Page 48 - French Polynesia

Tahiti, Mutiny on the Bounty and Breadfruit

To this day, the reasons behind the mutiny are a subject of debate. Many believe that Bligh was
a cruel tyrant whose abuse of the crew led them to feel that they had no choice but to take
over the ship. to return to the “Jack Tar’s” life of an ordinary seaman.

V ice Admiral William Bligh was an officer of unsuccessfully for a month to round Cape Horn, rated as a Master’s Mate—in charge of one of the
the British Royal Navy and a colonial admin- the Bounty was finally defeated by the notori- watches. The mutiny was led by Christian and

istrator. A historic mutiny occurred during his ously stormy weather and forced to take the supported by eighteen of the crew. They had

command of HMS Bounty in 1789; Bligh and his longer way around Africa. That delay caused seized firearms during Christian’s night watch

loyal men made a remarkable voyage to Timor, a further delay in Tahiti, as he had to wait five and surprised and bound Bligh in his cabin.

3,618 nautical miles (6,701 km; 4,164 mi), after months for the breadfruit plants to mature suf- The ship was taken over without bloodshed.

being set adrift in the Bounty’s launch by the ficiently to be transported. The Bounty departed The mutineers provided Bligh and eighteen

mutineers. Fifteen years after the Bounty mutiny, Tahiti in April 1789. The Bounty never reached loyal crewmen with a 23 foot (7 m) launch. They

he was appointed Governor of New South Wales the Caribbean, as mutiny broke out on board were allowed four cutlasses, food and water for

in Australia, with orders to clean up the corrupt shortly after the ship left Tahiti. perhaps a week, a quadrant and a compass, but

rum trade of the New South Wales Corps, result- Since it was rated only as a cutter, the Bounty no charts, or Marine chronometer. Timor was
ing in the so-called Rum Rebellion. The name of had no officers other than Bligh himself (who the nearest European outpost, 3,618 miles
William Bligh and Tahiti are forever linked in his- away. Bligh and his crew first made for

tory and he has been memorialized in five major was then only a lieutenant), a very small crew, Tofua, only a few leagues distant, to obtain

Hollywood movies. and no Marines to provide protection from hos- supplies. However, they were attacked by

In 1787, Bligh took command of the Bounty. He tile natives during stops or enforce security on hostile natives. Fleeing from Tofua, Bligh
first sailed to Tahiti to obtain breadfruit trees, board ship. To allow longer uninterrupted sleep, did not dare to stop at the next islands (the
Bligh divided his crew into three watches instead Fiji islands), as he had no weapons for de-

then set course for the Caribbean. After trying of two, placing his protégé Fletcher Christian— fense and expected hostile receptions.