Admiral Sir Richard Goodwin Keats GCB (16 January 1757 – 5 April 1834) was a British naval officer who fought throughout the American Revolution , French Revolutionary War and Napoleonic War . He retired in 1812 due to ill health and was made Commodore-Governor of Newfoundland from 1813 to 1816. In 1821 he was made Governor of Greenwich Hospital in Greenwich , London . Keats held the post until his death at Greenwich in 1834. Keats is remembered as a capable and well respected officer. His actions at the Battle of Algeciras Bay became legendary.
130-477: Keats was born at Chalton, Hampshire the son of Rev. Richard Keats, the curate, later Rector of Bideford and King's Nympton in Devon and Headmaster of Blundells School , Tiverton , by his wife, Elizabeth. His formal education was brief. At the age of nine, in 1766, he entered New College School , Oxford and was then admitted briefly to Winchester College in 1768 but lacked scholastic aptitude and determined on
260-403: A Master's Mate —in charge of one of the watches. The mutiny , which took place on 28 April 1789 during the return voyage, was led by Christian and supported by eighteen of the crew. They had seized firearms during Christian's night watch and surprised and bound Bligh in his cabin. Despite being in the majority, none of the loyalists put up a significant struggle once they saw Bligh bound, and
390-541: A 47-day voyage, the only casualty being the crewman killed on Tofua. From 4 May until 29 May, when they reached the Great Barrier Reef north of Australia, the 18 men lived on 1 ⁄ 12 pound (40 grams) of bread per day. The weather was often stormy, and they were in constant fear of foundering due to the boat's heavily laden condition. On 29 May they landed on a small island off the coast of Australia, which they named Restoration Island , 29 May 1660 being
520-599: A British force of twenty five thousand. Keats was promoted rear-admiral on 2 October 1807 and moved into HMS Mars . He led the expedition with Lieutenant General Sir John Moore to the aid of the Swedish at Gothenburg . For some time thereafter he was engaged as commander in the Belt and Sound arranging his squadron to best protect British commerce from Danish gun-boats in what became known as "the gun -boat war". A division of Spain's northern army of 12–15,000 men under
650-755: A career in the Royal Navy. Keats entered the navy as a midshipman in 1770 aboard the 74-gun HMS Bellona under Captain John Montagu and followed Montagu when he was promoted rear admiral , given command of the North American Station and the governorship at Halifax . He served in a number of ships on the Newfoundland Station under his patron and his patron's son Captain James Montagu . In April 1777 he
780-689: A compliment to Keats the Admiralty sent the Superb , to which he shifted his flag, and increased the force to twenty nine. Within a week he had over two hundred miles of coast secured and 13,000 troops isolated. With these troops rendered powerless and most of the Danish army also cut off the British forces were secured from any attack from behind. The Danish army of 5,000 in Copenhagen was on its own facing
910-547: A cramped 18′ × 11′ × 5′8″ wooden cell on Pandora ' s quarterdeck. Yet, when Pandora ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef, three prisoners were immediately let out of the prison cell to help at the pumps. Finally, Captain Edwards gave orders to release the other 11 prisoners, to which end Joseph Hodges, the armourer's mate, went into the cell to remove the prisoners' irons. Unfortunately, before he could finish
1040-590: A customs collector (stationed in Douglas, Isle of Man ), on 4 February 1781. The wedding took place at nearby Onchan . The couple had eight children together: six daughters and twin sons (the boys died in infancy). The couple remained married until Elizabeth's death on 15 April 1812. A few days after the wedding, Bligh was appointed to serve on HMS Belle Poule as master (senior warrant officer responsible for navigation). Soon after this, in August 1781, he fought in
1170-458: A fatal broadside that would run the length of the ship through the unprotected stern. A sudden gust of wind brought the two ships together and entangled their rigging. San Hermenegildo also caught fire and the two enormous three-deck ships exploded. Superb continued on relatively unscathed and engaged the French 74-gun Saint Antoine under Commodore Julien le Ray. Saint Antoine struck after
1300-629: A favour if you will tell him I informed you he was a vicious and worthless fellow—He applied to me to render him service & wanted to be appointed Gunner of the Providence but as I had determined never to suffer an officer who was with me in the Bounty to sail with again, it was for the cause I did not apply for him. Bligh's refusal to appoint Peckover was partly due to Edward Christian 's polemic testimony against Bligh in an effort to clear his brother 's name. Christian states in his appendix: In
1430-552: A fierce exchange of broadsides. The action came to an end with the intervention of Captain Amable Troude aboard Formidable . Troude placed his ship, which had been damaged in the earlier engagement and could not keep up with the main allied fleet, between the escaping allied fleet and the British. He held off four ships, causing significant damage to HMS Venerable , which grounded, before he escaped into Cádiz. Both Troude and Keats were highly praised by their commanders and
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#17327733646641560-487: A fitter man for the service cannot be found", "under the orders of any other man than Captain Keats, who possesses so much knowledge of that sea, I should judge it improper to be continued during the winter months". In April 1807 Keats was relieved by Sir Richard Strachan and returned to Portsmouth for the purpose of being deployed on a secret mission, which did not eventuate. Keats then took command of HMS Ganges and
