adrift, wore ship, and shaped our course back for Otaheite."

In each of the books by Sir John Barrow and Lady Belcher there is the
following paragraph, almost word for word:--

"About 1809 a report prevailed in Cumberland, in the neighbourhood
of his native place, and was current for several years, that
Fletcher Christian had returned home, made frequent visits to a
relative there, and that he was living in concealment in some part
of England--an assumption improbable, though not impossible. In
the same year, however, a singular incident occurred. Captain
Heywood, who was fitting out at Plymouth, happened one day to be
passing down Fore Street, when a man of unusual [Sidenote: 1809]
stature, very much muffled, and with his hat drawn close over his
eyes, emerged suddenly from a small side street, and walked
quickly past him. The height, athletic figure, and gait so
impressed Heywood as being those of Christian, that, quickening
his pace till he came up with the stranger, he said in a tone of
voice only loud enough to be heard by him, 'Fletcher Christian!'
The man turned quickly round, and faced his interrogator, but
little of his countenance was visible; and darting up one of the
small streets, he vanished from the other's sight. Captain Heywood
hesitated for a moment, but decided on giving up the pursuit, and
on not instituting any inquiries. Recognition would have been
painful as well as dangerous to Christian if this were he; and it
seemed scarcely within the bounds of probability that he should be
in England. Remarkable as was the occurrence, Captain Heywood
attached no importance to it, simply considering it a singular
coincidence."