118-780: Arutanga is the main town of the island of Aitutaki in the Cook Islands . The main wharf is located here, and there is access into the lagoon. The largest supermarket is also located in Arutanga. Its Cook Islands Christian Church was built in 1828 by the London Missionary Society and is the oldest in the country. To the right-hand side of the wharf is a game fishing area where the public can compete in fishing contests. 18°52′S 159°48′W / 18.867°S 159.800°W / -18.867; -159.800 This Cook Islands location article
236-648: A blood infection . To cover his error, Huggan reported to Bligh that Valentine had died from scurvy , which led Bligh to apply his own medicinal and dietary antiscorbutic remedies to the entire ship's company. By now, Huggan was almost incapacitated with drink, until Bligh confiscated his supply. Huggan briefly returned to duty; before Bounty ' s arrival in Tahiti, he examined all on board for signs of venereal disease and found none. Bounty came to anchor in Matavai Bay , Tahiti, on 26 October 1788, concluding
354-598: A post-captain and would be the only commissioned officer on board. Nor did a cutter warrant the usual detachment of Royal Marines that naval commanders could use to enforce their authority. Bounty had been acquired to transport breadfruit plants from Tahiti (then rendered "Otaheite"), a Polynesian island in the South Pacific Ocean, to the British colonies in the West Indies . The expedition
472-508: A schooner , which they named Resolution after Cook's ship. Morrison had not been an active mutineer; rather than waiting for recapture, he hoped to sail the vessel to the Dutch East Indies and surrender to the authorities there, hoping that such action would confirm his innocence. Morrison's group maintained ship's routine and discipline, even to the extent of holding divine service each Sunday. Churchill and Matthew Thompson, on
590-399: A sounding plummet hanging from his neck so that he could jump overboard and drown himself if the mutiny failed. Others who had been awakened by the noise left their berths and joined in the general pandemonium. It was unclear at this stage who were or were not active mutineers. Hough describes the scene: "Everyone was, more or less, making a noise, either cursing, jeering or just shouting for
708-457: A British Proclamation issued at the same time the cessions were accepted, the islands being declared parts of Her Britannic Majesty's dominions. Uniquely, these instruments did not include Aitutaki. It appears that, though the inhabitants of Aitutaki regarded themselves as British subjects, the Crown's title was uncertain, and the island was formally annexed by Proclamation dated 9 October 1900. It
826-497: A British warship, HMS Gorgon , and arrived at Portsmouth on 19 June. There they were transferred to the guardship HMS Hector to await trial. The prisoners included the three detained loyalists—Coleman, McIntosh and Norman—to whom Bligh had promised justice; the blind fiddler Michael Byrne (or "Byrn"); Heywood; Morrison; and four active mutineers: Thomas Burkett, John Millward, Thomas Ellison and William Muspratt. Bligh, who had been given command of HMS Providence for
944-414: A close relationship with a Polynesian woman named Mauatua , to whom he gave the name "Isabella" after a former sweetheart from Cumberland. Bligh remained chaste himself, but was tolerant of his men's activities, unsurprised that they should succumb to temptation when "the allurements of dissipation are beyond any thing that can be conceived". Nevertheless, he expected them to do their duty efficiently, and
1062-534: A compass and quadrant , but was forced to leave behind Bligh's maps and charts—fifteen years of navigational work. With the eighteen men who had remained loyal to Bligh, the launch was supplied with about five days' food and water and Purcell's tool chest. Bligh mentions in his journals that a sextant and any time-keeper was refused by the mutineers, but boatswain's mate James Morrison stated Christian handed over his personal sextant saying, "There, Captain Bligh, this
1180-454: A day (£70 a year) contrasted with the £500 a year he had earned as captain of Britannia . Because of the limited number of warrant officers allowed on Bounty , Bligh was also required to act as the ship's purser . To survey an important but under-explored passage, Bligh's sailing orders stated that he was to enter the Pacific via Cape Horn around South America and then, after collecting
1298-623: A fanatical zeal, continually fuss[ing] and fum[ing] over the cleanliness of his ship and the food served to the crew." He replaced the navy's traditional watch system of alternating four-hour spells on and off duty with a three-watch system, whereby each four-hour duty was followed by eight hours' rest. For the crew's exercise and entertainment, he introduced regular music and dancing sessions. Bligh's despatches to Campbell and Banks indicated his satisfaction; he had no occasion to administer punishment because, he wrote: "Both men and officers tractable and well disposed, & cheerfulness & content in
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#17327726455061416-453: A hospital. At least 60% of houses were damaged. There were no reported deaths but a few minor injuries were reported. An Air Force Hercules cargo plane and an army engineering team were provided by New Zealand along with an initial $ 200,000. Cook Island MP Teina Bishop said "New Zealand aid should have been sent to the devastated area much sooner". In June 2010 the island was nominated "the world's most beautiful island" by Tony Wheeler
1534-571: A journey of 27,086 nautical miles (50,163 km; 31,170 mi). Bligh's first action on arrival was to secure the co-operation of the local chieftains, as well as the King of Tahiti, Pōmare I . The paramount chief Tynah remembered Bligh from Cook's voyage fifteen years previously and greeted him warmly. Bligh presented the chiefs with gifts and informed them that their own King George wished in return only breadfruit plants. They happily agreed with this simple request. Bligh assigned Christian to lead
1652-691: A particular target. After three weeks back at sea, Christian and others forced Bligh from the ship. Twenty-five men remained on board afterwards, including loyalists held against their will, and others for whom there was no room in the launch. After Bligh reached England in April 1790, the Admiralty despatched HMS Pandora to apprehend the mutineers. Fourteen were captured in Tahiti and imprisoned on board Pandora , which then searched without success for Christian's party that had hidden on Pitcairn Island. After turning back towards England, Pandora ran aground on