1690-526: A flying squadron of five-six sail of the line employed in the Bay of Biscay and watching the port of Rochefort. They took a number of prizes including the frigate Rhin of 40 guns and 318 men, taken after a twenty-six hour chase. On learning the Rochefort squadron may be broken up and Keats redeployed St Vincent declared: "Captain Keats has such a perfect knowledge of the coast, from Biscay to Brest inclusive, that
1820-648: A half the Alexandre and Brave of 80 guns each and the Jupiter of 74 were taken and the Imperiale (120) and Diomede (74) were destroyed. Duckworth was fortunate to have with him captains who had been part of Nelson's Mediterranean squadron, used to acting instinctively together without waiting for central direction as little was forthcoming. The battle was a graphic display of the superiority of British sea-power and put her out of all fear of another predatory war in
1950-727: A kiln. This stoneware was produced by Eleanor Coade at her factory in Lambeth. The tomb is topped by an eternal flame, not a breadfruit. A plaque marks Bligh's house, half a mile (700m) east of the Garden Museum at 100 Lambeth Road, opposite the Imperial War Museum . He was related to Admiral Sir Richard Rodney Bligh and Captain George Miller Bligh , and his British and Australian descendants include Native Police Commandant John O'Connell Bligh and
2080-691: A letter in January 1810, advising him that the rebellion had been declared illegal, and that the British Foreign Office had declared it to be a mutiny. Lachlan Macquarie had been appointed to replace him as governor. At this news Bligh sailed from Hobart. He arrived in Sydney on 17 January 1810, only two weeks into Macquarie's tenure. There he would collect evidence for the coming court martial in England of Major Johnston. He departed to attend
2210-498: A letter to his wife Betsy, in which he names Heywood (a mere boy not yet 16) as "one of the ringleaders", adding: "I have now reason to curse the day I ever knew a Christian or a Heywood or indeed a Manks [ sic ] man." Bligh's later official account to the Admiralty lists Heywood with Christian, Edward Young and George Stewart as the mutiny's leaders, describing Heywood as a young man of abilities for whom he had felt
2340-754: A liking to Otaheite [Tahiti] that he also turned Pirate, so that I have been run down by my own Dogs... My misfortune I trust will be properly considered by all the World—It was a circumstance I could not foresee—I had not sufficient Officers & had they granted me Marines most likely the affair would never have happened—I had not a Spirited & brave fellow about me & the Mutineers treated them as such. My conduct has been free of blame, & I showed everyone that, tied as I was, I defied every Villain to hurt me... I know how shocked you will be at this affair but I request of you My Dear Betsy to think nothing of it all
2470-432: A makeshift Union Jack be made up and hoisted and that Fryer remain aboard the launch to guard her. Three of the men who survived this arduous voyage with him were so weak that they soon died of sickness, possibly malaria, in the pestilential Dutch East Indies port of Batavia , the present-day Indonesian capital of Jakarta, as they waited for transport to Britain. Two others died on the way to England. The reasons behind
2600-600: A month to go west by rounding South America and Cape Horn , Bounty was finally defeated by the notoriously stormy weather and opposite winds and forced to take the longer way to the east around the southern tip of Africa ( Cape of Good Hope and Cape Agulhas ). That delay caused a further delay in Tahiti, as Bligh had to wait five months for the breadfruit plants to mature sufficiently to be potted in soil and transported. Bounty departed Tahiti heading west in April 1789. Because
2730-461: A navigator and crew. On 23 August orders were given to embark. They arrived off Gothenburg on 27 August. A week later a convoy of thirty-five transports and supply vessels arrived and the troops were re-embarked for the journey to Spain. After a stormy three-week voyage they all arrived at or near Santander and re-joined their compatriots. The removal of the northern army from the Baltic meant Sweden
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#17327733646642860-485: A particular regard. To the Heywood family, Bligh wrote: "His baseness is beyond all description." Peckover applied for a position as gunner on HMS Providence (the second breadfruit expedition to Tahiti) but was refused by Bligh. In a letter to Sir Joseph Banks, dated 17 July 1791 (two weeks before departure), Bligh wrote: Should Peckover my late Gunner ever trouble you to render him further services I shall esteem it
2990-607: A portrait of Nelson to the mizzen stay before addressing the men in a manner intended to lend enthusiasm for the cause. In a few minutes action commenced as the band played "God save the King" and "Nelson of the Nile". Superb , having made up all ground, took in her studding sails and firing her starboard guns was boldly laid up alongside Imperiale , the largest ship in the French Navy, some 118 guns and 1200 men. In less than an hour and
3120-553: A quartermaster, was killed. Fleeing from Tofua, Bligh did not dare to stop at the next islands to the west (the Fiji islands), as he had only a pair of cutlasses for defence and expected hostile receptions. He did however keep a log entitled "Log of the Proceedings of His Majesty's Ship Bounty Lieut. Wm Bligh Commander from Otaheite towards Jamaica" which he used to record events from 5 April 1789 to 13 March 1790. He also made use of
