stuck upon the mizen-mast, prohibiting the purchase of curiosities, or any thing except provisions:– there were very few, if any, instances of this injunction being disobeyed, for no curiosity struck the crew so forcibly as a roasted pig and some bread-fruit. Those invitiug objects came in abundance, and the articles of trade possessed by the men were freely parted with in exchange. The King’s allowance of every species, except spirits, was from that moment stopped, but some time elapsed before the means .of barter were issued from the public store.
“The ship being moored, a tent was pitched on Point Venus for the use of the botanist, and the gunner sent to trade for hogs. Mr. Fletcher Christian, Mr. Peter Heywood, and 4 men, were also sent as a guard, in case the natives should behave amiss.
“As long as the salting continued provisions were in great plenty, each man being allowed two pounds of the bones and such other parts as were not fit for that purpose, per diem, which added to their own purchases enabled them to live extremely well; but the supply of hogs at length becoming slack, Lieutenant Bligh seized on all that came to the ship, whether large or small, dead or alive, claiming them as his property, and serving them out as the ship’s allowance, in the proportion of one pound per diem. He also seized on those belonging to the Master, and slaughtered them for the use of the crew, although he had more than forty of his own on board at the time, and others were to be bought in the market at very little more than the price first paid. When the Master remonstrated with him on the subject, he replied, that ‘he would convince him that every thing became his as soon as it was brought on board; that he would take nine-tenths of any man’s property, and let him see who dared to say any thing to the contrary.’ The sailors’ pigs were seized without ceremony, and it became a favor for a man to obtain an extra pound of his jown meat.
“The natives being aware of this proceeding, and not knowing but that their hogs would be taken from them also, became very shy of bringing any into Lieutenant Bligh’s sight, either on board or a-shore, but availed themselves of every opportunity, whilst he was out of the ship, to supply the officers and crew. He, however, observed their movements, and finding that his diligence was likely to be evaded, ordered a book to be kept in the binnacle drawer, and the officer of the watch to enter therein the number of hogs brought on board, with the weight of each. To obviate this difficulty, the natives cut them, and wrapping the different joints in leaves, covered them with bread-fruit, &c. by which means they eluded his vigilance, and full bellies were still the order of the day.
“We removed from Matavie to Oparre, the latter affording a more secure anchorage, on the 25th Dec. 1788; and kept our Christmas on the 28th, each man having double allowance of spirits, for which a provision had already been made by stopping the allowance of all those who had not crossed the equator previous to this voyage. On new-year’s day a similar indulgence was granted, after which all hands were put on half allowance; but as we had plenty of cocoa-nut milk, the grog was not missed. Our
