and opinion, if I solemnly declare that my heart will rely with confidence in its own innocence, until that awful period when my spirit shall be about to be separated from my body to take its everlasting flight, and be ushered into the presence of that unerring Judge, before whom all hearts are open and from whom no secrets are hid.

     ‘P.  HEYWOOD.’

His witnesses fully established the facts which he assumed in this defence.  He then delivered to the president a paper, of which the following is a copy:—­

’My Lord,—­the Court having heard the witnesses I have been enabled to call, it will be unnecessary to add anything to their testimony in point of fact, or to observe upon it by way of illustration.  It is, I trust, sufficient to do away any suspicion which may have fallen upon me, and to remove every implication of guilt which, while unexplained, might by possibility have attached to me.  It is true I have, by the absence of Captain Bligh, Simpson, and Tinkler, been deprived of the opportunity of laying before the Court much that would at least have been grateful to my feelings, though I hope not necessary to my defence; as the former must have exculpated me from the least disrespect, and the two last would have proved past all contradiction that I was unjustly accused.  I might regret that in their absence I have been arraigned, but, thank heaven, I have been enabled, by the very witnesses who were called to criminate me, to oppose facts to opinions, and give explanation to circumstances of suspicion.

’It has been proved that I was asleep at the time of the mutiny, and waked only to confusion and dismay.  It has been proved, it is true, that I continued on board the ship, but it has been also proved I was detained by force; and to this I must add, I left the society of those with whom I was for a time obliged to associate, as soon as possible, and with unbounded satisfaction resigned myself to the Captain of the Pandora, to whom I gave myself up, to whom I also delivered my journal[25] (faithfully brought up to the preceding day), and to whom I also gave every information in my power.  I could do no more; for at the first time we were at Otaheite it was impossible for me, watched and suspected as I was, to separate from the ship.  My information to Captain Edwards was open, sincere, and unqualified, and I had many opportunities given me at different times of repeating it.  Had a track been open to my native country, I should have followed it; had a vessel arrived earlier, I should earlier with the same eagerness have embraced the opportunity, for I dreaded not an inquiry in which I foresaw no discredit.  But Providence ordained it otherwise.  I have been the victim of suspicion, and had nearly fallen a sacrifice to misapprehension.  I have, however, hitherto surmounted it, and it only remains with this Court to say, if my sufferings have not been equal to my indiscretion.

     ’The decision will be the voice of honour, and to that I must
     implicitly resign myself.