The Eventful History of the Mutiny and Piratical Seizure of H.M.S. Bounty: Its Cause And Consequences Part 10

Answer--'I believe Mr. Heywood was; I thought all along he was intending to come away; he had no arms, and he a.s.sisted 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_ asked, 'Did you see Mr.

Heywood standing upon the booms?' 'Yes; he was leaning the flat part of his hand on a cutla.s.s, when I exclaimed, In the name of G.o.d, Peter, what do you with that? when he instantly dropped it, and a.s.sisted in hoisting the launch out, and handing the things into the boat, and then went down below, when I heard Churchill call to Thompson to keep them below, but could not tell whom he meant; I did not see Mr. Heywood after that.'

_The Court_--'In what light did you look upon Mr. Heywood, at the time you say he dropped the cutla.s.s on your speaking to him?' _Witness_--'I looked upon him as a person confused, and that he did not know he had the weapon in his hand, or his hand being on it, for it was not in his hand; I considered him to be confused, by his instantly dropping it, and a.s.sisting in hoisting the boat out, which convinced me in my own mind that he had no hand in the conspiracy; that after this he went below, as I think, on his own account, in order to collect some of his things to put into the boat.' _The Court_--'Do you, upon the solemn oath you have taken, believe that Mr. Heywood, by being armed with a cutla.s.s at the time you have mentioned, by anything that you could collect from his gestures or speeches, had any intention of opposing, or joining others that might oppose, to stop the progress of the mutiny?' _Witness_--'No.'

_The Court_--'In the time that Mr. Heywood was a.s.sisting you to get the things into the boat, did he, in any degree whatever, manifest a disposition to a.s.sist 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 myself at that time engaged in getting several things into the boat, so that I cannot tell.' _The Court_--'Putting every circ.u.mstance together, declare to this court, upon the oath you have taken, how you considered his behaviour, whether as a person joined in the mutiny, or as a person wis.h.i.+ng well to Captain Bligh?'

_Witness_--'I by no means considered him as a person concerned in the mutiny or conspiracy.'

_Lieutenant Thomas Hayward_, late third lieutenant of the _Pandora_, and formerly mids.h.i.+pman of the _Bounty_, deposes,--that he had the morning watch; that at four o'clock Fletcher Christian relieved the watch as usual; that at five he ordered him, as master's mate of his watch, to look out, while he went down to lash his hammock up; that while looking at a shark astern of the s.h.i.+p, to his unutterable surprise, he saw Fletcher Christian, Charles Churchill, Thomas Burkitt (the prisoner), John Sumner, Matthew Quintal, William M'Koy, Isaac Martin, Henry Hillbrant, and Alexander Smith, coming aft, armed with muskets and bayonets; that on going forward, he asked Christian the cause of such an act, who told him to hold his tongue instantly; and leaving Isaac Martin as a sentinel on deck, he proceeded with the rest of his party below to Lieutenant Bligh's cabin; that the people on deck were Mr. John Hallet, myself, Robert Lamb, Butcher, Thomas Ellison (prisoner) at the helm, and John Mills at the conn; that he asked Mills if he knew any thing of the matter, who pleaded total ignorance, and Thomas Ellison quitted the helm and armed himself with a bayonet; that the decks now became thronged with armed men; that Peter Heywood, James Morrison (two of the prisoners), and George Stewart, were unarmed on the booms; that Fletcher Christian and his gang had not been down long before he heard the cry of murder from Lieutenant Bligh, and Churchill calling out for a rope, on which Mills, contrary to all orders and entreaties, cut the deep-sea line and carried a piece of it to their a.s.sistance; that soon after Lieutenant Bligh was brought upon the quarter-deck with his hands bound behind him, and was surrounded by most of those who came last on deck.

This witness then states, that on the arrival of the _Pandora_ at Matavai Bay, Joseph Coleman was the first that came on board; that he was upset in a canoe and a.s.sisted by the natives; that as soon as the s.h.i.+p was at anchor, George Stewart and Peter Heywood came on board; that they made themselves known to Captain Edwards, and expressed their happiness that he was arrived; that he asked them how they came to go away with his Majesty's s.h.i.+p the _Bounty_, when George Stewart said, when called upon hereafter, he would answer all particulars; that he was prevented by Captain Edwards from answering further questions, and they were sent out of the cabin to be confined. He then describes the manner in which the rest of the mutineers were taken on the island. Having stated that when he went below to get some things he saw Peter Heywood in his berth, and told him to go into the boat, he was asked by _the Court_ if Heywood was prevented by any force from going upon deck, he answered, 'No.' _The Court_--'Did you, from his behaviour, consider him as a person attached to his duty, or to the party of the mutineers?'

