to had all suffered from Bligh’s tyranny and readily agreed; and thus, without any plot or forethought, the design was formed and carried into execution within a few minutes. The active mutineers numbered about one-fourth of the ship’s company; and that neither Bligh nor any of the officers or men made the slightest attempt to resist is of itself a convincing proof of the general ill-will. As Bligh was being hurried into the boat, he attempted to speak, but was ordered to be silent. Cole, the Boatswain, tried to reason with Christian. ‘No,’ he answered, ‘tis too late; I've been in hell for this fortnight past, and am determined to bear it no longer. You know, Mr. Cole, that I've been treated like a dog all the voyage.’
When Bligh, and as many as could be crowded into the launch, had been sent adrift, the ship was taken by the mutineers to Tahiti; there several of the men, including some who had not been able to go in the launch, remained [see Heywood, Peter]: the rest, in the ship, sailed away, and were heard of no more till the one survivor and their descendants were found at Pitcairn’s Island in 1814 [see Adams, John]. The story then told by Adams was that Christian and the others had been killed by the Tahitians of their party about four years after their coming to the island. It is extremely doubtful whether this was true. Adanis's story was neither constant nor consistent; and it is in a high degree probable that, whether in Captain Folger’s ship in 1808, or in some more venturesome way, Christian escaped from the island, and returned to England. He is said to have visited his relations in Cumberland in 1808-9, and was seen by Captain Heywood in the streets of Devonport, under circumstances that seem to point out mistake as almost impossible. But, if so, nothing is known of his subsequent life.
[Manx Note-book (1885). i. 19; Marshall's Roy. Nav. Blog. iv. (vol. ii. pt. ii.) 7-18; Barrow’s Eventful History of the Mutiny of the Bounty; Bligh's Answer to certain assertions contained in the Appendix to a pamphlet entitled ‘Minutes of the Proceedings on the Court-martial, &c. &c.’ (1704, 4to). ‘This appendix,’ says Bligh, ‘is the work of Mr. Edward Christian, the brother of Fletcher Christian . . . written apparently for the purpose of vindicating his brothers conduct at my expense.’ There is not a copy of this pamphlet and appendix in the British Museum, but it would appear to have been based on, or at least to agree with, Morrison’s journal. which is largely quoted by Marshall. At the court-martial no questions as to the cause of the mutiny were asked. There is, therefore, no evidence on oath relating to it; and between the very discordant accounts of Bligh and Morrison judgment must be given on a balance of probabilities. Letters from Fletcher Christian, containing a Narrative of the Transactions on board H.M.S. Bounty before and after the Mutiny, with his subsequent voyages and troubles in South America (1796, 8vo), is an impudent imposture.]
CHRISTIAN, Sir HUGH CLOBERRY (1747–1798), rear-admiral, descended from a younger branch of the Christians of Milntown, Isle of Man, entered the navy about 176l, and, having served for the most part in the Channel and Mediterranean, was moted to be lieutenant in 1771. In 1778 he commanded the Vigilant, hired ship, on the coast of North America, and on his return to England was advanced to post rank 8 Dec. 1778. He was then appointed captain of the Suffolk, carrying Commodore Rowley’s broad pennant, in the squadron that- went to North America with Lord Shuldham. The Suffolk was sent on to the West Indies, and took part in the action off Grenada, 6 July 1779, and in the three actions off Martini ue in April and May 1780 [see Byron, John, 1723-1786: Rodney, Lord George Brydges}}]. Rowley having then shifted his flag to the Conqueror, Christian was appointed to the Fortunée frigate, in which he was present at the actions off the Chesapeake, 5 Sept. 1781; St. Kitts, 26 Jan. 1782; and Dominica, 12 April 1782. He returned to England after the peace, and had no active employment till 1790, when he was for ashort time second captain of the Queen Charlotte with Lord Ilowe. He held the same post in the summer and autumn of 1793, and on 1 June 1795 was advanced to be rear-admiral of the blue. In November of the same year he was appointed commander-in-chief in the West Indies, and with his flag in the Prince George of 98 guns put to sea on the 16th, in company with the squadron and a convoy of above two hundred merchant ships and transports carrying a large body of troops. A violent gale came on immediately; several of the convoy foundered; others were driven on shore; more than two hundred dead bodies were taken up on the coast between Portland and Bridport; the men-of-war were driven back to Spitliead, but all more or less shattered, the Prince George especially. Christian shifted his flag to the Glory, also of 98 guns, and again put to sea on 9 Dec., but only to experience a similar fate. The fleet was again scattered; on 29 Jan. 1796 the Glory and five ships of the line, with about fifty of the convoy, get back to Spithead. The rest of the ships of war and some of the convoy arrived in the West Indies; many were lost; many were captured. On 17 Feb. he was invested with the order of the Bath, and on 20 March again sailed for the West Indies, this time
