The Launch
Cast Adrift In The Launch Were:
|
1.William
Bligh |
2. John
Fryer Master |
3. Thomas
Ledward Acting Surgeon |
4. David Nelson Botanist |
| 5. William
Peckover Gunner |
6.William
Cole Boatswain |
7. William
Purcell Carpenter |
8. William
Elphinstone Master's Mate |
| 9. Thomas
Hayward Midshipman |
10. John Hallet Midshipman |
11.John Norton Quarter-Master |
12. Peter
Linkletter Quarter-Master |
| 13. Lawrence
Lebogue Able Sailmaker |
14. John Smith Cook |
15. Thomas Hall Cook |
16. George
Simpson Quarter-Master's Mate |
| 17. Robert
Tinkler Boy |
18. Robert Lamb Butcher |
19. Mr. Samuel Clerk |
Bligh's epic voyage
William Bligh in 1814, many years after the events described here.In all, 18 of the loyal crew were in the launch with Bligh; four other loyalists were forced to stay with the mutineers.
The mutiny took place about 30 nautical miles (56 km) from Tofua (Bligh spelled it Tofoa).
Bligh and his crew attempted to land here (in a cove that they subsequently called "Murderers' Cove") in order to augment their meager provisions.
The only casualty during this voyage was a crewman, John Norton, who was stoned to death by some natives of Tofua.
Bligh then navigated the 23-foot (7 m) open launch on a 47-day voyage to Timor in the Dutch East Indies.
Equipped with a sextant and a pocket watch and with no charts or compass, he recorded the distance as 3,618 nautical miles (6,710 km).
He was chased by cannibals in what is now known as Bligh Water, Fiji and passed through the Torres Strait along the way, landing in Kupang, Timor on 14 June.
Shortly after the launch reached Timor, the cook and botanist died.
Three other crewmen died in the coming months.
Lieutenant Bligh returned to Britain and reported the mutiny to the Admiralty on 15 March 1790, 2 years and 11 weeks after leaving England.
Mutineers in Tahiti
Meanwhile, the mutineers sailed for the island of Tubuai where they tried to settle. After three months of being attacked by the island's natives they returned to Tahiti. Twelve of the mutineers and the four loyalists who had been unable to accompany Bligh remained there, taking their chances that the Royal Navy would not find them and bring them to justice.
Two of the mutineers died in Tahiti between 1789 and 1790.
Matthew Thompson shot Charles Churchill and was subsequently stoned to death by Churchill's Tahitian family in an act of vendetta.