This happened but three days before the mutiny, and the same circumstance is noticed, but somewhat differently, in Bligh’s MS. Journal, where he says, ’the men cleared themselves, and they therefore merit no punishment.  As to the officers I have no resource, nor do I ever feel myself safe in the few instances I trust to them.’  A perusal of all the documents certainly leads to the conclusion that all his officers were of a very inferior description; they had no proper feeling of their own situation; and this, together with the contempt in which they were held by Bligh, and which he could not disguise, may account for that perfect indifference, with regard both to the captain and the ship, which was manifested on the day of the mutiny.

That sad catastrophe, if the writer of the Journal be correct, was hastened, if not brought about by, the following circumstance, of which Bligh takes no notice.

’In the afternoon of the 27th, Lieutenant Bligh came upon deck, and missing some of the cocoa-nuts, which had been piled up between the guns, said they had been stolen, and could not have been taken away without the knowledge of the officers, all of whom were sent for and questioned on the subject.  On their declaring that they had not seen any of the people touch them, he exclaimed, “Then you must have taken them yourselves”; and proceeded to inquire of them separately, how many they had purchased.  On coming to Mr. Christian, that gentleman answered, “I do not know, Sir, but I hope you do not think me so mean as to be guilty of stealing yours.”  Mr. Bligh replied, “Yes, you d——­ d hound, I do—­you must have stolen them from me, or you would be able to give a better account of them;” then turning to the other officers, he said, “God d——­ n you, you scoundrels, you are all thieves alike, and combine with the men to rob me:  I suppose you will steal my yams next; but I’ll sweat you for it, you rascals—­I’ll make half of you jump overboard, before you get through Endeavour Straits.”  This threat was followed by an order to the clerk “to stop the villains’ grog, and give them but half a pound of yams to-morrow; if they steal them, I’ll reduce them to a quarter."’

It is difficult to believe that an officer in his Majesty’s service could condescend to make use of such language to the meanest of the crew, much less to gentlemen:  it is to be feared, however, that there is sufficient ground for the truth of these statements:  with regard to the last, it is borne out by the evidence of Mr. Fryer, the master, on the court-martial.  This officer, being asked, ’what did you suppose to be Mr. Christian’s meaning, when he said he had been in hell for a fortnight?’ answered, ’From the frequent quarrels they had had, and the abuse which he had received from Mr. Bligh.’—­’Had there been any very recent quarrel?’—­’The day before Mr. Bligh challenged all the young gentlemen and people with stealing his cocoa-nuts.’  It was on the evening of this day that Lieutenant Bligh, according to his printed narrative, says Christian was to have supped with him; but excused himself on account of being unwell; and that he was invited to dine with him on the day of the mutiny.