3250-516: A reputation as a firm disciplinarian. Accordingly, he was offered the position of Governor of New South Wales on the recommendation of Sir Joseph Banks (President of the Royal Society and a main sponsor of the breadfruit expeditions) and appointed in March 1805, at £2,000 per annum, twice the pay of the retiring governor, Philip Gidley King . He arrived in Sydney on 6 August 1806, to become
3380-533: A reward for his services he was made a Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath . At the King's request he took as his motto that of La Romana's regiment: "Mi Patria es mi Norte" – my country is my guiding star. La Romana presented Keats with a set of silver mounted pistols given to him by Napoleon saying: "I received these weapons from my greatest enemy, I now give them to my greatest and best friend." Keats remained in
3510-506: A second time with [Bligh] (using a term of abuse) who has been the cause of all our losses." Popular fiction often confuses Bligh with Edward Edwards of HMS Pandora , who was sent on the Royal Navy's expedition to the South Pacific to find the mutineers and bring them to trial. Edwards is often made out to be the cruel man that Hollywood has portrayed. The 14 men from Bounty who were captured by Edwards's men were confined in
3640-481: A small notebook to sketch a rough map of his discoveries. Bligh had confidence in his navigational skills, which he had perfected under the instruction of Captain James Cook . His first responsibility was to bring his men to safety. Thus, he undertook the seemingly impossible 3,618-nautical-mile (6,701 km; 4,164 mi) voyage to Timor, the nearest European settlement. Bligh succeeded in reaching Timor after
3770-593: A voyage of more than 3,500 nautical miles (6,500 kilometres; 4,000 miles) to the west in the launch to reach safety north of Australia in the Dutch East Indies (modern Indonesia) and began the process of bringing the mutineers to justice. In 1787, Lieutenant Bligh, as he then was, took command of HMAV Bounty. In order to win a premium offered by the Royal Society , he first sailed to Tahiti to obtain breadfruit trees, then set course east across
3900-462: A widow who married Francis at the age of 40. Bligh was signed for the Royal Navy at age seven, at a time when it was common to sign on a "young gentleman" simply to gain, or at least record, the experience at sea required for a commission. In 1770, at age 16, he joined HMS Hunter as an able seaman , the term used because there was no vacancy for a midshipman . He became a midshipman early in
4030-415: Is Chalton Windmill which stands at 193 metres above sea level. Also near Chalton, is Butser Ancient Farm and the area around Chalton is home to many ancient sites. The Staunton Way footpath goes past Chalton from Queen Elizabeth Country Park which is close to the village. The Admiralty Shutter Telegraph Line had a semaphore line station at Chalton. Chalton is where the satirist James Bramston
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4160-429: Is Australia's earliest surviving political cartoon and like all political cartoons it makes use of caricature and exaggeration to convey its message. The New South Wales Corps' officers regarded themselves as gentlemen, and in depicting Bligh as a coward, the cartoon declares that Bligh was not a gentleman and therefore not fit to govern. Of interest, however, was Bligh's concern for the more recently arrived settlers in
4290-570: Is believed to be the oldest in Hampshire, dating from the 16th century, though possibly earlier. The Church of England Parish Church of St. Michael and All Angels has a thirteenth-century chancel; the registers include burials in woollen cloth from 1678 to 1746. Clanfield and Chalton parishes were amalgamated 1932. Chalton was listed as part of the 'Hundred of Finchdean ' in the Domesday Book. On Windmill Hill, Hampshire near Chalton
4420-566: Is not clear where. It is likely that he was born in Plymouth , Devon , as he was baptised at St Andrew's Church on Royal Parade in Plymouth on 4 October 1754, where Bligh's father, Francis (1721–1780), was serving as a customs officer. Bligh's ancestral home of Tinten Manor in St Tudy , near Bodmin , Cornwall , is also a possibility. Bligh's mother, Jane Pearce (née Balsam; 1713–1768), was
4550-413: Is now past & we will again looked forward to future happyness. Nothing but true consciousness as an Officer that I have done well could support me....Give my blessings to my Dear Harriet, my Dear Mary, my Dear Betsy & to my Dear little stranger & tell them I shall soon be home...To You my Love I give all that an affectionate Husband can give – Love, Respect & all that is or ever will be in
4680-592: The Battle of Camperdown on 11 October, Bligh engaged three Dutch vessels: Haarlem , Alkmaar and Vrijheid . While the Dutch suffered serious casualties, only seven seamen were wounded on Director . Director captured Vrijheid and the Dutch commander, Vice-Admiral Jan de Winter . For his actions during the battle, Bligh was awarded the Naval Gold Medal . Bligh went on to serve under Admiral Nelson at
4810-408: The Battle of Copenhagen on 2 April 1801, in command of Glatton , a 56-gun ship of the line , which was experimentally fitted exclusively with carronades . After the battle, Nelson personally praised Bligh for his contribution to the victory. He sailed Glatton safely between the banks while three other vessels ran aground. When Nelson pretended not to notice Admiral Parker 's signal "43" (stop