_Witness_--'I should rather suppose, after my having told him to go into the boat, and he not joining us, to be on the side of the mutineers; but that must be understood only as an opinion, as he was not in the least employed during the active part of it.' _The Court_--'Did you observe any marks of joy or sorrow on his countenance or behaviour?'

_Witness_--'Sorrow.'

_Lieutenant Hallet_, late mids.h.i.+pman of the _Bounty_, states,--that he had the morning-watch; that he heard Lieutenant Bligh call out murder, and presently after saw him brought upon deck naked, excepting his s.h.i.+rt, with his hands tied behind him, and Christian holding the end of the cord which tied them in one hand, and either a bayonet or a cutla.s.s in the other; that the cutter was hoisted out, and Mr. Samuel, Mr.

Hayward, and myself ordered to go into her; but the boatswain and carpenter going aft, and telling Christian they wished to go with the captain rather than stay in the s.h.i.+p, and asking to have the launch, it was granted. On being asked if he saw Peter Heywood on that day, he replied, once, on the platform, standing still and looking attentively towards Captain Bligh; never saw him under arms nor spoke to him; does not know if he offered to go in the boat, nor did he hear any one propose to him to go in the boat; that when standing on the platform, Captain Bligh said something to him, but what he did not hear, upon which Heywood laughed, turned round, and walked away.

_Captain Edwards_ being then called and sworn, was desired by the Court to state the conversation that pa.s.sed between him and Coleman, Peter Heywood, and George Stewart, when they came on board the _Pandora_.

_Edwards_--'Joseph Coleman attempted to come on board before the s.h.i.+p came to an anchor at Otaheite; he was soon afterwards taken up by canoes and came on board before the s.h.i.+p came to an anchor; I began to make inquiries of him after the _Bounty_ and her people. The next who came on board were Stewart and Peter Heywood; they came after the s.h.i.+p was at anchor, but before any boat was on sh.o.r.e. I did not see them come alongside. I desired Lieutenant Larkin to bring them down to the cabin.

I asked them what news; Peter Heywood, I think, said he supposed I had heard of the affair of the _Bounty_. I don't recollect all the conversation that pa.s.sed between us; he sometimes interrupted me by asking for Mr. Hayward, the lieutenant of the _Pandora_, whether he was on board or not--he had heard that he was; at last I acknowledged that he was, and I desired him to come out of my state-room, where I had desired him to go into, as he happened to be with me at the time.

Lieutenant Hayward treated him with a sort of contemptuous look, and began to enter into conversation with him respecting the _Bounty_, but I called the sentinel in to take them into custody, and ordered Lieutenant Hayward to desist, and I ordered them to be put into irons; some words pa.s.sed, and Peter Heywood said he should be able to vindicate his conduct.

_Lieutenant Corner_, of the _Pandora_, merely states his being sent to bring the rest of the mutineers on board, who were at some distance from Matavai Bay.

The prisoners being called on for their defence, the witnesses were again separately called and examined on the part of the prisoners.

_Mr. Fryer_, the master, called in and examined by Mr. Heywood.--'If you had been permitted, would you have stayed in the s.h.i.+p in preference to going into the boat?' _Witness_--'Yes.' _Prisoner_--'Had you stayed in the s.h.i.+p in expectation of retaking her, was my conduct such, from the first moment you knew me to this, as would have induced you to intrust me with your design; and do you believe I would have favoured it, and given you all the a.s.sistance in my power?' _Witness_--'I believe he would: I should not have hesitated a moment in asking of him when I had had an opportunity of opening my mind to him.'

The same question being put to _Mr. Cole_, the boatswain, _Mr.

Peckover_, the gunner, and _Mr. Purcell_, the carpenter, they all answered in the affirmative.

