



Produced by Steven Gibbs and the PG Online Distributed Proofreading Team





THE EVENTFUL HISTORY

OF THE

MUTINY AND PIRATICAL SEIZURE

OF H.M.S. BOUNTY:

ITS CAUSE AND CONSEQUENCES.

[By Sir John Barrow]

     LONDON:
     JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE-STREET.
     MDCCCXXXI.




CONTENTS


                PREFACE
     CHAPTER I. OTAHEITE
        "   II. THE BREAD-FRUIT
        "  III. THE MUTINY
        "   IV. THE OPEN-BOAT NAVIGATION
        "    V. THE 'PANDORA'
        "   VI. THE COURT-MARTIAL
        "  VII. THE KING'S WARRANT
        " VIII. THE LAST OF THE MUTINEERS
                CONCLUSION
                ADDITIONAL NOTE
                ENDNOTES




PREFACE


The Editor of this little volume (for he presumes not to write _Author_)
has been induced to bring into one connected view what has hitherto
appeared only as detached fragments (and some of these not generally
accessible)--the historical narrative of an event which deeply
interested the public at the time of its occurrence, and from which the
naval service in particular, in all its ranks, may still draw
instructive and useful lessons.

The story in itself is replete with interest. We are taught by _The
Book_ of sacred history that the disobedience of our first parents
entailed on our globe of earth a sinful and a suffering race: in our
time there has sprung up from the most abandoned of this sinful
family--from pirates, mutineers, and murderers--a little society which,
under the precepts of that sacred volume, is characterized by religion,
morality, and innocence. The discovery of this happy people, as
unexpected as it was accidental, and all that regards their condition
and history, partake so much of the romantic as to render the story not
ill adapted for an epic poem. Lord Byron, indeed, has partially treated
the subject; but by blending two incongruous stories, and leaving both
of them imperfect, and by mixing up fact with fiction, has been less
felicitous than usual; for, beautiful as many passages in his _Island_
are, in a region where every tree, and flower, and fountain breathe
poetry, yet as a whole the poem is feeble and deficient in dramatic
effect.

There still remains to us at least one poet, who, if he could be
prevailed on to undertake it, would do justice to the story. To his
suggestion the publication of the present narrative owes its appearance.
But a higher object at present is engaging his attention, which, when
completed, judging from that portion already before the public, will
have raised a splendid and lasting monument to the name of William
Sotheby, in his translation of the _Iliad_ and the _Odyssey_.

To the kindness of Mrs. Heywood, the relict of the late Captain Peter
Heywood, the Editor is indebted for those beautiful and affectionate
letters, written by a beloved sister to her unfortunate brother, while a
prisoner and under sentence of death; as well as for some occasional
poetry, which displays an intensity of feeling, a tenderness of
expression, and a high tone of sentiment that do honour to the head and
heart of this amiable and accomplished lady. Those letters also from the
brother to his deeply afflicted family will be read with peculiar
interest.




CHAPTER I

OTAHEITE

     The gentle island, and the genial soil,
     The friendly hearts, the feasts without a toil,
     The courteous manners but from nature caught,
     The wealth unhoarded, and the love unbougnt,

            *       *       *       *       *

     The bread-tree, which, without the ploughshare, yields
     The unreap'd harvest of unfurrow'd fields,
     And bakes its unadulterated loaves
     Without a furnace in unpurchased groves,
     And flings off famine from its fertile breast,
     A priceless market for the gathering guest;--
     These, etc.--                              BYRON.


The reign of George III