1770-450: A permanent settlement, they needed compliant native labour and women. The most likely source for these was Tahiti, to which Bounty returned on 6 June. To ensure the co-operation of the Tahiti chiefs, Christian concocted a story that he, Bligh, and Cook were founding a new settlement at Aitutaki . Although Cook had actually been killed ten years earlier, the use of his name ensured generous gifts of livestock and other goods and, on 16 June,
1888-518: A population of blue lorikeets. The main island of Aitutaki occupies the northern part of the atoll, which is roughly triangular in shape. The minor islands form part of the perimeter of the lagoon . All islands, including the main island and its peninsula Ootu , are listed starting clockwise from the northernmost point of the atoll: 18°51′32″S 159°47′01″W / 18.85889°S 159.78361°W / -18.85889; -159.78361 ( Aitutaki ) Tapuaetai (One Foot Island),
2006-404: A raft with which he could escape to an island and take his chances with the natives. He may have acquired wood for this purpose from Purcell. In any event, his discontent became common knowledge among his fellow officers. Two of the young gentlemen, George Stewart and Edward Young , urged him not to desert; Young assured him that he would have the support of almost all on board if he were to seize
2124-877: A second breadfruit expedition, had left England in August 1791 and thus would be absent from the pending court-martial proceedings. The court-martial opened on 12 September 1792 on HMS Duke in Portsmouth Harbour , with Vice-Admiral Lord Hood , Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth , presiding. Heywood's family secured him competent legal advisers; of the other defendants, only Muspratt employed legal counsel. The survivors of Bligh's open-boat journey gave evidence against their former comrades—the testimonies from Thomas Hayward and John Hallett were particularly damaging to Heywood and Morrison, who each maintained their innocence of any mutinous intention and had surrendered voluntarily to Pandora . The court did not challenge
2242-426: A shore party charged with establishing a compound in which the plants would be nurtured. Whether based ashore or on board, the men's duties during Bounty ' s five-month stay in Tahiti were relatively light. Many led promiscuous lives among the native women—altogether, eighteen officers and men, including Christian, received treatment for venereal infections —while others took regular partners. Christian formed
2360-473: A small islet in the south-east of the lagoon, is often said to be the most important attraction. It is regarded as providing the visitor with the best views of the Aitutaki lagoon and, depending on the tide, one is able to walk on a sandbank a decent distance away from Tapuaetai. The trip to this island is the most frequented trip available on Aitutaki. One Foot Island was awarded "Australasia's Leading Beach" at
2478-399: A specially constructed prison erected on Pandora ' s quarterdeck, dubbed "Pandora's Box". Pandora remained at Tahiti for five weeks while Edwards unsuccessfully sought information on Bounty ' s whereabouts. The ship finally sailed on 8 May to search for Bounty among the thousands of southern Pacific islands. Apart from a few spars discovered at Palmerston Island , no traces of
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#17327726455062596-644: A thousand potted breadfruit plants, with glazed windows, skylights, and a lead-covered deck and drainage system to prevent the waste of fresh water. The space required for these arrangements in the small ship meant that the crew and officers would endure severe overcrowding for the duration of the long voyage. With Banks' agreement, command of the expedition was given to Lieutenant William Bligh , whose experiences included Captain James Cook 's third and final voyage (1776–80) in which he had served as sailing master , or chief navigator, on HMS Resolution . Bligh
2714-539: A time, through the whole course of the voyage". For all his earlier favoured status, Christian did not escape Bligh's wrath. He was often humiliated by the captain—sometimes in front of the crew and the Tahitians—for real or imagined slackness, while severe punishments were handed out to men whose carelessness had led to the loss or theft of equipment. Floggings, rarely administered during the outward voyage, now became increasingly common. On 5 January 1789 three members of
2832-401: A voyage free from such punishment. On 2 April, as Bounty approached Cape Horn, a strong gale and high seas began an unbroken period of stormy weather which, Bligh wrote, "exceeded what I had ever met with before ... with severe squalls of hail and sleet ". The winds drove the ship back; on 3 April, it was further north than it had been a week earlier. Again and again, Bligh forced
2950-423: A year older and formerly sailmaker on Britannia . The youngest aboard were Hallett and Heywood, both aged 15 when they left England. Living space on the ship was allocated on the basis of rank. Bligh, having yielded the great cabin, occupied private sleeping quarters with an adjacent dining area or pantry on the starboard side of the ship, and Fryer a small cabin on the opposite side. The surgeon Thomas Huggan,
3068-428: A year on HMS Powerful , a harbour-bound training vessel at Plymouth. His recommendation to Bligh came from Richard Betham, a Heywood family friend who was Bligh's father-in-law. The two botanists, or "gardeners", were chosen by Banks. The chief botanist, David Nelson , was a veteran of Cook's third expedition who had been to Tahiti and had learned some of the natives' language. Nelson's assistant William Brown
3186-415: Is Rugby union and netball , followed closely by volleyball . With a population of 2,000 residing on the island and 50,000 overseas, there are four clubs on Aitutaki and eight teams (each club having a first team and a reserve team). The best players on the island play for the Aitutaki island team against their main rivals Rarotonga. Araura College is the only secondary school on Aitutaki. The school has
3304-486: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Aitutaki Aitutaki , also traditionally known as Araʻura and Utataki , is the second most-populated island in the Cook Islands , after Rarotonga . It is an "almost atoll", with fifteen islets in a lagoon adjacent to the main island. Total land area is 18.05 km (6.97 sq mi), and the lagoon has an area of between 50 and 74 km (19 and 29 sq mi). A major tourist destination, Aitutaki
3422-406: Is located close to the triangle's northern point. The southeastern part of the lagoon near Akaiami used to be used as a landing area for TEAL flying boats on the "coral route". Polynesians first settled Aitutaki around AD 1225–1430. They maintained voyaging contact over a wide area, for the geochemical source of basalt adze heads found in this island can be traced back to quarries on Samoa to