Mr. Heywood asked, 'What was my general conduct, temper, and disposition on board the s.h.i.+p?' _Witness_--'Beloved by everybody, to the best of my recollection.' To the same question, _Mr. Cole_ answers, 'Always a very good character.' _Mr. Peckover_--'The most amiable, and deserving of every one's esteem.' _Mr. Purcell_--'In every respect becoming the character of a gentleman, and such as merited the esteem of everybody.'

_Mr. Cole_ being examined, gave his testimony,--that he never saw Mr.

Heywood armed; that he did not consider him of the mutineers' party; that he saw nothing of levity or apparent merriment in his conduct; that when he was below with Stewart, he heard Churchill call out, 'Keep them below,' and that he believes Heywood was one of the persons meant--has no doubt of it at all; that Bligh could not have spoken to him, when on the booms, loud enough to be heard; that Hayward was alarmed, and Hallet alarmed; that he by no means considers Heywood or Morrison as mutineers.

_Mr. Purcell_ being examined, states,--that, respecting the cutla.s.s on which he saw Mr. Heywood's hand resting, he does not consider him as being an armed man; that he never thought him as of the mutineers'

party; that he never heard Captain Bligh speak to him; that he thinks, from his situation, he could not have heard him; that he was by no means guilty of levity or apparent merriment; that he heard the master-at-arms call out to keep them below; that Mr. Hallet appeared to him to be very much confused; and that Mr. Hayward likewise appeared to be very much confused.

_The Court_ asked,--'As you say you did not look upon the prisoner as a person armed, to what did you allude when you exclaimed, "Good G.o.d, Peter, what do you do with that?"' _Witness_--'I look upon it as an accidental thing.'

_Captain Edwards_, being asked by Heywood--'Did I surrender myself to you upon the arrival of the _Pandora_ at Otaheite?' _Witness_--'Not to me, to the Lieutenant. I apprehend he put himself in my power. I always understood he came voluntarily; our boats were not in the water.'

_Prisoner_--'Did I give you such information respecting myself and the _Bounty_ as afterwards proved true?' _Witness_--'He gave me some information respecting the people on the island, that corroborated with Coleman's. I do not recollect the particular conversation, but in general it agreed with the account given by Coleman.' _Prisoner_--'When I told you that I went away the first time from Otaheite with the pirates, did I not at the same time inform you that it was not possible for me to separate myself from Christian, who would not permit any man of the party to leave him at that time, lest, by giving intelligence, they might have been discovered whenever a s.h.i.+p should arrive?'

_Witness_--'Yes, but I do not recollect the latter part of it, respecting giving intelligence.'

_Mr. Fryer_ again called in and examined by Mr. Morrison.--Mr. Fryer states, he saw him a.s.sist in hoisting out the boats; that he said to him (Fryer), 'Go down below.' _The Court_ asked, 'Whether it might not have been from a laudable motive, as supposing your a.s.sistance at that time might have prevented a more advantageous effort?' _Witness_--'Probably it might: had I stayed in the s.h.i.+p, he would have been one of the first that I should have opened my mind to, from his good behaviour in the former part of the voyage': states his belief, that he addressed him as advice; and that, in hoisting out the boat, he was a.s.sisting Captain Bligh.

_Mr. Cole_, the boatswain, states, that he ordered Morrison to go and help them with the cutter; that he told him the boat was overloaded; that Captain Bligh had begged that no more people should go in her, and said he would take his chance in the s.h.i.+p; that he shook Morrison by the hand, and said he would do him justice in England; that he had no reason to suppose him concerned in the mutiny.

_Lieutenant Thomas Hayward_ states, that Morrison appeared joyful, and supposed him to be one of the mutineers; on being asked by Morrison if he could declare before G.o.d and the Court that what he stated was not the result of a private pique? _Witness_--'Not the result of any private pique, but an opinion formed after quitting the s.h.i.+p, from his not coming with us, there being more boats than one; cannot say they might have had the cutter.' This witness was pleased to remember nothing that was in favour of the prisoner.

_Lieutenant Hallet_ states, he saw Morrison under arms; being asked in what part of the s.h.i.+p, he says, 'I did not see him under arms till the boat was veered astern, and he was then looking over the taffrail, and called out, in a jeering manner, "If my friends inquire after me, tell them I am somewhere in the South Seas."'

