in the exact form in which they were transmitted by him to Lord Chatham, then presiding at the Admiralty.
“Peter Heywood’s Remarks upon material parts of the Evidence which was given at his Trial on board the Duke, in Portsmouth Harbour.
“First, That I assisted in hoisting out the Launch. – This boat was asked for by the Captain and his officers, and whoever assisted in hoisting her out were their friends; for if the Captain had been sent away in the cutter (which was Christian’s first intention), he could not have taken with him more than nine or ten men, whereas the launch carried nineteen. The Boatswain, the Master, the Gunner, and the Carpenter say, in their evidence, that they considered me as helping the Captain on this occasion[1].
“Second, That I was seen by the Carpenter resting my hand upon a cutlass – I was seen in this position by no other person than the Carpenter no other person therefore could have been intimidated by my appearance. Was the Carpenter intimidated by it? No. So far from being afraid of me, he did not even look upon me in the light of a person armed, but pointed out to me the danger there was of my being thought so, and I immediately took away my hand from the cutlass, upon which I had very innocently put it when I was in a state of stupor. The Court was particularly pointed in its enquiries into this circumstance, and the Carpenter was pressed to declare, upon the oath he had taken, and after maturely considering the matter, whether he did at the time he saw me so situated, or had since been inclined to believe, that, under all the circumstances of the case, I could be considered as an armed man – to which he unequivocally answered – No; and he gave some good reasons (which will be found in his evidence) for thinking that I had not a wish to be armed during the mutiny. The Master, the Boatswain, the Gunner, Mr. Hayward, Mr. Hallet, and John Smith, (who with the Carpenter were all the witnesses belonging to the Bounty) say, in their evidence, that they did not, any of them, see me armed; and the Boatswain and Carpenter further say, in the most pointed terms, that they considered me to be one of the Captain’s party, and by no means as belonging to the mutineers: and the Master, the Boatswain, the Carpenter, the Gunner all declare that, from what they observed on my conduct during the mutiny, and from a recollection of my behaviour previous thereto, they were convinced I would have afforded them all the assistance in my power if an opportunity had offered to retake the ship.
“Third, That upon being called to by the Captain, I laughed. – If this- ↑ On the 4th July, 1792, Mr. Heywood received a letter from Mr. Fryer, the master, containing these words: “Keep your spirits up, for I am of opinion no one can say you had an active part in the mutiny, and be assured of my doing you justice when called upon.”