4940-530: The Battle of Dogger Bank under Admiral Parker , which won him his commission as a lieutenant . For the next 18 months, he was a lieutenant on various ships. He also fought with Lord Howe at Gibraltar in 1782. Between 1783 and 1787, Bligh was a captain in the Merchant Service . Like many lieutenants, he would have found full-pay employment in the Navy; however, commissions were hard to obtain with
5070-536: The East Hampshire district of Hampshire , England. It is 2.3 miles (3.7 km) north-east of Horndean and just east of the A3 . The nearest railway station is 3.1 miles (5 km) south of the village, at Rowlands Castle . In 1931 the parish had a population of 158. On 1 April 1932 the parish was abolished and merged with Clanfield, part also went to form Rowlands Castle . The village pub , The Red Lion ,
5200-488: The Royal Marines without compensation. (This was a comparatively mild punishment that enabled Johnston to return a free man to New South Wales, where he could continue to enjoy the benefits of his accumulated private wealth.) Bligh was court martialled twice again during his career, being acquitted both times. Soon after Johnston's trial had concluded, Bligh received a backdated promotion to rear admiral . In 1814, he
5330-712: The Scheldt river. Orders were to 'sink, burn, and destroy the whole of the enemy's ships of war afloat in the Scheldt, or building at Antwerp, Terneuse, or Flushing, and if possible, to render the Scheldt no longer navigable for ships of war'. The fleet conveyed an army of 39,000 men to the Island of Walcheren . Keats was ordered up the East Scheldt and took possession of the Island of South Beveland. He accepted terms of capitulation of Zierikzee and Browershaven together with
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5460-500: The Spithead and Nore mutinies . The mutinies were not triggered by any specific actions by Bligh; the mutinies "were widespread, [and] involved a fair number of English ships". Whilst Director' s role was relatively minor in this episode, she was the last to raise the white flag at its cessation. It was at this time that he learned "that his common nickname among men in the fleet was 'that Bounty bastard'." As captain of Director at
5590-634: The Superb cleared for battle, but his fleet now being quite dispersed, Duckworth, to the surprise and disappointment of the men, called off the chase. His actions can be contrasted with Keats's daring approach of the enemy in the Second Battle of Algeciras . Now in the mid-Atlantic with insufficient supplies to work back to Cádiz, they headed to the West Indies. Vice-Admiral Corentin Urbain Leissègues had separated from Willaumez in
5720-843: The Treaty of Amiens in 1802, Keats and Superb remained in the Mediterranean under Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton . When Nelson relieved Bickerton and took command of the fleet in the Mediterranean Keats remained with him off Toulon . When not watching the French they were sent on a variety of missions – to Naples to secure supplies, during which voyage they surveyed a passage through the Straits of Bonifacio, separating Corsica and Sardinia and three diplomatic missions to Algiers to negotiate with Mustafa Baba, Dey of Algiers to secure reinstatement of British consular representation,
5850-589: The failed landing of an invasion force at Quiberon Bay . The invasion force consisted of French Royalist émigré , counter-revolutionary troops in support of the Chouannerie and Vendée Revolt . They were landed by the Royal Navy on 23 June. The aim of the invasion was to raise the whole of western France in revolt, bring an end to the French Revolution and restore the French monarchy . The Landing of
5980-441: The " Jack Tar 's" life of an ordinary seaman. This view holds that most of the men supported Christian's prideful personal vendetta against Bligh out of a misguided hope that their new captain would return them to Tahiti to live their lives "hedonistically" and in peace, free from Bligh's acid tongue and strict discipline. The mutiny is made more mysterious by the friendship of Christian and Bligh, which dates back to Bligh's days in
6110-408: The 20-gun French privateer L'Invincible General Bonaparte . The Admiralty took this vessel into service as the 18-gun sloop HMS Brazen . On 1 April 1799 Keats also captured L'Utile , a brig of 16 guns. During this time Keats was stationed mainly off Brest . He continued there until 1800 when he was reassigned by Earl St. Vincent to Ferrol . Further prizes included Le Milan of 14 guns,
6240-442: The 44-gun frigate/store ship Gorgon to add to his transport capacity and determined to move the troops to a safe haven. Sweden being the only friendly nation within reach, the destination was Gothenburg, up to a week's sailing away across an open sea where they would be liable to predation. The small boats were all given numbered and lettered designations to identify their 'mother ship' eg.;S1–S22 for Superb , provided with signals,
6370-596: The Atlantic and made for Santo Domingo to resupply and refit after a storm. Duckworth was in the process of resupplying his ships at St. Kitts when he learned of the French squadron anchored in Santo Domingo. Duckworth took his squadron of seven line-of-battle ships and attacked Leissègues' five ships of the line. The Battle of San Domingo was the last open sea fleet action of the Napoleonic War. During
6500-453: The Baltic on convoy duty, wintering at Marstrand, and seeking to support Sweden in preserving her neutrality until ordered home the following summer, when he escorted a merchant convoy of 200 from Karlskrona to Gothenburg where it grew to upwards of 400 strong for the voyage to England where they all arrived safely in July. Only a few days later he joined Sir Richard Strachan on his expedition to