_Captain Edwards_ bore testimony that Morrison voluntarily surrendered himself.

_Mr. Fryer_ did not see Morrison armed; he was in his watch, and he considered him a steady, sober, attentive, good man; and acknowledged, that if he had remained in the s.h.i.+p, with the view of retaking her, Morrison would have been one of the first he should have called to his a.s.sistance.

_Mr. Cole_ gave testimony to his being a man of good character, attentive to his duty, and he never knew any harm of him.

_Mr. Purcell_ bore witness to his good character, being always diligent and attentive; did not see him under arms on the taffrail; never heard him use any jeering speeches. Respecting the prisoner _Muspratt, Mr.

Cole's_ evidence proves that he had a musket in his hands, but not till the latter part of the business; it is also proved that he a.s.sisted in getting things into the launch. _Mr. Peckover_ saw him standing on the forecastle doing nothing--he was not armed.

_Lieutenant Hayward_ saw Muspratt among the armed men: was asked, when Captain Bligh used the words, 'Don't let the boat be overloaded, my lads'--'I'll do you justice'; do you understand the latter words, 'My lads, I'll do you justice,' to apply to clothes or to men, whom he apprehended might go into the boat? _Witness_--If Captain Bligh made use of the words "my lads," it was to the people already in the boat, and not to those in the s.h.i.+p.' _The Court_--'To whom do you imagine Captain Bligh alluded: was it, in your opinion, to the men in the boat with him, or to any persons then remaining in the s.h.i.+p?' _Witness_--'To persons remaining in the s.h.i.+p.'

Against the prisoners Ellison, Burkitt, and Millward, the evidence given by all the witnesses so clearly and distinctly proved they were under arms the whole time, and actively employed against Bligh, that it is unnecessary to go into any detail as far as they are concerned.

The Court having called on the prisoners, each separately, for his defence, Mr. Heywood delivered his as follows:--

'My lords and gentlemen of this honourable Court,--Your attention has already been sufficiently exercised in the painful narrative of this trial; it is therefore my duty to trespa.s.s further on it as little as possible.

'The crime of mutiny, for which I am now arraigned, is so seriously pregnant with every danger and mischief, that it makes the person so accused, in the eyes, not only of military men of every description, but of every nation, appear at once the object of unpardonable guilt and exemplary vengeance.

'In such a character it is my misfortune to appear before this tribunal, and no doubt I must have been gazed at with all that horror and indignation which the conspirators of such a mutiny as that in Captain Bligh's s.h.i.+p so immediately provoke; hard, then, indeed is my fate, that circ.u.mstances should so occur to point me out as one of them.

'Appearances, probably, are against me, but they are appearances only; for unless I may be deemed guilty for feeling a repugnance at embracing death unnecessarily, I declare before this Court and the tribunal of Almighty G.o.d, I am innocent of the charge.

'I chose rather to defer asking any questions of the witnesses until I heard the whole of the evidence; as the charge itself, although I knew it generally, was not in its full extent, nor in particular points, made known to me before I heard it read by the Judge Advocate at the beginning of the trial: and I feel myself relieved by having adopted such a mode, as it enables me to set right a few particulars of a narrative which I had the honour to transmit to the Earl of Chatham, containing an account of all that pa.s.sed on the fatal morning of the 28th of April, 1789, but which, from the confusion the s.h.i.+p was in during the mutiny, I might have mistaken, or from the errors of an imperfect recollection I might have mis-stated; the difference, however, will now be open to correction; and I have great satisfaction in observing, that the mistakes but very slightly respect my part of the transaction, and I shall consequently escape the imputation of endeavouring to save myself by imposing on my judges.

'When first this sad event took place I was sleeping in my hammock; nor, till the very moment of being awakened from it, had I the least intimation of what was going on. The spectacle was as sudden to my eyes, as it was unknown to my heart; and both were convulsed at the scene.