3540-518: Is part of Amuri–Ureia Constituency, as is Ootu Peninsula, just north of Akitua. Maina is part of Arutanga–Reureu–Nikaupara Constituency. The main island is equally divided among the three constituencies Arutanga-Reureu-Nikaupara (southwest), Vaipae-Tautu (southeast), and Amuri-Ureia (north). Mutiny on the Bounty The mutiny on the Royal Navy vessel HMS Bounty occurred in
3658-411: Is sufficient for every purpose and you know the sextant to be a good one." The ship's K2 chronometer was left on Bounty , but Peckover had his own pocket watch that Bligh used to keep time. At the last minute the mutineers threw four cutlasses down into the boat. Of Bounty' s complement—44 after the deaths of Huggan and Valentine—19 men were crowded into the launch, leaving it dangerously low in
Arutanga - Misplaced Pages Continue
3776-472: Is the second most visited island of the Cook Islands archipelago. Aitutaki had a population of 1,712 in 2016. The main village is Arutanga (Arutunga) on the west side. Aitutaki is sometimes described as an "almost atoll ", for it consists of a lagoon within an encircling atoll, with a significant area of high land on one side. It has a maximum elevation of approximately 123 metres (404 ft) with
3894-470: The Allies during World War II . The first aircraft, an American light bomber, landed on 22 November 1942. When the war ended some of the servicemen remained and married the locals. During the 1950s Aitutaki's lagoon was used as a stopover for TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways Limited) flying boats on the famous Coral Route. The islet of Akaiami was used as a resting stop for passengers, who often lay about until
4012-483: The Bounty ..." Nelson the botanist quickly succumbed to the harsh Kupang climate and died. On 20 August, the party departed for Batavia (now called Jakarta) to await a ship for Europe; the cook Thomas Hall died there, having been ill for weeks. Bligh obtained passages home for himself, his clerk Samuel, and his servant John Smith, and sailed on 16 October 1789. Four of the remainder—the master's mate Elphinstone,
4130-588: The English Channel , to await final sailing orders. Adverse weather delayed arrival at Spithead until 4 November. Bligh was anxious to depart quickly and reach Cape Horn before the end of the short southern summer, but the Admiralty did not accord him high priority and delayed issuing the orders for a further three weeks. When Bounty finally sailed on 28 November, the ship was trapped by contrary winds and unable to clear Spithead until 23 December. With
4248-612: The Great Barrier Reef , with the loss of 31 crew and four Bounty prisoners. The ten surviving detainees reached England in June 1792 and were court-martialled ; four were acquitted , three were pardoned , and three were hanged . Christian's group remained undiscovered on Pitcairn until 1808, by which time only one mutineer, John Adams , remained alive. His fellow mutineers, including Christian, were dead, killed either by one another or by their Polynesian companions. No action
4366-635: The Navy Board and headed by the sailing master John Fryer . The other warrant officers were the boatswain , the surgeon , the carpenter and the gunner. To the two master's mates and two midshipmen were added several honorary midshipmen—so-called " young gentlemen " who were aspirant naval officers. These signed the ship's roster as able seamen but were quartered with the midshipmen and treated on equal terms with them. Most of Bounty ' s crew were chosen by Bligh or were recommended to him by influential patrons. The gunner, William Peckover , and
4484-638: The red-tailed tropicbird , white-tailed tropicbird , brown booby , great frigatebird , brown noddy , black noddy , white tern , and Pacific reef heron . Land birds include the common myna and the blue lorikeet . The latter were badly affected by Cyclone Pat, losing over 50% of their population and virtually all juveniles. Subfossil remains show that Kuhl's lorikeet , the spotless crake , and an undescribed species of whistling duck were all at one stage extant on Aitutaki before being extirpated. The main island has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports
4602-579: The Endeavour Strait, and it would necessitate daily rations of an ounce of bread and a quarter-pint of water for each man. The plan was unanimously agreed. From the outset, the weather was wet and stormy, with mountainous seas that constantly threatened to overwhelm the boat. When the sun appeared, Bligh noted in his daily journal that it "gave us as much pleasure as a winter's day in England". Bligh endeavoured to continue his journal throughout
4720-406: The Endeavour Strait. Bligh had visited the island with Cook and knew that the inhabitants could behave unpredictably. He put Christian in charge of the watering party and equipped him with muskets , but at the same time ordered that the arms should be left in the boat instead of carried ashore. Christian's party was harassed and threatened continually but were unable to retaliate, having been denied
4838-567: The French Navy fought from 1778—the vast Royal Navy was reduced in size, and Bligh found himself ashore on half-pay. After a period of idleness, Bligh took temporary employment in the mercantile service and in 1785 was captain of the Britannia , a vessel owned by his wife's uncle, Duncan Campbell. Bligh assumed the prestigious Bounty appointment on 16 August 1787, at a considerable financial cost. His lieutenant's pay of four shillings
Arutanga - Misplaced Pages Continue
4956-544: The South Pacific Ocean on 28 April 1789. Disaffected crewmen, led by acting-Lieutenant Fletcher Christian , seized control of the ship from their captain, Lieutenant William Bligh , and set him and eighteen loyalists adrift in the ship's open launch . The reasons behind the mutiny are still debated. Bligh and his crew stopped for supplies on Tofua , where a crew member was killed. Bligh navigated more than 3,500 nautical miles (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) in
5074-524: The West Indies, and the two had formed a master-pupil relationship through which Christian had become a skilled navigator. Christian was willing to serve on Bounty without pay as one of the "young gentlemen"; Bligh gave him one of the salaried master's mate's berths. Another of the young gentlemen recommended to Bligh was 15-year-old Peter Heywood , also from a Manx family and a distant relation of Christian's. Heywood had left school at age 14 to spend