6630-611: The British navy. On 23 July secret instructions were sent from the Admiralty to Keats as commander in the Belt and Sound to open negotiations with the Spanish with a view to removing the troops by sea. The mission was described as being of the greatest importance and one in which the King took a lively interest. The shipping at his disposal was quite insufficient to transport or victual an extra 10,000 men. The regiments were dispersed across various islands. He did not have resources to collect all at once, and to do so sequentially would alert
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#17327733646646760-487: The French frigate to prevent her re-floating and whose men assisted in setting her on fire. Exploits such as this, demonstrating Keats's character in the face of shoal waters, set him apart as one of the few suitable for inshore blockade work off dangerous shores. In May 1797 Galatea was at the Nore anchorage, and Keats, along with several other captains, was put ashore during the fleet mutiny . Subsequently, he commissioned
6890-461: The French to what was afoot. By lengthy secret communication with La Romana it was agreed the Spanish regiments would each move by land on the port town of Nyborg under the pretext of joining together to swear allegiance to Joseph Napoleon. The British ships would similarly move to Nyborg, chosen because its harbour had sufficient water for small war ships and was known to house a large number of small boats that could be used as ferries. From there it
7020-754: The Pacific Ocean in 1789. He commissioned HMS London in 1793 as the newly appointed flag-captain to the Duke of Clarence but was to be disappointed when the Board of Admiralty determined that it would be inappropriate for the Prince to be in command and recalled him to London, such that Keats and the London sailed without him in Lord Howe's squadron. The London was paid off in March 1794. In 1794 Keats
7150-582: The South Pacific for South America and the Cape Horn and eventually to the Caribbean Sea , where breadfruit was wanted for experiments to see whether it would be a successful food crop for enslaved Africans on British colonial plantations in the West Indies islands. According to one modern researcher, the notion that breadfruit had to be collected from Tahiti was intentionally misleading. Tahiti
7280-460: The Subsequent Voyage of Part of the Crew, In the Ship's Boat, from Tofoa, one of the Friendly Islands, to Timor, a Dutch Settlement in the East Indies. Of the 10 surviving prisoners eventually brought home in spite of Pandora' s loss, four were acquitted, owing to Bligh's testimony that they were non-mutineers that Bligh was obliged to leave on Bounty because of lack of space in the launch. Two others were convicted because, while not participating in
7410-404: The West Indies. Keats received the Thanks of Parliament and a silver vase of one hundred guineas. The prizes having been fitted and sent to England, Keats returned to Cádiz in the Superb , and in the May following returned to England. Duckworth was deployed elsewhere and Keats and the Superb were ordered off Brest under the command of Lord St. Vincent. Keats was entrusted with the command of
7540-455: The arrest by an unknown artist was exhibited in Sydney at perhaps Australia's first public art exhibition. The watercolour depicts a soldier dragging Bligh from underneath one of the servants' beds in Government House, with two other figures standing by. The two soldiers in the watercolour are most likely John Sutherland and Michael Marlborough and the other figure on the far right is believed to represent Lieutenant William Minchin . This cartoon
7670-471: The battle Superb suffered 62 casualties in what became an almost total victory for the Royal Navy. Of the five French line-of-battle ships engaged, two were captured and three driven on shore and later destroyed. The British did not lose a single ship. When the British squadron hove in sight of the enemy they immediately weighed seeking to escape the bay. Keats, keenly aware the crew had missed Trafalgar and been denied an engagement with Willaumez, silently fixed
7800-403: The battle) and kept the signal "16" hoisted to continue the engagement, Bligh was the only captain in the squadron who could see that the two signals were in conflict. By choosing to fly Nelson's signal, he ensured that all the vessels behind him kept fighting. Bligh was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in May 1801 for distinguished services in navigation, botany, etc. Bligh had gained
7930-400: The beleaguered rock in 1781. In September 1781 Keats returned to the North American station with Digby in HMS Lion . On 18 January 1782 Keats was put in command of the store ship HMS Rhinoceros which was later fitted out as a floating battery in the defense of New York City . By May 1782 he had been transferred to the command of the sloop HMS Bonetta . He was part of
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#17327733646648060-476: The boat as in the ship." Over the next week or more they island-hopped north along the Great Barrier reef—while Bligh, cartographer as always, sketched maps of the coast. Early in June they passed through the Endeavour Strait and sailed again on the open sea until they reached Coupang , a settlement on Timor, on 14 June 1789. Despite the hardships he and his men had endured, upon reaching Kupang Bligh maintained his stubborn adherence to Navy protocol, insisting that
8190-416: The brig Le Requin of 18 guns, the Venus of 32 guns and 200 men, and a large number of merchant ships. The most valuable of these was the Cultivator , a West Indiaman with cargo valued at £20,000. By March 1801 Keats was placed in command of the ship with which he is most associated. HMS Superb was a 74-gun third-rate ship-of-the-line ordered in 1795 and completed in 1798. In July 1801 she
