the boat, and let him see if he can live on three-fourths of a pound of yams a day;" that he remonstrated with such conduct, but in vain. They said he must go in the small cutter. "The small cutter !" Mr. Fryer exclaimed; "why, her bottom is almost out, and very much eaten by the worms!" to which Sumner and Quintal both said, "The boat is too good for him." After much entreaty, he prevailed on them to ask Christian if he might be allowed to go on deck, which, after some hesitation, was granted. "When I came on deck," says Mr. Fryer," Mr. Bligh was standing by the mizzen-mast with his hands tied behind him, and Christian holding the cord in one hand and a

bayonet in the other. I said, 'Christian, consider what you are about.' 'Hold your tongue, sir,' he said; 'I have been in hell for weeks past; Captain Bligh has brought all this on himself.' I told him that Mr. Bligh and he not agreeing was no reason for taking the ship. Hold your tongue, sir,' he said. I said, 'Mr. Christian, you and I have been on friendly terms during the voyage, therefore give me leave to speak. Let Mr. Bligh go down to his cabin, and I make no doubt we shall all be friends again.' He then repeated, 'Hold your tongue, sir; it is too late,' threatening me if I said any thing more." Mr. Fryer then asked him to give a better boat than the cutter; he said, "No, that boat is good enough." Bligh now said to the master that the man behind the hen-coops (Isaac Martin) was his friend, and desired him (the master) to knock Christian down, which Christian must have heard, but took no notice; Fryer then attempted to get past Christian to speak to Martin, but he put his bayonet to his breast, saying, "Sir, if you advance an inch farther I will run you through," and ordered two armed men to take him down to his cabin. Shortly afterwards he was desired to go on deck, when Christian ordered him into the boat. He said, "I will stay if you will give me leave." "No, sir," he replied; "go directly into the boat." Bligh, then on the gangway, said, “Mr. Fryer, stay in the ship." "No," Christian said, " go into the boat, or I will run you. through."

Fryer stated that during this time very opprobrious language was used by the people towards Mr. Bligh; that with great difficulty they prevailed on Christian to suffer a few articles to be put into the boat; that, after the persons were put into the boat to the number of nineteen, ' much violent language continued to be used, several of the men calling out, "Shoot him!" that Cole, the boatswain,

advised they should cast off and take their chance, as the mutineers would certainly do them some mischief if they remained much longer.

Mr. Fryer then stated the names of those who were under arms; and that Joseph Coleman, Thomas M'Intosh, Charles Norman, and Michael Byrne (prisoners) wished to come into the boat, declaring they had nothing to do in the business; and that he did not perceive Mr. Peter Heywood on deck at the seizure of the ship.

On being asked to what he supposed Christian alluded when he said "he had been in hell for a fortnight," he replied, "To the frequent quarrels they had, and the abuse he received from Mr. Bligh, and that the day before the mutiny Mr. Bligh had challenged all the young gentlemen and people with stealing his cocoa-nuts."

Mr. Cole, the boatswain, deposes-that he had the middle watch; was awakened out of his sleep in the morning, and heard a man calling out to the carpenter that they had mutinied and taken the ship, that Christian had the command, and the captain was a prisoner on the quarterdeck; that he went up the hatchway, having seen Mr. Heywood and Mr. Young in the opposite berth; that, coming on deck, he saw the captain with his hands tied behind him, and four sentinels standing over him, two of whom were Ellison and Birkett, the prisoners. He asked Mr. Christian what he meant to do, and was answered by his ordering him to hoist the boat out; that he saw Peter Heywood, one of the prisoners, lending a hand to get the fore-stay fall along, and, when the boat was hooked on, spoke something to him, but what it was does not know, as Christian was threatening him at the time; that Heywood then went below, and does not remember seeing him afterwards.

The Court asked if he had any reason to believe that

any other of the prisoners than those named were detained contrary to their inclinations.

Answer. "I believe Mr. Heywood was. I thought all along he was intending to come away; he had no arms, and he assisted to get the boat out, and then went below. I heard Churchill call out,' Keep them below.""

The Court." Do you think he meant Heywood?"

"I have no reason to think any other."

Mr. Peckover the gunner's evidence is similar to that of Mr. Cole's, and need not be detailed.

Mr. Purcell, the carpenter, corroborated generally the testimony of the three who had been examined.

The Court." In what light did you look upon Mr. Heywood ?"

Witness.-"I looked upon him as a person confused, and that he went below as on his own account, in order to collect some of his things to go in the boat."

The Court.-"In the time that Mr. Heywood was assisting you in getting things into the boat, did he in any degree whatever manifest a disposition to assist in the mutiny ?"

Witness." No.”

The Court." Was he during that time deliberate or frightened, and in what manner did he behave himself?"

Witness."I had not an opportunity of observing his every action, being at that time engaged in getting several things into the boat, so that I can not tell."

The Court. "Putting every circumstance together, declare to this court, upon the oath you have taken, how you considered his behavior; whether as a person joined in the mutiny, or as a person wishing well to Captain Bligh ?"

Witness.-"I by no means considered him a person concerned in the mutiny or conspiracy."