says he, 'that I should acquit Captain Bligh, in the most
unequivocal manner, of having contributed in the smallest degree
to the promotion of our conspiracy by any harsh or ungentlemanlike
conduct on his part; so far from it, that few officers in the
service, I am persuaded, can in this respect be found superior to
him, or produce stronger claims upon the gratitude and attachment
of the men whom they are appointed to command. Our mutiny is
wholly to be ascribed to the strong predilection we had contracted
for living at Otaheite, where, exclusive of the happy disposition
of the inhabitants, the mildness of the climate, and the fertility
of the soil, we had formed certain connexions which banished the
remembrance of old England entirely from our breasts.'"

After describing the seizure and securing of Captain Bligh's person in his
cabin, Christian is made to thus conclude his account of the revolt:--

"During the whole of this transaction Captain Bligh exerted
himself to the utmost to reduce the people to a sense of their
duty by haranguing and expostulating with them, which caused me to
assume a degree of ferocity quite repugnant to my feelings, as I
dreaded the effect which his remonstrances might produce. Hence I
several times threatened him with instant death unless he
desisted; but my menaces were all in vain. He continued to
harangue us with so much manly eloquence, that I was fain to call
in the dram-bottle to my aid, which I directed to be served round
to my associates. Thus heartened and encouraged, we went through
the business, though, for my own part, I must acknowledge that I
suffered more than words can express from the conflict of
contending passions; but I had gone too far to recede; so, putting
the best face on the business, I ordered the boat to be cut