8320-457: The case of such a violent act, & severely degraded for his Villainy but he could only answer—"not a word sir or you are Dead." I dared him to the act & endeavoured to rally some one to a sense of their duty but to no effect.... The Secrisy of this Mutiny is beyond all conception so that I can not discover that any who are with me had the least knowledge of it. It is unbeknown to me why I must beguile such force. Even Mr. Tom Ellison took such
8450-423: The chops of the Channel and a voyage to Gibraltar conveying Prince Edward to his new command, in effective banishment. Between 1790 and 1793 Keats commanded the frigate HMS Niger on the Channel Station. Being based in Portsmouth under the orders of Lord Hood he sat under his lordship's presidency on the famous Court Martial of the mutineers who had taken HMS Bounty from Lieutenant William Bligh in
8580-620: The colony, who did not have the wealth and influence of Macarthur and Jamison. From the tombstones in Ebenezer and Richmond cemeteries, (areas being settled west of Sydney during Bligh's tenure as governor), can be seen the number of boys born around 1807 to 1811 who received "William Bligh" as a given name , e.g. William Bligh Turnbull b. 8 June 1809 at Windsor, ancestor of former Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Bligh Turnbull ; and James Bligh Johnston, b. 1809 at Ebenezer, son of Andrew Johnston, who designed Ebenezer Chapel, Australia's oldest extant church and oldest extant school. Bligh received
8710-452: The command of Captain James Cook. Bligh received praise from Cook during what would be the latter's final voyage. Bligh served on three of the same ships on which Fletcher Christian also served simultaneously in his naval career. In the early 1780s, while in the merchant service, Bligh became acquainted with a young man named Fletcher Christian (1764–1793), who was eager to learn navigation from him. Bligh took Christian under his wing, and
8840-476: The command of General La Romana ( Pedro Caro y Sureda, Marquis of La Romana ) was stationed in the Danish islands when in early 1808 Napoleon installed his brother as King of Spain and Spanish discontent grew to an uprising. Napoleon attempted to prevent the northern army learning of events back home and ensured the various regiments were separated and always accompanied by French or Dutch forces. There seemed no way for them to return to their homeland unless rescued by
8970-414: The corrupt rum trade of the New South Wales Corps . His actions directed against the trade resulted in the so-called Rum Rebellion , during which Bligh was placed under arrest on 26 January 1808 by the New South Wales Corps and deposed from his command, an act which the British Foreign Office later declared to be illegal. He died in London on 7 December 1817. Bligh was born on 9 September 1754, but it
9100-399: The date of the restoration of the English monarchy after the English Civil War . 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. Fryer later said Bligh "was as tyrannical in his temper in
9230-404: The days after Bligh's overthrow. A rebel government was subsequently installed and Bligh, now deposed, made for Hobart in Tasmania aboard HMS Porpoise . Bligh failed to gain support from the authorities in Hobart to retake control of New South Wales, and remained effectively imprisoned on the Porpoise from 1808 until January 1810. Shortly after Bligh's arrest, a watercolour illustrating
9360-459: The destruction of the town of Nyborg'. The Danish troops put up no resistance, but two vessels guarding the harbour, the Fama (18 guns) and Sacorman (12 guns), had to be attacked and taken to secure the harbour. An inspection of the defences with La Roman showed the town could not be held against an advancing French army and it was determined to immediately evacuate the men. Transferring his flag to
9490-537: The entrenched colonists culminated in another mutiny, the Rum Rebellion , when, on 26 January 1808, 400 soldiers of the New South Wales Corps under the command of Major George Johnston marched on Government House in Sydney to arrest Bligh. A petition written by John Macarthur and addressed to George Johnston was written on the day of the arrest but most of the 151 signatures were gathered in
9620-544: The evidence of Mr. Peckover and Mr. Fryer , it is proved that Mr. Nelson the botanist said, upon hearing the commencement of the mutiny, "We know whose fault this is, or who is to blame, Mr. Fryer, what have we brought upon ourselves?" In addition to this, it ought to be known that Mr. Nelson, in conversation afterwards with an officer (Peckover) at Timor, who was speaking of returning with Captain Bligh if he got another ship, observed, "I am surprized that you should think of going
9750-641: The fleet largely demobilised at the end of the War with France when that country was allied with the North American rebelling colonies in the War of American Independence (1775–1783). In 1787, Bligh was selected as commander of His Majesty's Armed Transport Bounty . He rose eventually to the rank of vice admiral in the Royal Navy. William Bligh's naval career involved various appointments and assignments. He first rose to prominence as Master of Resolution , under
9880-586: The following year. In September 1771, Bligh was transferred to Crescent and remained on the ship for three years. In 1776, Bligh was selected by Captain James Cook (1728–1779), for the position of sailing master of Resolution and accompanied Cook in July 1776 on Cook's third voyage to the Pacific Ocean , during which Cook was killed and was succeeded by Captain Charles Clerke , who
