A Narrative Of The Mutiny, On Board His Majesty's Ship Bounty Part 3

For dinner, I served some of the damaged bread, and a quarter of a pint of water.

[Sidenote: Wednesday 6.]

Wednesday, 6th May. Fresh breezes E N E, and fair weather, but very hazy.

About six o'clock this afternoon I discovered two islands, one bearing W by S 6 leagues, and the other N W by N 8 leagues; I kept to windward of the northernmost, and pa.s.sing it by 10 o'clock, I resumed my course to the N W and W N W. At day-light in the morning I discovered a number of other islands from S S E to the W, and round to N E by E; between those in the N W I determined to pa.s.s. At noon a small sandy island or key, 2 miles distant from me, bore from E to S 3/4 W. I had pa.s.sed ten islands, the largest of which may be 6 or 8 leagues in circuit. Much larger lands appeared in the S W and N by W, between which I directed my course.

Lat.i.tude observed 17 17' S; course since yesterday noon N 50 W; distance 84 miles; longitude made, by account, 5 37' W.

[Sidenote: 1789. MAY 6.]

Our supper, breakfast, and dinner, consisted of a quarter of a pint of cocoa-nut milk, and the meat, which did not exceed two ounces to each person: it was received very contentedly, but we suffered great drought.

I dared not to land, as we had no arms, and were less capable to defend ourselves than we were at Tofoa.

To keep an account of the boat's run was rendered difficult, from being constantly wet with the sea breaking over us; but, as we advanced towards the land, the sea became smoother, and I was enabled to form a sketch of the islands, which will serve to give a general knowledge of their extent. Those I have been near are fruitful and hilly, some very mountainous, and all of a good height.

To our great joy we hooked a fish, but we were miserably disappointed by its being lost in getting into the boat.

[Sidenote: Thursday 7.]

Thursday, 7th May. Variable weather and cloudy, wind north-easterly, and calms. I continued my course to the N W, between the islands, which, by the evening, appeared of considerable extent, woody and mountainous. At sun-set the southernmost bore from S to S W by W, and the northernmost from N by W 1/2 W to N E 1/2 E. At six o'clock I was nearly mid-way between them, and about 6 leagues distant from each sh.o.r.e, when I fell in with a coral bank, where I had only four feet water, without the least break on it, or ruffle of the sea to give us warning. I could only see that it extended about a mile on each side of us; but, as it is probable that it extends much farther, I have laid it down so in my sketch.

I now directed my course W by N for the night, and served to each person an ounce of the damaged bread, and a quarter of a pint of water, for supper.

[Sidenote: 1789. May 7.]

It may readily be supposed, that our lodgings were very miserable and confined, and I had only in my power to remedy the latter defect by putting ourselves at watch and watch; so that one half always sat up while the other lay down on the boat's bottom, or upon a chest, with nothing to cover us but the heavens. Our limbs were dreadfully cramped, for we could not stretch them out, and the nights were so cold, and we so constantly wet, that after a few hours sleep we could scarce move.

At dawn of day we again discovered land from W S W to W N W, and another island N N W, the latter a high round lump of but little extent; and I could see the southern land that I had pa.s.sed in the night. Being very wet and cold, I served a spoonful of rum and a morsel of bread for breakfast.

[Sidenote: 1789. MAY 7.]

As I advanced towards the land in the west, it appeared in a variety of forms; some extraordinary high rocks, and the country agreeably interspersed with high and low land, covered in some places with wood.

Off the N E part lay two small rocky islands, between which and the island to the N E, 4 leagues apart, I directed my course; but a lee current very unexpectedly set us very near to the sh.o.r.e, and I could only get clear of it by rowing, pa.s.sing close to the reef that surrounded the rocky isles. We now observed two large sailing canoes coming swiftly after us along sh.o.r.e, and, being apprehensive of their intentions, we rowed with some anxiety, being sensible of our weak and defenceless state. It was now noon, calm and cloudy weather, my lat.i.tude is therefore doubtful to 3 or 4 miles; my course since yesterday noon N 56 W, distance 79 miles; lat.i.tude by account, 16 29' S, and longitude by account, from Tofoa, 6 46' W. Being constantly wet, it was with the utmost difficulty I could open a book to write, and I am sensible that what I have done can only serve to point out where these lands are to be found again, and give an idea of their extent.

[Sidenote: Friday 8.]

Friday, 8th May. All the afternoon the weather was very rainy, attended with thunder and lightning. Wind N N E.

Only one of the canoes gained upon us, and by three o'clock in the afternoon was not more than two miles off, when she gave over chase.

If I may judge from the sail of the vessels, they are the same as at the Friendly Islands, and the nearness of their situation leaves little room to doubt of their being the same kind of people. Whether these canoes had any hostile intention against us is a matter of doubt; perhaps we might have benefited by an intercourse with them, but in our defenceless situation it would have been risking too much to make the experiment.

I imagine these to be the islands called Feejee, as their extent, direction, and distance from the Friendly Islands, answers to the description given of them by those Islanders. Heavy rain came on at four o'clock, when every person did their utmost to catch some water, and we increased our stock to 34 gallons, besides quenching our thirst for the first time since we had been at sea; but an attendant consequence made us pa.s.s the night very miserably, for, being extremely wet, and no dry things to shift or cover us, we experienced cold and shiverings scarce to be conceived. Most fortunately for us, the forenoon turned out fair, and we stripped and dried our cloaths. The allowance I issued to-day, was an ounce and a half of pork, a tea-spoonful of rum, half a pint of cocoa-nut milk, and an ounce of bread. The rum, though so small in quant.i.ty, was of the greatest service. A fishing-line was generally towing, and we saw great numbers of fish, but could never catch one.