5192-622: The World Travel Awards held in Sydney in June 2008. Ootu Peninsula is of coral formation, but attached to the main volcanic island, thus a peninsula. If it were an island, it would be the largest of the minor islands. Ootu Peninsula does belong to tapere and district of Vaitupa . The minor islands are not allocated to any districts or tapere, but they do form part of the larger constituencies . All minor islets, except Akitua and Maina, are part of Vaipae–Tautu Constituency. Akitua
5310-507: The abducted group were six elderly women, for whom Christian had no use; he put them ashore on the nearby island of Mo'orea . Bounty ' s complement now comprised nine mutineers—Christian, Young, Quintal, Brown, Martin, John Williams, John Mills, William McCoy and John Adams (known by the crew as "Alexander Smith") —and twenty Polynesians, of whom fourteen were women. The sixteen sailors on Tahiti began to organise their lives. One group, led by Morrison and Tom McIntosh, began building
5428-583: The aircraft was refueled for two hours. These operations ceased in 1960, and the only reminder are the remains of the purpose-built jetty on Akaiami. The flying boat Aranui , which was part of this service, is now on display at the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland , New Zealand. Commercial banana-growing was introduced to the island in the late 1960s, but suffered a rapid decline due to wind damage, low prices, and inadequate shipping. The industry
5546-461: The airstrip. The main island's ecology can be divided into four zones. The coastal flat is dominated by Guettarda speciosa , coconuts , Hibiscus, Pandanus, and Hernandia moerenhoutiana . The slopes are mostly Hibiscus tiliaceus interspersed with taro patches. The inland plateau is extensively cultivated, with plantations of coconuts, banana, citrus, and other food plants, as well as assorted introduced decorative shrubs. The high ground on
5664-426: The alarm; Bligh "called as loudly as [he] could in hopes of assistance". The commotion woke Fryer, who saw, from his cabin opposite, the mutineers frogmarching Bligh away. The mutineers ordered Fryer to "lay down again, and hold my tongue or I was a dead man". Bligh was brought to the quarterdeck, his hands bound by a cord held by Christian, who was brandishing a bayonet ; some reports maintained that Christian had
5782-399: The armourer, Joseph Coleman, had been with Cook and Bligh on Resolution ; several others had sailed under Bligh more recently on Britannia . Among these was the 23-year-old Fletcher Christian , who came from a wealthy Cumberland family descended from Manx gentry . Christian had chosen a life at sea rather than the legal career envisaged by his family. He had twice voyaged with Bligh to
5900-419: The armourer, Joseph Coleman, to return to the ship, considering their presence essential if he were to navigate Bounty with a reduced crew. Reluctantly they obeyed, beseeching Bligh to remember that they had remained with the ship against their will. Bligh assured them: "Never fear, lads, I'll do you justice if ever I reach England". Samuel saved the captain's journal, commission papers and purser's documents,
6018-553: The atoll contains many of Aitutaki's important features including a boat passage through the barrier reef allowing for anchorage close to shore at Arutanga. Towards the south of the side is a small break in the barrier reef, allowing access for small boats to the lagoon which covers most of the southern part of the triangle. Further to the north is the bulk of the main island. Its fertile volcanic soil provides tropical fruits and vegetables. Two of Aitutaki's 15 islets ( motus ) are also volcanic. The rest are made of coral. Aitutaki Airport
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#17327726455066136-750: The breadfruit plants, sail westward through the Endeavour Strait . He was then to cross the Indian and South Atlantic Oceans to the West Indies islands in the Caribbean. Bounty would thus complete a circumnavigation of the Earth in the Southern Hemisphere. Bounty ' s complement was 46 men, comprising 44 Royal Navy personnel (including Bligh) and two civilian botanists. Directly beneath Bligh were his warrant officers, appointed by
6254-399: The captain exchanged angry words with the carpenter, William Purcell, over the latter's methods for cutting wood. Bligh ordered Purcell back to the ship and, when the carpenter stood his ground, Bligh withheld his rations, which "immediately brought him to his senses", according to Bligh. Further clashes occurred on the final leg of the journey to Tahiti. On 9 October, Fryer refused to sign
6372-403: The countenance of every one". The only adverse feature of the voyage to date, according to Bligh, was the conduct of the surgeon Huggan, who was revealed as an indolent, unhygienic drunkard. From the start of the voyage, Bligh had established warm relations with Christian, according him a status which implied that he was Bligh's second-in-command rather than Fryer. On 2 March, Bligh formalised
6490-423: The crew— Charles Churchill , William Muspratt and John Millward— deserted , taking a small boat, arms and ammunition. Muspratt had recently been flogged for neglect. Among the belongings Churchill left on the ship was a list of names that Bligh interpreted as possible accomplices in a desertion plot—the captain later asserted that the names included those of Christian and Heywood. Bligh was persuaded that his protégé
6608-571: The former carpenter received a reprimand. In November 1790, the Admiralty despatched the frigate HMS Pandora , under Captain Edward Edwards , to capture the mutineers and return them to England to stand trial. Pandora arrived at Tahiti on 23 March 1791 and, within a few days, all fourteen surviving Bounty men had either surrendered or been captured. Edwards made no distinction between mutineers and those who claimed they had been detained on Bounty unwillingly; all were incarcerated in
6726-499: The forthcoming departure and loss of their easy life with the Tahitians. Bligh was impatient to be away, but as Richard Hough observes in his account, he "failed to anticipate how his company would react to the severity and austerity of life at sea ... after five dissolute, hedonistic months at Tahiti". The work was done by 1 April 1789, and four days later, after an affectionate farewell from Tynah and his queen, Bounty left
6844-553: The founder of Lonely Planet travel guide. The delegates of the 2012 Pacific Islands Forum , which had its main venue in Rarotonga, travelled to One Foot Island for a 2-day retreat. The population of Aitutaki was 1,941 in 2016. Aitutaki is subdivided in 8 districts. The districts are further subdivided into 19 tapere (land holdings by tribe lineages). The eight districts are: The eight districts are subdivided into 19 tapere as follows: The most popular sport on Aitutaki