10010-460: The fourth governor. As his wife Elizabeth had been unwilling to undertake a long sea voyage, Bligh was accompanied by his daughter, Mary Putland , who would be the Lady of Government House; Mary's husband John Putland was appointed as William Bligh's aide-de-camp . During his time in Sydney, his confrontational administrative style provoked the wrath of influential settlers and officials. They included
10140-472: The general public. Troude received an audience with Napoleon. Nelson said of Keats in a letter to the Duke of Clarence: "Our friend Keats is quite well in his own person he is equal in my estimation to an additional Seventy-four; his life is a valuable one to the State, and it is impossible that your Royal Highness could ever have a better choice of a Sea friend, or Counsellor, if you go to the Admiralty." After
10270-458: The gun-brig Snipe which had been detached for that purpose. A regiment of cavalry failed to join and the plans of two regiments of infantry stationed near Copenhagen were foiled by a spy and the regiments surrounded. On 13 August, the troops evacuated from Nyborg joined 2,000 more who had independently crossed to Langeland via Tassinge to the south and overpowered the local Danish regiment, so there were now more than 9,000 men temporarily camped on
10400-518: The island. The majority of vessels at Keats's disposal were not capable of sailing to England, let alone Spain. Transports and victuallers were said to be on the way, but time was of the essence. The French had assembled a significant force in Jutland and were preparing to cross to Funen to launch an attack on Langeland. Gun boat activity could be heard in the night. Keats had cut a number of small escort ships from passing convoys and had taken command of
10530-500: The job, the ship sank. Four of the prisoners and 31 of the crew died during the sinking. More prisoners would likely have perished, had not William Moulter, a bosun's mate, unlocked their cages before jumping off the sinking vessel. In October 1790, Bligh was honourably acquitted at the court-martial inquiring into the loss of Bounty. Shortly thereafter, he published A Narrative of the Mutiny on board His Majesty's Ship "Bounty"; And
10660-563: The knees of her head are loose and broke – nothing but the great exertions of captain Keats has kept her at sea..." Unfortunately, she did not rejoin the fleet off Cádiz until November 1805, missing the Battle of Trafalgar, where Keats was to have been Nelson's second, by less than a month. On 9 November 1805 Keats was made an honorary Colonel of Marines. Admiral Duckworth took Superb as his flagship in October 1805. Having orders to blockade
10790-506: The loss of Bounty , Bligh remained in the Royal Navy. From 1791 to 1793, as master and commander of HMS Providence and in company with HMS Assistant under the command of Nathaniel Portlock , he undertook again to transport breadfruit from Tahiti to the West Indies . He also transported plants provided by Hugh Ronalds , a nurseryman in Brentford . The operation was generally successful but its immediate objective, which
10920-514: The merchant service. Christian was well acquainted with the Bligh family. As Bligh was being set adrift, he appealed to this friendship, saying "you have dandled my children upon your knee". According to Bligh, Christian "appeared disturbed" and replied, "That,—Captain Bligh,—that is the thing;—I am in hell—I am in hell". Bounty ' s log shows that Bligh was relatively sparing in his punishments. He scolded when other captains would have whipped, and whipped when other captains would have hanged. He
11050-399: The most part, in a part of the world I never expected, it is however a place that has afforded me relief and saved my life, and I have the happiness to assure you that I am now in perfect health.... Know then my own Dear Betsy, that I have lost the Bounty ... on the 28 April at day light in the morning Christian having the morning watch. He with several others came into my Cabin while I
11180-426: The mutineers. Many of the loyalists claimed to have heard the mutineers cry "Huzzah for Otaheite!" as Bounty pulled away. Timor was the nearest European colonial outpost in the Dutch East Indies (modern Indonesia), 3,618 nmi (6,701 km; 4,164 mi) away. Bligh and his crew first made for Tofua, only a few leagues distant, to obtain supplies. However, they were attacked by hostile natives and John Norton,
11310-508: The mutiny are still debated; some sources report that Bligh was a tyrant whose abuse of the crew led them to feel that they had no choice but to take over the ship. Other sources argue that Bligh was no worse (and in many cases gentler) than the average captain and naval officer of the era. They also argue that the crew—inexperienced and unused to the rigours of the sea—were corrupted by the freedom, idleness and sexual licence of their five months in Tahiti, finding themselves unwilling to return to
11440-418: The mutiny, they were passive and did not resist. They subsequently received royal pardons. One was convicted but excused on a technicality. The remaining three were convicted and hanged. The following is a letter to Bligh's wife, written from Coupang, Timor, Dutch East Indies (circa June 1791), in which the first reference to events on the Bounty is made. My Dear, Dear Betsy, I am now, for
11570-467: The newly built 40-gun HMS Boadicea . Under Keats she served on the Channel station for several years during which time she was engaged watching the port of Brest and at times cruising for prizes by way of reward for the arduous work of blockade. She captured a great many prizes. The first was the 22-gun Spanish ship Union , which she captured on 14 August 1797. On 9 December 1798 Boadicea captured
