Mahina Tahiti Island French Polynesia
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Further clashes occur on the final leg of the journey to Tahiti.
On October 9, Fryer refuses to sign the ship's account books unless Bligh provides him with a certificate attesting to his complete competence throughout the voyage.
Bligh will not be coerced.
He summons the crew and reads the Articles of War, at which Fryer backs down.
There is also trouble with the surgeon Huggan, whose careless blood-letting of able seaman James Valentine while treating him for asthma leads to the seaman's death from a blood infection.
To cover his error, the surgeon reports to Bligh that Valentine had died from scurvy, which leads Bligh to apply his own medicinal and dietary antiscorbutic remedies to the entire ship's company.
By now, Huggan is almost incapacitated with drink, until Bligh confiscates his supply.
Huggan briefly returns to duty; before Bounty's arrival in Tahiti, he examines all on board for signs of venereal disease and finds none.
Bounty comes to anchor in Matavai Bay, Tahiti on October 26, 1788, concluding a journey of 27,086 nautical miles (50,163 kilometers; 31,170 miles).
Bligh's first action on arrival is to secure the co-operation of the local chieftains.
The paramount chief Tynah remembers Bligh from Cook's voyage fifteen years previously, and greets him warmly.
Bligh presents the chiefs with gifts and informs them that their own "King George" wishes in return only breadfruit plants.
They happily agree with this simple request.
Bligh assigns Christian to lead a shore party charged with establishing a compound in which the plants will be nurtured.
On October 9, Fryer refuses to sign the ship's account books unless Bligh provides him with a certificate attesting to his complete competence throughout the voyage.
Bligh will not be coerced.
He summons the crew and reads the Articles of War, at which Fryer backs down.
There is also trouble with the surgeon Huggan, whose careless blood-letting of able seaman James Valentine while treating him for asthma leads to the seaman's death from a blood infection.
To cover his error, the surgeon reports to Bligh that Valentine had died from scurvy, which leads Bligh to apply his own medicinal and dietary antiscorbutic remedies to the entire ship's company.
By now, Huggan is almost incapacitated with drink, until Bligh confiscates his supply.
Huggan briefly returns to duty; before Bounty's arrival in Tahiti, he examines all on board for signs of venereal disease and finds none.
Bounty comes to anchor in Matavai Bay, Tahiti on October 26, 1788, concluding a journey of 27,086 nautical miles (50,163 kilometers; 31,170 miles).
Bligh's first action on arrival is to secure the co-operation of the local chieftains.
The paramount chief Tynah remembers Bligh from Cook's voyage fifteen years previously, and greets him warmly.
Bligh presents the chiefs with gifts and informs them that their own "King George" wishes in return only breadfruit plants.
They happily agree with this simple request.
Bligh assigns Christian to lead a shore party charged with establishing a compound in which the plants will be nurtured.
The men's duties during Bounty's five-month stay in Tahiti, whether based ashore or on board, are relatively light.
Many lead promiscuous lives among the native women—altogether, eighteen officers and men, including Christian, receive treatment for venereal infection—while others take regular partners.
Christian forms a close relationship with a Polynesian woman named Mauatua, to whom he gives the name "Isabella" after a former sweetheart from Cumberland.
Bligh remains chaste himself, but is tolerant of his men's activities, unsurprised that they should succumb to temptation when "the allurements of dissipation are beyond any thing that can be conceived".
Nevertheless, he expects them to do their duty efficiently, and is disappointed to find increasing instances of neglect and slackness on the part of his officers.
Infuriated, he writes: "Such neglectful and worthless petty officers I believe were never in a ship such as are in this".
Huggan dies on 10 December.
Bligh attributes this to "the effects of intemperance and indolence ... he never would be prevailed on to take half a dozen turns upon deck at a time, through the whole course of the voyage".
Many lead promiscuous lives among the native women—altogether, eighteen officers and men, including Christian, receive treatment for venereal infection—while others take regular partners.
Christian forms a close relationship with a Polynesian woman named Mauatua, to whom he gives the name "Isabella" after a former sweetheart from Cumberland.
Bligh remains chaste himself, but is tolerant of his men's activities, unsurprised that they should succumb to temptation when "the allurements of dissipation are beyond any thing that can be conceived".
Nevertheless, he expects them to do their duty efficiently, and is disappointed to find increasing instances of neglect and slackness on the part of his officers.
Infuriated, he writes: "Such neglectful and worthless petty officers I believe were never in a ship such as are in this".
Huggan dies on 10 December.
Bligh attributes this to "the effects of intemperance and indolence ... he never would be prevailed on to take half a dozen turns upon deck at a time, through the whole course of the voyage".
Fletcher Christian, for all his earlier favored status, does not escape William Bligh's wrath.
He is often humiliated by the captain—sometimes in front of the crew and the Tahitians—for real or imagined slackness, while severe punishments are handed out to men whose carelessness has led to the loss or theft of equipment.
Floggings, rarely administered during the outward voyage, now become increasingly common.
On January 5, 1789 three members of the crew—Charles Churchill, John Millward and William Muspratt—desert, taking a small boat, arms and ammunition.
Muspratt had recently been flogged for neglect.
Among the belongings Churchill leaves on the ship is a list of names that Bligh interprets as possible accomplices in a desertion plot—the captain later will assert that the names included those of Christian and Heywood.
Bligh is persuaded that his protégé is not planning to desert, and the matter is dropped.
Churchill, Millward, and Muspratt are found after three weeks and, on their return to the ship, are flogged.
He is often humiliated by the captain—sometimes in front of the crew and the Tahitians—for real or imagined slackness, while severe punishments are handed out to men whose carelessness has led to the loss or theft of equipment.
Floggings, rarely administered during the outward voyage, now become increasingly common.
On January 5, 1789 three members of the crew—Charles Churchill, John Millward and William Muspratt—desert, taking a small boat, arms and ammunition.
Muspratt had recently been flogged for neglect.
Among the belongings Churchill leaves on the ship is a list of names that Bligh interprets as possible accomplices in a desertion plot—the captain later will assert that the names included those of Christian and Heywood.
Bligh is persuaded that his protégé is not planning to desert, and the matter is dropped.
Churchill, Millward, and Muspratt are found after three weeks and, on their return to the ship, are flogged.
The Bounty crews' pace of work had increased from February onward; more than one thousand breadfruit plants have been potted and carried into the ship, where they fill the great cabin.
The ship is overhauled for the long homeward voyage, in many cases by men who regret the forthcoming departure and loss of their easy life with the Tahitians.
Bligh is impatient to be away, but as Richard Hough observes in his account, he "failed to anticipate how his company would react to the severity and austerity of life at sea ... after five dissolute, hedonistic months at Tahiti". (Hough, Richard (1972). Captain Bligh and Mr Christian: The Men and the Mutiny. London: Hutchinsons.)
The work is done by April 1, 1789, and four days later, after an affectionate farewell from Tynah and his queen, Bounty leaves the harbor.
The ship is overhauled for the long homeward voyage, in many cases by men who regret the forthcoming departure and loss of their easy life with the Tahitians.
Bligh is impatient to be away, but as Richard Hough observes in his account, he "failed to anticipate how his company would react to the severity and austerity of life at sea ... after five dissolute, hedonistic months at Tahiti". (Hough, Richard (1972). Captain Bligh and Mr Christian: The Men and the Mutiny. London: Hutchinsons.)
The work is done by April 1, 1789, and four days later, after an affectionate farewell from Tynah and his queen, Bounty leaves the harbor.