'Matthew Thompson was the first that claimed my attention upon waking: he was sitting as a sentinel over the arm-chest and my berth, and informed me that the captain was a prisoner, and Christian had taken the command of the s.h.i.+p. I entreated for permission to go upon deck; and soon after the boatswain and carpenter had seen me in my berth, as they were going up the fore-hatchway, I followed them, as is stated in their evidence. It is not in my power to describe my feelings upon seeing the captain as I did, who, with his hands tied behind him, was standing on the quarter-deck, a little abaft the mizen-mast, and Christian by his side. My faculties were benumbed, and I did not recover the power of recollection until called to by somebody to take hold of the tackle-fall, and a.s.sist to get out the launch, which I found was to be given to the captain instead of the large cutter, already in the water alongside the s.h.i.+p. It were in vain to say what things I put into the boat, but many were handed in by me; and in doing this it was that my hand touched the cutla.s.s (for I will not attempt to deny what the carpenter has deposed), though, on my conscience, I am persuaded it was of momentary duration, and innocent as to intention. The former is evident, from its being un.o.bserved by every witness who saw me upon deck, some of whom must have noticed it had it continued a single minute; and the latter is proved by the only person who took notice of the circ.u.mstance, and has also deposed that, at the moment he beheld me, I was apparently in a state of absolute stupor. The poison, therefore, carries with it its antidote; and it seems needless to make any further comment on the subject, for no man can be weak enough to suppose, that if I had been armed for the purpose of a.s.sisting in the mutiny, I should have resumed a weapon in the moment of triumph, and when the s.h.i.+p was so completely in the possession of the party, that (as more than one witness has emphatically expressed it) all attempts at recovering her would have been impracticable.

'The boat and s.h.i.+p, it is true, presented themselves to me without its once occurring that I was at liberty to choose, much less that the choice I should make would be afterwards deemed criminal; and I bitterly deplore that my extreme youth and inexperience concurred in torturing me with apprehensions, and prevented me from preferring the former; for as things have turned out, it would have saved me from the disgrace of appearing before you as I do at this day--it would have spared the sharp conflicts of my own mind ever since, and the agonizing tears of a tender mother and my much-beloved sisters.

'Add to my youth and inexperience, that I was influenced in my conduct by the example of my messmates, Mr. Hallet and Mr.

Hayward, the former of whom was very much agitated, and the latter, though he had been many years at sea, yet, when Christian ordered him into the boat, he was evidently alarmed at the perilous situation, and so much overcome by the harsh command, that he actually shed tears.

'My own apprehensions were far from being lessened at such a circ.u.mstance as this, and I fearfully beheld the preparations for the captain's departure as the preliminaries of inevitable destruction, which, although I did not think could be more certain, yet I feared would be more speedy, by the least addition to their number.

'To show that I have no disposition to impose upon this Court, by endeavouring to paint the situation of the boat to be worse than it really was, I need only refer to the captain's own narrative, wherein he says that she would have sunk with them on the evening of the 3rd May, had it not been for his timely caution of throwing out some of the stores, and all the clothes belonging to the people, excepting two suits for each.

'Now what clothes or stores could they have spared which in weight would have been equal to that of two men? (for if I had been in her, and the poor fellow, Norton, had not been murdered at Tofoa, she would have been enc.u.mbered with our additional weight), and if it be true that she was saved by those means, which the captain says she was, it must follow that if Norton and myself had been in her (to say nothing of Coleman, M'Intosh, Norman, and Byrne, who, 'tis confessed, were desirous of leaving the s.h.i.+p), she must either have gone down with us, or, to prevent it, we must have lightened her of the provisions and other necessary articles, and thereby have perished for want--dreadful alternative!

'A choice of deaths to those who are certain of dying may be a matter of indifference; but where, on one hand, death appears inevitable, and the means of salvation present themselves on the other, however imprudent it might be to resort to those means in any other less trying situation, I think (and hope even at my present time of life) that I shall not be suspected of a want of courage for saying, few men would hesitate to embrace the latter.

'Such, then, was exactly my situation on board the _Bounty_; to be starved to death, or drowned, appeared to be inevitable if I went in the boat; and surely it is not to be wondered at, if, at the age of sixteen years, with no one to advise with, and so ignorant of the discipline of the service (having never been at sea before) as not to know or even suppose it was possible that what I should determine upon might afterwards be alleged against me as a crime--I say, under such circ.u.mstances, in so trying a situation, can it be wondered at, if I suffered the preservation of my life to be the first, and to supersede every other, consideration.