A Narrative Of The Mutiny, On Board His Majesty's Ship Bounty Part 8

[Sidenote: Sat.u.r.day 6.]

Sat.u.r.day, June the 6th. Fair weather, with some showers, and a fresh gale at S E and E S E. Constantly shipping water and baling.

[Sidenote: 1789. JUNE 6.]

In the evening a few b.o.o.bies came about us, one of which I caught with my hand. The blood was divided among three of the men who were weakest, but the bird I ordered to be kept for our dinner the next day. Served a quarter of a pint of water for supper, and to some, who were most in need, half a pint.

In the course of the night we suffered much cold and shiverings. At day-light, I found that some of the clams, which had been hung up to dry for sea-store, were stolen; but every one most solemnly denied having any knowledge of it. This forenoon we saw a gannet, a sand-lark, and some water-snakes, which in general were from two to three feet long.

Served the usual allowance of bread and water for breakfast, and the same for dinner, with the bird, which I distributed in the usual way, of Who shall have this? I determined to make Timor about the lat.i.tude of 9 30' S, or 10 S. At noon I observed the lat.i.tude to be 10 19' S; course N 77 W; distance 117 miles; longitude made from the Shoal Cape, the north part of New Holland, 5 31' W.

[Sidenote: Sunday 7.]

Sunday, June the 7th. Fresh gales and fair weather till eight in the evening. The remaining part of the 24 hours squally, with much wind at S S E and E S E, and a high sea, so that we were constantly wet and baling.

In the afternoon, I took an opportunity of examining again into our store of bread, and found remaining 19 days allowance, at my former rate of serving one 25th of a pound three times a day: therefore, as I saw every prospect of a quick pa.s.sage, I again ventured to grant an allowance for supper, agreeable to my promise at the time it was discontinued.

[Sidenote: 1789. JUNE 7.]

We pa.s.sed the night miserably wet and cold, and in the morning I heard heavy complaints of our deplorable situation. The sea was high and breaking over us. I could only afford the allowance of bread and water for breakfast; but for dinner I gave out an ounce of dried clams to each person, which was all that remained.

At noon I altered the course to the W N W, to keep more from the sea while it blew so strong. Lat.i.tude observed 9 31' S; course N 57 W; distance 88 miles; longitude made 6 46' W.

[Sidenote: Monday 8.]

Monday, June the 8th. Fresh gales and squally weather, with some showers of rain. Wind E and E S E.

This day the sea ran very high, and we were continually wet, suffering much cold in the night. I now remarked that Mr. Ledward, the surgeon, and Lawrence Lebogue, an old hardy seaman, were giving way very fast. I could only a.s.sist them by a tea-spoonful or two of wine, which I had carefully saved, expecting such a melancholy necessity. Among most of the others I observed more than a common inclination to sleep, which seemed to indicate that nature was almost exhausted.

Served the usual allowance of bread and water at supper, breakfast, and dinner. Saw several gannets.

At noon I observed in 8 45' S; course W N W 1/4 W, 106 miles; longitude made 8 23' W.

[Sidenote: Tuesday 9.]

Tuesday, June the 9th. Wind S E. The weather being moderate, I steered W by S.

[Sidenote: 1789 JUNE 9.]

At four in the afternoon we caught a small dolphin, the first relief of the kind we obtained. I issued about two ounces to each person, including the offals, and saved the remainder for dinner the next day.

Towards evening the wind freshened, and it blew strong all night, so that we shipped much water, and suffered greatly from the wet and cold.

At day-light, as usual, I heard much complaining, which my own feelings convinced me was too well founded. I gave the surgeon and Lebogue a little wine, but I could give no farther relief, than a.s.surances that a very few days longer, at our present fine rate of sailing, would bring us to Timor.

Gannets, b.o.o.bies, men of war and tropic birds, were constantly about us.

Served the usual allowance of bread and water, and at noon dined on the remains of the dolphin, which amounted to about an ounce per man. I observed the lat.i.tude to be 9 9' S; longitude made 10 8' W; course since yesterday noon S 76 W; distance 107 miles.

[Sidenote: Wednesday 10.]

Wednesday, June the 10th. Wind E S E. Fresh gales and fair weather, but a continuance of much sea, which, by breaking almost constantly over the boat, made us miserably wet, and we had much cold to endure in the night.

This afternoon I suffered great sickness from the oily nature of part of the stomach of the fish, which had fallen to my share at dinner. At sun-set I served an allowance of bread and water for supper. In the morning, after a very bad night, I could see an alteration for the worse in more than half my people. The usual allowance was served for breakfast and dinner. At noon I found our situation to be in lat.i.tude 9 16' S; longitude from the north part of New Holland 12 1' W; course since yesterday noon W 1/2 S, distance 111 miles.

[Sidenote: Thursday 11.]

Thursday, June the 11th. Fresh gales and fair weather. Wind S E and S S E.