6962-412: The fugitive vessel were found. Edwards continued the search until August, when he turned west and headed for the Dutch East Indies. One of the islands Pandora sailed to, but did not land at, was Pitcairn Island; had Edwards checked his charts and found that this uncharted island was at the correct latitude but wrong longitude for Pitcairn Island, he could very well have fulfilled his mission by capturing
7080-422: The harbour. In their Bounty histories, both Hough and Alexander maintain that the men were not at a stage close to mutiny; however, they were sorry to leave Tahiti. The journal of James Morrison , the boatswain's mate, supports this. The events that followed, Hough suggests, were determined in the three weeks following the departure, when Bligh's anger and intolerance reached paranoid proportions. Christian
7198-432: The hard core of the active mutineers, but sixteen wished to return to Tahiti and take their chances there. Christian accepted this decision; after depositing the majority at Tahiti, he would "run before the wind, and ... land upon the first island the ship drives. After what I have done I cannot remain at Tahiti." In order to flee, Bounty cut the ropes to two anchors in the bay; one was recovered by Pandora , while
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#17327726455067316-617: The heroes of maritime history" by solving the mystery of the lost expedition. On 29 August 1791, Pandora ran aground on the outer Great Barrier Reef. The men in "Pandora's Box" were ignored as the regular crew attempted to prevent the ship from foundering. When Edwards gave the order to abandon ship, Pandora ' s armourer began to remove the prisoners' shackles, but the ship sank before he had finished. Heywood and nine other prisoners escaped; four Bounty men—George Stewart, Henry Hillbrant, Richard Skinner and John Sumner—drowned, along with 31 of Pandora 's crew. The survivors, including
7434-532: The hill known as Maunga Pu close to its northernmost point. The land area of the atoll is 18.05 km (6.97 sq mi), of which the main island occupies 16.8 km (6.5 sq mi). The Ootu Peninsula , protruding east from the main island in a southerly direction along the eastern rim of the reef, takes up 1.75 km (0.68 sq mi) out of the main island. For the lagoon , area figures between 50 and 74 km (19 and 29 sq mi) are found. Satellite image measurement suggests that
7552-546: The horizon by the plume of smoke rising from its volcano . Bligh hoped to find water and food on Tofua, then proceed to the nearby island of Tongatapu to seek help from King Poulaho (whom he knew from his visit with Cook) in provisioning the boat for a voyage to the Dutch East Indies . Ashore at Tofua, there were encounters with natives who were initially friendly but grew more menacing as time passed. On 2 May, four days after landing, Bligh realised that an attack
7670-581: The infamous mutiny . Aitutaki was the first of the Cook Islands to practice Christianity , after London Missionary Society (LMS) missionary John Williams visited in 1821. The oldest church in the country, the Cook Islands Christian Church in Arutanga, was built by Papeiha ( Bora Bora ) and Vahapata ( Raiatea ), two LMS teachers Williams had left behind. On 8–9 October 1900 seven instruments of cession of Rarotonga and other islands were signed by their chiefs and people; and by
7788-418: The island was cleared during World War 2 for military installations and now consists of grasses and weedy species. The motu have Pemphis acidula scrub on the seaward side, phasing to Suriana scrub and coconut forest, with the volcanic islands containing forests of Calophyllum inophyllum which are not found on the other motu . Aitutaki is home to numerous species of sea- and shorebirds, including
7906-457: The larger figure also includes the reef flat, which is commonly not considered part of a lagoon. The barrier reef that forms the basis of Aitutaki is roughly the shape of an equilateral triangle with sides 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) in length. The southern edge of the triangle is almost totally below the surface of the ocean, and the eastern side is composed of a string of small islands including Mangere, Akaiami, and Tekopua. The western side of
8024-414: The last nine Bounty mutineers. Edwards' search for the remaining mutineers ultimately proved fruitless. When passing Vanikoro on 13 August 1791, Edwards observed smoke signals rising from the island. Edwards, single-minded in his search for Bounty and convinced that mutineers fearful of discovery would not be advertising their whereabouts, ignored the smoke signals and sailed on. Wahlroos argues that
8142-600: The launch cleared Cape York , the extreme northern point of the Australian continent. Bligh turned south-west and steered through a maze of shoals , reefs, sandbanks, and small islands. The route taken was not the Endeavour Strait, but a narrower southerly passage later known as the Prince of Wales Channel. At 20:00 that evening they reached the open Arafura Sea , still 1,100 nautical miles (2,000 km; 1,300 mi) from Kupang. The following eight days encompassed some of
8260-630: The launch to reach safety and began the process of bringing the mutineers to justice. The mutineers variously settled on Tahiti or on Pitcairn Island . Bounty had left England in 1787 on a mission to collect and transport breadfruit plants from Tahiti to the West Indies . A five-month layover in Tahiti, during which many of the men lived ashore and formed relationships with native Polynesians , led those men to be less amenable to naval discipline. Relations between Bligh and his crew deteriorated after he reportedly began handing out increasingly harsh punishments, criticism, and abuse, with Christian being
8378-428: The local chiefs, but his party was unwelcome. There were persistent clashes with the native population, mainly over property and women, culminating in a pitched battle in which 66 islanders were killed and many wounded. Discontent was rising among the Bounty party, and Christian sensed that his authority was slipping. He called a meeting to discuss future plans and offered a free vote. Eight remained loyal to Christian,
8496-417: The loyalist midshipmen Hayward and Hallett. This boat proved unseaworthy, so Christian ordered the launching of a larger ship's boat, with a capacity of around ten. However, Christian and his allies had overestimated the extent of the mutiny—at least half on board were determined to leave with Bligh. Thus the ship's largest boat, a 23-foot (7.0 m) launch , was put into the water. During the following hours
