The Mutiny of the Bounty

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The Eventful History of the
Mutiny and Piratical Seizure of
H.M.S. Bounty: Its Cause and
Consequences

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And
Piratical Seizure Of H.M.S. Bounty: Its Cause And Consequences, by
Sir John Barrow This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no
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Title: The Eventful History Of The Mutiny And Piratical Seizure Of
H.M.S. Bounty: Its Cause And Consequences
Author: Sir John Barrow
Release Date: December 23, 2004 [EBook #14424]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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OF THE BOUNTY ***

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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 will be distinguished in history by the great
extension and improvement which geographical knowledge received
under the immediate auspices of this sovereign. At a very early period,
after his accession to the throne of these realms, expeditions of
discovery were undertaken, 'not (as Dr. Hawkesworth observes) with a
view to the acquisition of treasure, or the extent of dominion, but for
the improvement of