markably friendly and hospitable to strangers; and by their kind assistance and benevolence, I had some hopes, if I could get there, that my life might be preserved till a ship arrived from England, which I doubted not would be the case if the Bounty’s absence greatly exceeded the limited time for her return to Europe. This appeared to me the only course by which I could ever expect to revisit my native country, or even to preserve my life. Thus, self-preservation, that first law of nature, was the sole motive that induced me to resolve upon the latter alternative. Having sat on the gunwale till the large cutter was over the side, I saw some of the people clearing the launch of the yams which had been stowed in her, among whom was Mr. Thomas Hayward; I went into her to assist, at the desire of Mr. Cole, the boatswain; and after being there a short time, Mr. Hayward asked me what I intended to do in the present situation of affairs? I answered, ‘To remain in the ship;’ and said, ‘do you imagine I would voluntarily throw my life away?’ Upon which he replied, ‘Aye, I wish I might have that liberty granted me, but Christian has ordered me to get into the boat.’ I then told him my reasons for wishing to remain in the ship, which I have just now fully explained: I likewise told the same to George Simpson, who was a man that I regarded, as he had washed for me, and had taken great pains to instruct me in several parts of practical seamanship: he was present in the launch at the time when I was talking with Mr. Hayward, and must have heard all that passed betwixt us.
“I next saw Mr. Fryer, the Master, who I understood had been confined in his cabin, but was recently permitted to come on the quarter-deck, step towards Mr. Christian on the larboard side: I was then sitting upon the fore part of the booms, on the starboard side of ‘no man’s land,’ and though I could not hear what he said to Mr. Christian upon his first coming up, yet a little while after I could distinctly hear him say these words: ‘Why, Mr. Christian, you had better let me stay in the ship, for you certainly will not know what to do with her.’ I did not hear what answer Christian made, but Mr. Fryer was soon after forced down into his cabin again. The Master being now the third officer, besides Mr. Samuel, the Captain’s Clerk, who had asked permission to remain in the ship, or at least upon receiving orders to go in the boat had shewn such reluctance as made it appear they secretly wished it might be otherwise; and knowing them all to have had long experience in the naval service, I assured myself that their desire to remain was not improper; and it served to convince me, that in our present situation, my intentions to do so were likewise blameless. I was confirmed in this opinion by Mr. Bligh’s telling several of the men who were endeavouring to follow him into the launch, ‘For God’s sake, my lads, don’t any more of you come into the boat; I’ll do you justice if ever I should get home[1].’ Thus he prevented them, and they remained in the ship.
“Perhaps it may be asked, why I did not go to Captain Bligh, and tell him that I intended to remain in the ship, and my reasons for it, as some- ↑ This, the reader will observe, was a repetition of the promise he had made previous to his being forced into the launch. See p. 756.