8614-426: The loyalists collected their possessions and entered the boat. Among these was Fryer, who with Bligh's approval sought to stay on board—in the hope, he later claimed, that he would be able to retake the ship —but Christian ordered him into the launch. Soon, the vessel was badly overloaded, with more than twenty persons and others still vying for places. Christian ordered the two carpenter's mates, Norman and McIntosh, and
8732-522: The men found oysters and berries in plentiful supply and were able to eat ravenously. Over the next four days, the party island-hopped northward within the lagoon, aware that their movements were being closely monitored by natives on the mainland. Strains were showing within the party; following a heated disagreement with Purcell, Bligh grabbed a cutlass and challenged the carpenter to fight. Fryer told Cole to arrest their captain but backed down after Bligh threatened to kill him if he interfered. On 2 June,
8850-530: The mostly populated part of the island and Vaitau Primary caters mostly for the Vaipae and Tautu villages. Tekaaroa Primary School caters for the Seventh Day Adventist children on the island. Aitutaki is the second largest tourist destination in the Cook Islands, after Rarotonga, receiving 38,777 visitors in 2018. As a result, tourism dominates the economy, with 36% of the labour force employed in
8968-450: The names of several more. With the help of these men, Christian rapidly gained control of the upper deck; those who questioned his actions were ordered to keep quiet. At about 05:15, Christian went below, dismissed Hallett (who was sleeping on the chest containing the ship's muskets) and distributed arms to his followers before making for Bligh's cabin. Three men took hold of the captain and tied his hands, threatening to kill him if he raised
9086-449: The non-return of Bounty would occasion a search mission, with Tahiti as its first port of call. Christian therefore headed Bounty towards the small island of Tubuai , some 450 nautical miles (830 km; 520 mi) south of Tahiti. Tubuai had been discovered and roughly charted by Cook; except for a single small channel, it was entirely surrounded by a coral reef and could, Christian surmised, be easily defended against any attack from
9204-514: The open sea, where the shaken crew reconsidered their options. A visit to Tongatapu, or any island landfall, might incur similarly violent consequences; their best chance of salvation, Bligh reckoned, lay in sailing directly to the Dutch settlement of Kupang in Timor , using the rations presently on board. This was a journey of some 3,500 nautical miles (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) to the west, beyond
9322-437: The order to sail, neither the anchor nor the adze had been restored. By 27 April, Christian was in a state of despair, depressed and brooding. His mood was worsened when Bligh accused him of stealing coconuts from the captain's private supply. Bligh punished the whole crew for this theft, stopping their rum ration and reducing their food by half. Feeling that his position was now intolerable, Christian considered constructing
9440-458: The other hand, chose to lead drunken and generally dissolute lives, which ended in the violent deaths of both. Churchill was murdered by Thompson, who was in turn killed by Churchill's native friends. Others, such as Stewart and Heywood, settled into quiet domesticity; Heywood spent much of his time studying the Tahitian language . He adopted native dress and, in accordance with the local custom,
9558-589: The other warrant officers, and Nelson the botanist had tiny cabins on the lower deck, while the master's mates and the midshipmen, together with the young gentlemen, berthed together in an area behind the captain's dining room known as the cockpit ; as junior or prospective officers, they were allowed use of the quarterdeck . The other ranks had their quarters in the forecastle , a windowless unventilated area measuring 36 by 22 feet (11.0 by 6.7 m) with headroom of 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m). On 15 October 1787, Bounty left Deptford for Spithead , in
9676-412: The other was rediscovered in 1957. When Bounty returned to Tahiti, on 22 September, the welcome was much less effusive than previously. The Tahitians had learned from the crew of a visiting British ship that the story of Cook and Bligh founding a settlement in Aitutaki was a fabrication, and that Cook had been long dead. Christian worried that their reaction might turn violent and did not stay long. Of
9794-440: The position by assigning Christian to the rank of acting-Lieutenant. Fryer showed little outward sign of resentment at his junior's advancement, but his relations with Bligh significantly worsened from this point. A week after the promotion, and on Fryer's insistence, Bligh ordered the flogging of seaman Matthew Quintal , who received twelve lashes for "insolence and mutinous behaviour", thereby dashing Bligh's expressed hope of
9912-453: The prospect of a passage around Cape Horn now in serious doubt, Bligh received permission from the Admiralty to take, if necessary, an alternative route to Tahiti via the Cape of Good Hope . As the ship settled into its sea-going routine, Bligh introduced Cook's strict discipline regarding sanitation and diet. According to the expedition's historian Sam McKinney, Bligh enforced these rules "with
10030-478: The quartermaster Peter Linkletter, the butcher Robert Lamb and the assistant surgeon Thomas Ledward—all died either in Batavia or on their journeys home. After the departure of Bligh's launch, Christian divided the personal effects of the departed loyalists among the remaining crew and threw the breadfruit plants into the sea. He recognised that Bligh could conceivably survive to report the mutiny, and that anyway
10148-566: The reassurance it gave them to do so". Bligh shouted continually, demanding to be set free, sometimes addressing individuals by name, and otherwise exhorting the company generally to "knock Christian down!" Fryer was briefly permitted on deck to speak to Christian, but was then forced below at bayonet-point; according to Fryer, Christian told him: "I have been in hell for weeks past. Captain Bligh has brought this on himself." Christian originally thought to cast Bligh adrift in Bounty ' s small jolly boat , together with his clerk John Samuel and
10266-518: The restaurant and accommodation sector. The government is the next largest employer, employing 21%, with retail and wholesale employing 18% and agriculture, forestry and fishing 6%. Aitutaki is connected to the rest of the Cook Islands by Aitutaki Airport and a port at Arutanga . In September 2020 Aitutaki was connected to the Manatua One Polynesia Fibre Cable , becoming one of the smallest fibre-connected islands in
