by John Marshall

“ It was his intention, when the fort should be completed, to remove every thing thither, and take the Bounty to pieces; but the evident reluctance of many, who had not been active in the mutiny, to end their days in exile; and the hostility of the neighbouring chiefs, who took every opportunity of annoying his men, when they were sent in quest of provisions, compelled him to abandon his design of settling for life at Toobouai, and to seek some other place of refuge for himself, and those who were still inclined to follow his fortunes. ”

“ Heywood’s trial, which was finished, and the sentence passed, about half an hour since. Before I tell you what is the sentence, I must inform you that his life is safe, notwithstanding it is at present at the mercy of the King, to which he is in the strongest terms recommended by the Court. That any unnecessary fears may not be productive of misery to the family, I must add, that the King’s Attorney General, who with Judge Ashurst attended the trial, desired me to make myself perfectly easy, for that my friend was as safe as if he had, not been condemned! ”

“ Heywood having received judgment of death, the only judgment which the act empowers the court-martial to pronounce, and his Majesty having been pleased to dispense with the execution of that sentence, the plain principle of the Common Law ought to take place, by which Mr. Heywood is in point of capacity to hold any station, civil or military, no way now distinguished from any other subject. You will moreover observe, that the directions of this act must be literally observed, being in a matter highly penal, and that no disabilities or incapacities can be introduced by inference. ”

“ In the naval service it is a well understood axiom, “that those who are not for us, are against us;” and according to the tenor of martial law, however severe it may appear to civilians, the man who stands neuter, in cases of mutiny, is equally culpable with him who lifts his arm against his superior. ”

“ Heywood and Stewart offered no opposition, although it was their own fixed determination not to leave Otaheite before the arrival of a King’s ship, as they very naturally concluded that one would be sent out to search for them, whatever might have been the fate of Lieutenant Bligh and his companions.
In pursuance of their plan, Morrison and his assistants built houses at Point Venus, where land and bread-fruit trees were assigned for their support; the natives being led to believe that nothing more was intended than to construct a vessel for the purpose of cruising about the island. ”

“ I considered that the Indians at Tofoa, being of the same stock as those at Annamooka, appeared to me to be a very savage sort of people when unawed by the sight of fire-arms, and from whom nought but death could be expected, in order to facilitate their obtaining possession of the boat, and whatever she might contain of most value to them ”

“ Heywood felt great pleasure at the prospect which their return from Toobouai, to procure stock at Matavia, afforded him, of being able to make his escape, and secrete himself until their final departure. Mr. Christian, however, suspecting that such a course would be adopted, if possible, by some of those who had taken no part in the mutiny, directed an oath to be administered, by which the others were bound to demand from the natives the restoration of any person who might run away, and then to shoot the deserter as an example to the rest. ”

“ The countenance I grant, on some other occasions, may warrant an opinion of good or evil existing in the mind; but on the momentous events of life or death, it is surely by much too indefinite and hazardous even to listen to for a moment. ”

“ Three of the Bounty’s people (Coleman, Norman, and M‘Intosh) were now let out of irons, and sent to work at the pumps. The others offered their assistance, and begged to be allowed a chance of saving their lives; instead of which two additional centinels were placed over them, with orders to shoot any who should attempt to get rid of their fetters. Seeing no prospect of escape, they betook themselves to prayer, and prepared to meet their fate, every one expecting that the ship would soon go to pieces, her rudder, and part of the stern-post being already beat away. ”

“ In short, a military tribunal must either fully acquit, or sentence the prisoner to death; there is no medium between perfect innocence and absolute guilt. The strong points of Mr. Heywood’s defence were his extreme youth and consequent inexperience, and his voluntary surrender to the Pandora’s Captain immediately on that ship’s arrival at Otaheite ”

“ On their arrival, the mutineers availed themselves of the fiction which had been hitherto supported respecting Captain Cook; asserting that they had fallen in with him, and that he had sent the ship back for all the live stock that could be spared, in order to form a settlement at a place called Wytootacke, which they pretended Lieutenant Bligh had discovered in his course towards the Friendly Islands. The inhabitants gave credit to this story, and vied with each other who should furnish most for the service of a man whom they all adored ”

“ Jumping overboard, he seized a plank, and was swimming towards a small sandy quay, about three miles distant, when a boat picked him up, and conveyed him thither in a state of nudity. It is worthy of remark, that James Morrison, whose name we have so frequently had occasion to mention, endeavoured to follow his young companion’s example, and, although handcuffed, managed to keep afloat until a boat also came to his assistance. ”

