’The master by this time had sent to request that he might come on deck, which was permitted; but he was soon ordered back again to his cabin.

’[When I exerted myself in speaking loud, to try if I could rally any with a sense of duty in them, I was saluted with—­“d—­n his eyes, the——­, blow his brains out”; while Christian was threatening me with instant death, if I did not hold my tongue.]

’I continued my endeavours to turn the tide of affairs, when Christian changed the cutlass which he had in his hand for a bayonet that was brought to him, and holding me with a strong grip by the cord that tied my hands, he threatened, with many oaths, to kill me immediately, if I would not be quiet; the villains round me had their pieces cocked and bayonets fixed.  Particular persons were called on to go into the boat and were hurried over the side; whence I concluded that with these people I was to be set adrift.  I therefore made another effort to bring about a change, but with no other effect than to be threatened with having my brains blown out.

The boatswain and seamen who were to go in the boat, were allowed to collect twine, canvas, lines, sails, cordage, an eight-and-twenty gallon cask of water; and Mr. Samuel got one hundred and fifty pounds of bread, with a small quantity of rum and wine, also a quadrant and compass; but he was forbidden, on pain of death, to touch either map, ephemeris, book of astronomical observations, sextant, timekeeper, or any of my surveys or drawings.

’The mutineers having forced those of the seamen whom they meant to get rid of into the boat, Christian directed a dram to be served to each of his own crew.  I then unhappily saw that nothing could be done to effect the recovery of the ship:  there was no one to assist me, and every endeavour on my part was answered with threats of death.

’The officers were next called upon deck, and forced over the side into the boat, while I was kept apart from every one, abaft the mizen-mast; Christian, armed with a bayonet, holding me by the bandage that secured my hands.  The guard round me had their pieces cocked, but on my daring the ungrateful wretches to fire, they uncocked them.

’Isaac Martin, one of the guard over me, I saw had an inclination to assist me, and as he fed me with shaddock (my lips being quite parched) we explained our wishes to each other by our looks; but this being observed, Martin was removed from me.  He then attempted to leave the ship, for which purpose he got into the boat; but with many threats they obliged him to return.

’The armourer, Joseph Coleman, and two of the carpenters, M’Intosh and Norman, were also kept, contrary to their inclination; and they begged of me, after I was astern in the boat, to remember that they declared they had no hand in the transaction.  Michael Byrne, I am told, likewise wanted to leave the ship.

’It is of no moment for me to recount my endeavours to bring back the offenders to a sense of their duty; all I could do was by speaking to them in general; but it was to no purpose, for I was kept securely bound, and no one except the guard suffered to come near me.