Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-05-20
STRANGER THAN FICTION.
An English Mutny of the Old Time
Ship Bounty and Her Famous
Commander.

Commander.
Tomorrow is the anniversary of the
famous mutiny of the Bounty, which
took place on April 2S, 1879. Every one
has heard of it by name. and perhaps
most people can recall some few details
of the story, for it is a very impressive
one, fun Of varied interest, and 1t pos
sesses rather copious literature of its
own At time when the whole world
is responsive to stories OF the sea, our
readers may thank us for reminding
them Of the facts. The Bounty was a
small vessel of some 215 tons, COM
manded by William Bligh, a naval ofii-
Ger who had sailed with Cook when
the latter discovered the tropical tree
known rs bread fruit in the island
now called Tahiti. He had also fought
at tie Doggerhank in 1fS1. and served
under Lord Howe at Gibraltar in lIS2.
The discovery of the bread fruit
aroused much botanical enthusiasm in
England. and it was considered adVis-
able to acclimatize it as food staple
in The West Indies. Its beautiful foli-
age now makes it conspicuous object
in the fora OF many Of the West lndi-
an islands, but its economic value has
long been surpassed by that OF the
banana.
The Bounty was fitted out for the
purpose of Transporting the plants. and
went 10 Tahiti to ship them. Here she
spent some time in collecting the
plants, and the island became 2 verfta-
BILE Capua for her crew According to-
Bagh they became demoralized and
predisposed to ,mutiny; but there Is
another side to the story, for Bligh
was undoubtedly masterful and over
bearing man, who was declared by
| Christian. the ringleader of the mutt
| neers, to have made his ship "a hell
| to them. Anyhow. the mutiny was Tor
time entirely successful, and Bligh,
with eighteen companions who had
stood by him, was set adrift i'm an open
boat, only twenty-three feet long ana
under seven feet in width, which, when
| laden with such stores as the multi
neers allowed her to take, had less
| than seven inches of freeboard. They
| had no chart, but Christian gave them
| a sextant and book of nautical tables.
| This happened few miles to the
southwark Of Tofao, an island in the
| Friendly group some 400 miles to the
southwestward of Fiji. Bligh at first
attempted to land there, but was driV-'
| en- off by the natives with the loss OF
one man. Then he resolved to. make
| for the coast of Australia, and after
| 2s DAYS first landed at an island
| TO which he gave the name of Itestora-
ton Island, in the neighborhood OF Tor
| res Straits Thence he made his way
through Torres Straits by channel
still known as Bligh's passage. spend-
| ing q week on the coasts of Austraiia
| by the way. and forty-two days AFTER
| the mutiny he and the survivors OF ms
party landed on the Dutch island OF IL
NOR, off the east coast of Java. During
these forty-two days they navigated
over $500 miles and suffered untold pri-
vations This is the least contro-yer-
| cal part of the story, and. whatever
may be thought of Bligh's character
and his share in provoking the mutiny,
| ii is a part which rebounds immense
| " to the credit of Bligh and his COM
Danions and bears a noble testimony
| 10 their courage endurance and re-
source From Timor Bligh returned TO
England where he was promoted to the
rank Of commander, and shortly after
wards to that of captain. In this rank
| he was appointed to the Providence.
which was intrusted with similar
mission to that of the Bounty. and ac-
oolnplisiied it with success. In 1927 he
commanded the Director at the Battle
of camperdown and greatly distin-
guished himself in that engagement.
In the same year he displayed great IN
| trcpidity and address on the occasion
of the mutiny at the More He COM
nnanded the Citation at the Battle Oh
| Copenhagen. and was personally
| thanked bv Nelson for the noble sup
port nc had given to his chief. In 1893
he was appointed governor of New
| South Wales. and there he came into
serious collision with his subordinates,
both civil and military. Right in his
/ ains-for his object was to prevent the
| unlimited importation of ardent spirits
into a colony then largely composed OF
released conyiets-he was probably in
judieious in his methods. and after a
| painful conflict of authority he was VI
| olently deposed by the Military Com
mandant, Major Johnston, and impris-
| oned for two years. Johnston was ultl-
mately tried in England and cashiered.
i But Bligh was not restored to the gov
! ernorship, though the Government al
home approved of his action.
Such q man was Bligh, the victim OF
the mutiny of the Bounty, though posi-
bly, in some measure its cause. and un-
douhtedly the hero of one of the mos'
memorable stories OF fortitudes COM
radeship and endurance which even the
records OF the British navy have to tell
II remains to tell briefly OF the snbse-
quent doings OF the mutineers.