10384-417: The role of teaching approximately 200 students from Year 7 (Form 1) to Year 13 (Form 7). The island has two government schools and one church school: Araura Primary school, Vaitau Primary School and Tekaaroa Primary School. Tekaaroa Primary School is a private special character school which is the designated Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) school. Araura Primary is the larger of the primary schools, catering for
10502-416: The sea. Bounty arrived at Tubuai on 28 May 1789. The reception from the native population was hostile; when a flotilla of war canoes headed for the ship, Christian used a four-pounder gun to repel the attackers. At least a dozen warriors were killed, and the rest scattered. Undeterred, Christian and an armed party surveyed the island and decided it would be suitable for their purposes. However, to create
10620-441: The ship and depose Bligh. Stewart told him the crew were "ripe for anything". In the early hours of 28 April 1789, Bounty lay about 30 nautical miles (56 km; 35 mi) south of the island of Tofua . After a largely sleepless night, Christian had decided to act. He understood from his discussions with Young and Stewart which crewmen were his most likely supporters and, after approaching Quintal and Isaac Martin, he learned
10738-667: The ship forward, to be repeatedly repelled. On 17 April, he informed his exhausted crew that the sea had beaten them, and that they would turn and head for the Cape of Good Hope—"to the great joy of every person on Board", Bligh recorded. On 24 May 1788, Bounty anchored in False Bay , east of the Cape of Good Hope , where five weeks were spent in repairs and reprovisioning. Bligh's log emphasised how fit and well he and his crew were, by comparison with other vessels, and expressed hope that he would receive credit for this. At one stage during
10856-467: The ship's account books unless Bligh provided him with a certificate attesting to his complete competence throughout the voyage. Bligh would not be coerced. He summoned the crew and read the Articles of War , at which Fryer backed down. There was also trouble with the surgeon Huggan, whose careless blood-letting of able seaman James Valentine while treating him for asthma led to the seaman's death from
10974-443: The sixteen men who had voted to settle in Tahiti, he allowed fifteen ashore; Joseph Coleman was detained on the ship, as Christian required his skills as an armourer. That evening, Christian coaxed aboard Bounty a party of Tahitians, mainly women, for a social gathering. With the festivities underway, he cut the anchor rope and Bounty sailed away with its captive guests. Coleman escaped by diving overboard and reached land. Among
11092-505: The smoke signals were almost certainly a distress message sent by survivors of the Lapérouse expedition , which later evidence indicated were still alive on Vanikoro at that time—three years after their ships Boussole and Astrolabe had foundered. Wahlroos is "virtually certain" that Edwards, whom he characterizes as one of England's most "ruthless", "inhuman", "callous", and "incompetent" naval captains, missed his chance to become "one of
11210-428: The sojourn, Bligh lent money to Christian, a gesture that the historian Greg Dening suggests might have sullied their relationship by becoming a source of anxiety and even resentment to the younger man. In her account of the voyage, Caroline Alexander describes the loan as "a significant act of friendship", but one which Bligh ensured Christian did not forget. After leaving False Bay on 1 July, Bounty set out across
11328-463: The southern Indian Ocean on the long voyage to their next port of call, Adventure Bay in Van Diemen's Land (now called Tasmania ). They passed the remote Île Saint-Paul , a small uninhabited island which Bligh knew from earlier navigators contained fresh water and a hot spring, but he did not attempt a landing. The weather was cold and wintry, conditions akin to the vicinity of Cape Horn, and it
11446-423: The ten remaining prisoners, then embarked on an open-boat journey that largely followed Bligh's course of two years earlier. The prisoners were mostly kept bound hand and foot until they reached Kupang on 17 September. The prisoners were confined for seven weeks, at first in prison and later on a Dutch East India Company ship, before being transported to Cape Town . On 5 April 1792, they embarked for England on
11564-475: The toughest travel of the entire journey and, by 11 June, many were close to collapse. The next day, the coast of Timor was sighted: "It is not possible for me to describe the pleasure which the blessing of the sight of this land diffused among us", Bligh wrote. On 14 June, with a makeshift Union Jack hoisted, they sailed into Kupang harbour. In Kupang, Bligh reported the mutiny to the authorities, and wrote to his wife: "Know then, my own Dear Betsey, I have lost
11682-401: The use of arms. He returned to the ship with his task incomplete, and was cursed by Bligh as "a damned cowardly rascal". Further disorder ashore resulted in the thefts of a small anchor and an adze , for which Bligh further berated Christian and Fryer. In an attempt to recover the missing property, Bligh briefly detained the island's chieftains on the ship, but to no avail. When he finally gave
11800-460: The voyage, observing, sketching, and charting as they made their way west. To keep up morale, he told stories of his prior experiences at sea, got the men singing, and occasionally said prayers. The launch made the first passage by Europeans through the Fiji Islands , but they dared not stop because of the islanders' reputation for cannibalism . On 17 May, Bligh recorded that "our situation
11918-428: The water with only seven inches of freeboard . The 25 men remaining on Bounty included the committed mutineers who had taken up arms, the loyalists detained against their will, and others for whom there was no room in the launch. At around 10:00 the line holding the launch to the ship was cut; a little later, Bligh ordered a sail to be raised. Their immediate destination was the nearby island of Tofua, clearly marked on
12036-450: The well-provisioned Bounty sailed back to Tubuai. On board were nearly thirty Tahitian men and women, some of whom were there by deception. For the next two months, Christian and his forces struggled to establish themselves on Tubuai. They began to construct a large moated enclosure—called "Fort George", after the British king—to provide a secure fortress against attack by land or sea. Christian attempted to form friendly relations with
