The Bounty returned to Matavia Bay on the 6th June, having in the meantime touched at Toobouai, a small island situated several degrees to the southward of Otaheite, and which Mr. Christian had selected for his future residence; preferring it to the latter, as being less exposed to visits from Europeans.
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; so that about 460 hogs, 50 goats, and a great number of fowls, were collected in the course of ten 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; but who expressed no dissatisfaction when informed of the ship’s real destination; and that, in all probability, he would never be able to return from thence[1].
Notwithstanding Mr. Christian had received considerable
- ↑ Lieutenant Watts, in the Lady Penrhyn transport, touched at Otaheite after landing convicts in New Holland, and thought proper to conceal the death of Captain Cook, in whose name he made several presents to the chiefs. Lieutenant Bligh, on his arrival, passed himself off for the son of their benefactor, whose death he likewise kept them in ignorance of.
not a word of the Midshipman’s misconduct. The latter was in England, and had friends whose hostility might have proved detrimental to the object of that work. It is well known that the tide of public opinion long ran in favor of the author.