[Sidenote: 1789. JUNE 11.]

Birds and rock-weed showed that we were not far from land; but I expected such signs must be here, as there are many islands between the east part of Timor and New Guinea. I however hoped to fall in with Timor every hour, for I had great apprehensions that some of my people could not hold out. An extreme weakness, swelled legs, hollow and ghastly countenances, great propensity to sleep, with an apparent debility of understanding, seemed to me melancholy presages of their approaching dissolution. The surgeon and Lebogue, in particular were most miserable objects. I occasionally gave them a few tea-spoonfuls of wine, out of the little I had saved for this dreadful stage, which no doubt greatly helped to support them.

For my own part, a great share of spirits, with the hopes of being able to accomplish the voyage, seemed to be my princ.i.p.al support; but the boatswain very innocently told me, that he really thought I looked worse than any one in the boat. The simplicity with which he uttered such an opinion diverted me, and I had good humour enough to return him a better compliment.

Every one received his 25th of a pound of bread, and quarter of a pint of water, at evening, morning, and noon, and an extra allowance of water was given to those who desired it.

At noon I observed in lat.i.tude 9 41' S; course S 77 W; distance 109 miles; longitude made 13 49' W. I had little doubt of having now pa.s.sed the meridian of the eastern part of Timor, which is laid down in 128 E.

This diffused universal joy and satisfaction.

[Sidenote: Friday 12.]

Friday, June the 12th. Fresh breezes and fine weather, but very hazy.

Wind from E to S E.

All the afternoon we had several gannets, and many other birds, about us, that indicated we were near land, and at sun-set we kept a very anxious look-out. In the evening we caught a b.o.o.by, which I reserved for our dinner the next day.

[Sidenote: 1789. JUNE 12.]

At three in the morning, with an excess of joy, we discovered Timor bearing from W S W to W N W, and I hauled on a wind to the N N E till day-light, when the land bore from S W by S about two leagues to N E by N seven leagues.

It is not possible for me to describe the pleasure which the blessing of the sight of land diffused among us. It appeared scarce credible, that in an open boat, and so poorly provided, we should have been able to reach the coast of Timor in forty-one days after leaving Tofoa, having in that time run, by our log, a distance of 3618 miles, and that, notwithstanding our extreme distress, no one should have perished in the voyage.

I have already mentioned, that I knew not where the Dutch settlement was situated; but I had a faint idea that it was at the S W part of the island. I therefore, after day-light, bore away along sh.o.r.e to the S S W, and the more readily as the wind would not suffer us to go towards the N E without great loss of time.

[Sidenote: 1789. JUNE 12.]

The day gave us a most agreeable prospect of the land, which was interspersed with woods and lawns; the interior part mountainous, but the sh.o.r.e low. Towards noon the coast became higher, with some remarkable head-lands. We were greatly delighted with the general look of the country, which exhibited many cultivated spots and beautiful situations; but we could only see a few small huts, whence I concluded no European resided in this part of the island. Much sea ran on the sh.o.r.e, so that landing with a boat was impracticable. At noon I was abreast of a very high head-land; the extremes of the land bore S W 1/2 W, and N N E 1/2 E; our distance off sh.o.r.e being three miles; lat.i.tude, by observation, 9 59' S; and my longitude, by dead reckoning, from the north part of New Holland, 15 6' W.

With the usual allowance of bread and water for dinner, I divided the bird we had caught the night before, and to the surgeon and Lebogue I gave a little wine.

[Sidenote: Sat.u.r.day 13.]

Sat.u.r.day, June the 13th. Fresh gales at E, and E S E, with very hazy weather.

During the afternoon, we continued our course along a low woody sh.o.r.e, with innumerable palm-trees, called the Fan Palm from the leaf spreading like a fan; but we had now lost all signs of cultivation, and the country had not so fine an appearance as it had to the eastward. This, however, was only a small tract, for by sun-set it improved again, and I saw several great smokes where the inhabitants were clearing and cultivating their grounds. We had now ran 25 miles to the W S W since noon, and were W five miles from a low point, which in the afternoon I imagined had been the southernmost land, and here the coast formed a deep bend, with low land in the bight that appeared like islands. The west sh.o.r.e was high; but from this part of the coast to the high cape which we were abreast of yesterday noon, the sh.o.r.e is low, and I believe shoal. I particularly remark this situation, because here the very high ridge of mountains, that run from the east end of the island, terminate, and the appearance of the country suddenly changes for the worse, as if it was not the same island in any respect.

[Sidenote: 1789. JUNE 13.]

That we might not run past any settlement in the night, I determined to preserve my station till the morning, and therefore hove to under a close-reefed fore-sail, with which the boat lay very quiet. We were here in shoal water; our distance from the sh.o.r.e being half a league, the westernmost land in sight bearing W S W 1/2 W. Served bread and water for supper, and the boat lying too very well, all but the officer of the watch endeavoured to get a little sleep.