“ The different ways of expressing our various passions are, with many, as variable as the features they wear. Tears have often been, nay generally are, the relief of excessive joy, while misery and dejection have many a time disguised themselves in a smile ”

“ At Batavia Captain Edwards distributed the purchase money of the schooner among his people, in order that they might furnish themselves with nankeen apparel; and the prisoners, having their hands at liberty, availed themselves of this opportunity to obtain some articles of clothing, by making straw hats for sale, and acting as tailors to those who had thus become comparatively rich by the produce of their labour as shipwrights. It was in a suit thus purchased that Mr. Heywood arrived at Spithead, after an absence of four years and a half all but four days. ”

“ A bull and cow, which had been left behind by Captain Cook, were also delivered to Christian, in exchange for a few red feathers; and a number of dogs and cats were likewise taken on board, to clear Toobouai of the rats by which that island was infested. Seventeen male natives, ten women, and a young girl, emigrated with the mutineers – 13 of the former having concealed themselves below until the Bounty had cleared the land. Among them was Heete-heete, a very intelligent person, who had formerly sailed with Captain Cook, and now hoped to meet him again ”

“ Heywood and the other prisoners were closely confined in the castle; but, although for several days treated with great rigour by their Dutch gaolers, they do not at any time appear to have suffered so many privations at once, as when in the sole custody of a British Captain!
The mutability of human greatness was excellently pourtrayed whilst the Pandora’s officers remained at Coupang, a captive King in chains being compelled to blow the bellows for the English armourer, whilst he was employed forging bolts and fetters for his own countrymen. See Hamilton’s Account of the Pandora’s Voyage, p. ”

“ After escorting the outward bound East India fleet to a certain latitude, and communicating with Lord Strangford, the British Ambassador at Rio Janeiro, Captain Heywood resumed his station as senior officer in la Plata; and continued to afford the most effectual protection to the merchants residing on its banks till July 1813, when he returned to the Brazilian capital, and was appointed by Rear-Admiral Dixon, then commander-in-Chief on that station, to the Montagu of 74 guns, in which ship he soon after took his final departure for England. ”

“ Heywood and Stewart claimed the protection of an old chief, possessing considerable landed property at Matavia, whose friendship they had previously enjoyed, and under whose roof they now resolved to live as quietly as possible, until a ship should arrive from Europe in search of the Bounty, and thereby afford them an opportunity of returning to their native land. ”

“ Christian desired Messrs. Hayward and Hallet, the Midshipmen who had been in the habit of keeping watch with him, to go into the boat alongside, and ordered Churchill to send the Master and Clerk out of the ship also. Lieutenant Bligh now began to reason with Mr. Christian, but he only replied ‘Mă mōō [4] ’, sir, not a word, or death is your portion: Messrs. Hayward and Hallet begged, with tears in their eyes, to be allowed to remain in the ship; but they were likewise ordered to be silent. The boatswain and carpenter came aft and asked for the launch, which after much hesitation was granted. ”

“ The patience, fortitude, and manly resignation evinced by him at that early period of life, were such as excited the admiration of his family and friends; and may be inferred from the following passages contained in letters written by him at a period when charged by his persecutor, Lieutenant Bligh, with the crimes of ingratitude, mutiny, and desertion – charges sufficient to shake the strongest nerves. ”

“ When Mr. Stewart called him to relieve the deck at four o’clock [6] , he had but just fallen asleep, and was much out of order; upon observing which Mr. Stewart strenuously advised him to abandon his intention. Soon after he had taken charge of the deck, he saw Mr. Hayward, the mate of his watch, He down on the arm-chest to take a nap; and finding that Mr. Hallet, the other Midshipman, did not make his appearance, he suddenly formed the resolution of seizing the ship. ”

“ Christian and his confederates came up the fore-hatchway, after having placed arms in the hands of several men who were not aware of their design. One man, Matthew Thompson, was left in charge of the chest, and he served out arms to Thomas Burkitt and Robert Lamb. Mr. Christian then proceeded to secure Lieutenant Bligh, the Master, Gunner, and Botanist. The former was brought upon deck in the state I have already described, and the latter were strictly guarded by two centinels, one posted at the Master’s cabin door, and the other at the top of the after-cockpit ladder. ”