12154-547: The west and the Society Islands to the east. According to oral tradition, the island was named by Te Erui, who raised it from the ocean after traveling from Avaiki . Other traditions identify various settlers, including Ru, Te Munakorero, Kai, Ui-tario, and Ruatapu . The first known European contact was with Captain Bligh and the crew of HMS Bounty when they also arrived in Aitutaki on 11 April 1789, prior to
12272-419: The world. Since 2000 Aitutaki has served as a filming location for a variety of TV shows, including Shipwrecked , Survivor: Cook Islands , and Survivorman . In 2019 a 750 kW solar array was installed as part of a plan to transition the island to 100% renewable energy . The flora of Aitutaki is highly modified, and on the main island only a few patches of degraded native forest survive near
12390-511: Was a former midshipman who had seen naval action against the French. Banks also helped to secure the official midshipmen's berths for two of his protégés, Thomas Hayward and John Hallett . Overall, Bounty ' s crew was relatively youthful, the majority being under 30; at the time of departure, Bligh was 33 years old. Among the older crewmembers were the 39-year-old Peckover, who had sailed on all three of Cook's voyages, and Lawrence Lebogue,
12508-489: Was a particular target, always seeming to bear the brunt of the captain's rages. Unaware of the effects of his behaviour on his officers and crew, Bligh would forget these displays instantly and attempt to resume normal conversation. On 22 April 1789, Bounty arrived at Nomuka , in the Friendly Islands (now called Tonga), intending to pick up wood, water, and further supplies on the final scheduled stop before
12626-460: Was born in Plymouth in 1754 into a family of naval and military tradition—Admiral Sir Richard Rodney Bligh was his third cousin. Appointment to Cook's ship at the age of 21 had been a considerable honour, although Bligh believed that his contribution was not properly acknowledged in the expedition's official account. With the 1783 ending of the eight-year American War of Independence —in which
12744-553: Was difficult to take navigational observations, but Bligh's skill was such that on 19 August he sighted Mewstone Rock , on the south-west corner of Van Diemen's Land and, two days later, made anchorage in Adventure Bay. The Bounty party spent their time at Adventure Bay in recuperation, fishing, replenishment of water casks, and felling timber. There were peaceful encounters with the native population. The first sign of overt discord between Bligh and his officers occurred when
12862-399: Was disappointed to find increasing instances of neglect and slackness on the part of his officers. Infuriated, he wrote: "Such neglectful and worthless petty officers I believe were never in a ship such as are in this." Huggan died on 10 December. Bligh attributed this to "the effects of intemperance and indolence ... he never would be prevailed on to take half a dozen turns upon deck at
12980-422: Was heavily tattooed on his body. When Bligh landed in England on 14 March 1790, news of the mutiny had preceded him and he was fêted as a hero. In October 1790 at a formal court-martial for the loss of Bounty , he was honourably acquitted of responsibility for the loss and was promoted to post-captain. As an adjunct to the court-martial, Bligh brought charges against Purcell for misconduct and insubordination;
13098-459: Was imminent. He directed his men back to the sea, shortly before the Tofuans seized the launch's stern rope and attempted to drag it ashore. Bligh coolly shepherded the last of his shore party and their supplies into the boat. In an attempt to free the rope from its captors, the quartermaster John Norton leapt into the water; he was immediately set upon and stoned to death. The launch escaped to
13216-471: Was miserable; always wet, and suffering extreme cold ... without the least shelter from the weather". A week later with the skies clearing, birds began to appear, signalling a proximity to land. On 28 May, the Great Barrier Reef was sighted; Bligh found a navigable gap and sailed the launch into a calm lagoon . Late that afternoon, he ran the boat ashore on a small island off the coast of northeast Australia , which he named Restoration Island . Here,
13334-417: Was not planning to desert, and the matter was dropped. Churchill, Millward and Muspratt were found after three weeks and, on their return to the ship, were flogged. From February onwards, the pace of work increased; more than 1,000 breadfruit plants were potted and carried into the ship, where they filled the great cabin. The ship was overhauled for the long homeward voyage, in many cases by men who regretted
13452-539: Was promoted by the Royal Society and organised by its president Sir Joseph Banks , who shared the view of Caribbean plantation owners that breadfruit might grow well there and provide cheap food for the slaves. Bounty was refitted under Banks' supervision at Deptford Dockyard on the River Thames . The great cabin , normally the quarters of the ship's captain , was converted into a greenhouse for over
13570-406: Was revived in the late 1970s, but collapsed after New Zealand adopted Rogernomics and removed privileged market access. A tourism boom began in the early 1990s, with tourist numbers doubling to 10,000 visitors a year in 1994. On 10–11 February 2010, Aitutaki was hit by Cyclone Pat . The high winds of the storm ripped the roofs off of most houses and damaged other buildings including a school and
13688-573: Was taken against Adams. Descendants of the mutineers and their accompanying Tahitians have lived on Pitcairn into the 21st century. His Majesty's Armed Vessel (HMAV) Bounty , or HMS Bounty , was built in 1784 at the Blaydes shipyard in Hull , Yorkshire , as a collier named Bethia . It was renamed after being purchased by the Royal Navy for £ 1,950 in May 1787 (equivalent to £312,986 in 2023). It
13806-510: Was the only island in the Cook Islands that was annexed rather than ceded. In 1942 New Zealand and American forces were stationed on the island. The American engineering firm Sverdrup & Parcel , the New Zealand Ministry of Works , US military personnel and many locals combined to build two airstrips which were completed on 14 November 1942. This airport, and one on the northernmost Penrhyn Island , were to be used as bases by
13924-416: Was three-masted, 91 feet (28 m) long overall and 25 feet (7.6 m) across at its widest point, and registered at 230 tons burthen . Its armament was four short four-pounder carriage guns and ten half-pounder swivel guns , supplemented by small arms such as muskets . As it was rated by the Admiralty as a cutter , the smallest category of warship, its commander would be a lieutenant rather than
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