At noon, I observed, in lat.i.tude 16 4' S, and found I had made a course, from yesterday noon, N 62 W, distance 62 miles; longitude, by account, from Tofoa, 7 42' W.

[Sidenote: 1789. MAY 8.]

The land I pa.s.sed yesterday, and the day before, is a group of islands, 14 or 16 in number, lying between the lat.i.tude of 16 26' S and 17 57'

S, and in longitude, by my account, 4 47' to 7 17' W from Tofoa; three of these islands are very large, having from 30 to 40 leagues of sea-coast.

[Sidenote: Sat.u.r.day 9.]

Sat.u.r.day, 9th May. Fine weather, and light winds from the N E to E by S.

This afternoon we cleaned out the boat, and it employed us till sun-set to get every thing dry and in order. Hitherto I had issued the allowance by guess, but I now got a pair of scales, made with two cocoa-nut sh.e.l.ls; and, having accidentally some pistol-b.a.l.l.s in the boat, 25[*] of which weighed one pound, or 16 ounces, I adopted one, as the proportion of weight that each person should receive of bread at the times I served it. I also amused all hands, with describing the situation of New Guinea and New Holland, and gave them every information in my power, that in case any accident happened to me, those who survived might have some idea of what they were about, and be able to find their way to Timor, which at present they knew nothing of, more than the name, and some not that.

[*] It weighed 272 grains.

At night I served a quarter of a pint of water, and half an ounce of bread, for supper. In the morning, a quarter of a pint of cocoa-nut milk, and some of the decayed bread, for breakfast; and for dinner, I divided the meat of four cocoa-nuts, with the remainder of the rotten bread, which was only eatable by such distressed people.

At noon, I observed the lat.i.tude to be 15 47' S; course since yesterday N 75 W; distant 64 miles; longitude made, by account, 8 45' W.

[Sidenote: 1789 MAY 10.]

[Sidenote: Sunday 10.]

Sunday, May the 10th. The first part of this day fine weather; but after sun-set it became squally, with hard rain, thunder, and lightning, and a fresh gale; wind E by S, S E, and S S E.

In the afternoon I got fitted a pair of shrouds for each mast and contrived a canva.s.s weather cloth round the boat, and raised the quarters about nine inches, by nailing on the seats of the stern sheets, which proved of great benefit to us.

About nine o'clock in the evening, the clouds began to gather, and we had a prodigious fall of rain, with severe thunder and lightning. By midnight we had caught about twenty gallons of water. Being miserably wet and cold, I served to each person a tea-spoonful of rum, to enable them to bear with their distressed situation. The weather continued extremely bad, and the wind increased; we spent a very miserable night, without sleep, but such as could be got in the midst of rain. The day brought us no relief but its light. The sea was constantly breaking over us, which kept two persons baling; and we had no choice how to steer, for we were obliged to keep before the waves to avoid filling the boat.

The allowance which I now regularly served to each person was one 25th of a pound of bread, and a quarter of a pint of water, at sun-set, eight in the morning, and at noon. To-day I gave about half an ounce of pork for dinner, which, though any moderate person would have considered but a mouthful, was divided into three or four.

The rain abated towards noon, and I observed the lat.i.tude to be 15 17'

S; course N 67 W; distance 78 miles; longitude made 10 W.

[Sidenote: Monday 11.]

Monday, May the 11th. Strong gales from S S E to S E, and very squally weather, with a high breaking sea, so that we were miserably wet, and suffered great cold in the night. In the morning at day-break I served to every person a tea-spoonful of rum, our limbs being so cramped that we could scarce feel the use of them. Our situation was now extremely dangerous, the sea frequently running over our stern, which kept us baling with all our strength.

[Sidenote: 1789. MAY 11.]

At noon the sun appeared, which gave us as much pleasure as in a winter's day in England. I issued the 25th of a pound of bread, and a quarter of a pint of water, as yesterday. Lat.i.tude observed 14 50' S; course N 71 W; distance 102 miles; and longitude, by account, 11 39'

W. from Tofoa.

[Sidenote: Tuesday 12.]

Tuesday, May the 12th. Strong gales at S E, with much rain and dark dismal weather, moderating towards noon and wind varying to the N E.

Having again experienced a dreadful night, the day showed to me a poor miserable set of beings full of wants, without any thing to relieve them. Some complained of a great pain in their bowels, and all of having but very little use of their limbs. What sleep we got was scarce refreshing, we being covered with sea and rain. Two persons were obliged to be always baling the water out of the boat. I served a spoonful of rum at day-dawn, and the usual allowance of bread and water, for supper, breakfast, and dinner.

At noon it was almost calm, no sun to be seen, and some of us shivering with cold. Course since yesterday W by N; distance 89 miles; lat.i.tude, by account, 14 33' S; longitude made 13 9' W. The direction of my course is to pa.s.s to the northward of the New Hebrides.

[Sidenote: Wednesday 13.]

Wednesday, May the 13th. Very squally weather, wind southerly. As I saw no prospect of getting our cloaths dried, I recommended it to every one to strip, and wring them through the salt water, by which means they received a warmth, that, while wet with rain, they could not have, and we were less liable to suffer from colds or rheumatic complaints.