11700-470: The power of your ever affectionate Friend and Husband Wm Bligh. Strictly speaking, the crime of the mutineers (apart from the disciplinary crime of mutiny ) was not piracy but barratry , the misappropriation, by those entrusted with its care, of a ship and/or its contents to the detriment of the owner (in this case the British Crown ). After his exoneration by the court-martial inquiry into
11830-427: The release of ships taken contrary to treaty, and the freedom of enslaved sailors. He accompanied the fleet to the West Indies in 1805 in the famous chase of Admiral Villeneuve that culminated in the Battle of Trafalgar . After the fleet's return to European waters, Superb was sent to Portsmouth to re-fit. Having been at sea for four years without being in a home port she was described by Nelson as "her stem and
11960-485: The remaining French ships sheltering in Cádiz, Duckworth abandoned the blockade in search of a French squadron reported to be off Madeira. By the time Duckworth made it south, that squadron (under Rear Admiral Zacharie Allemand) was long gone. He then came across and chased Contre-Admiral Jean-Baptiste Willaumez , the Superb gaining to within five to seven miles of the fleeing French squadron on Christmas morning. At 10:00 am
12090-523: The sand cleared by the river's now more narrowly focused force. Bligh died of cancer in Bond Street , London, on 7 December 1817 and was buried in a family plot at St. Mary's, Lambeth (this church is now the Garden Museum ). His tomb was notable for its use of Coade stone ( Lithodipyra ), a compound of clay and other materials that was moulded in imitation of carved stonework and fired in
12220-508: The ship through the shoals and refused to continue, Keats took charge and chased the enemy through a night of rain squalls and lightning right over the shoals of Arcachon Bay on which she struck and was immediately wrecked early the following morning. Thus far the Galatea had acted alone, but in the morning she was joined by the Artois and Sylph , the latter of which fired into the bottom of
12350-411: The ship was taken over without bloodshed. The mutineers provided Bligh and eighteen loyal crewmen a 23-foot (7 m) launch (so heavily loaded that the gunwales were only a few inches above the water). They were allowed four cutlasses , food and water for perhaps a week, a quadrant and a compass, but no charts, or marine chronometer . The gunner, William Peckover , brought his pocket watch, which
12480-521: The ship was under his command. The reasons behind the mutiny continue to be debated. After being set adrift in Bounty ' s launch by the mutineers, Bligh and those loyal to him stopped for supplies on Tofua , losing a man to natives. Bligh and his men reached Timor alive, after a journey of 3,618 nautical miles (6,700 km; 4,160 mi). On 13 August 1806, Bligh was appointed Governor of New South Wales in Australia, with orders to clean up
12610-402: The small sloop Hound , Keats entered the harbour to supervise operations. Fifty seven local vessels were seized and rigged to transport the troops undertaking to return the vessels when no longer required for his purposes. Each boat was manned by six crew from the British war ships. As the convoy was leaving Nyborg a further regiment arrived from another part of the coast under the protection of
12740-460: The squadron that in the action of 15 September 1782 captured a French squadron including the 38-gun Aigle which was bought into British service. Keats played a pivotal role in the engagement, taking responsibility for his ship when the pilot refused to proceed in shallow waters, chasing the French up the Delaware river for two whole days before they grounded and were forced to surrender. Keats
12870-422: The trial on 12 May 1810, arriving on 25 October 1810. In the days immediately prior to their departure, his daughter, Mary Putland (widowed in 1808), was hastily married to the new Lieutenant-Governor, Maurice Charles O'Connell , and remained in Sydney. The following year, the trial's presiding officers sentenced Johnston to be cashiered , a form of disgraceful dismissal that entailed surrendering his commission in
13000-530: The two became friends. The mutiny on the Royal Navy vessel HMAV Bounty occurred in the South Pacific Ocean on 28 April 1789. Led by Master's Mate / Acting Lieutenant Fletcher Christian , disaffected crewmen seized control of the ship, and set the then Lieutenant Bligh, who was the ship's captain, and 18 loyalists adrift in the ship's open launch. The mutineers variously settled on Tahiti or on Pitcairn Island . Meanwhile, Bligh completed
13130-437: The ultimate objective was now unachievable. Reminiscent of the evacuation from Nyborg, Keats assisted in the withdrawal of the troops. Although Antwerp remained secure, the port of Flushing had been rendered useless, and three ships on the stocks destroyed while others were brought away and taken into the navy. It emerged in a Parliamentary enquiry that Keats had observed to Lord Castlereagh before departing Deal, that in view of
13260-410: The ultimate objective, namely an advance on Antwerp, but could not proceed further without the cooperation of the army, and was told by Lieutenant General Earl of Rosslyn that he had no instructions whatsoever on the subject, but would advise. A large portion of the army suffered from Walcheren fever and were severely unwell. Given their indisposition and the advancing number of enemy, it was concluded
13390-412: The vessel was rated only as a cutter , Bounty had no commissioned officers other than Bligh (who was then only a lieutenant), a very small crew, and no Royal Marines to provide protection from hostile natives during stops or to enforce security on board ship. To allow longer uninterrupted sleep, Bligh divided his crew into three watches instead of two, placing his protégé Fletcher Christian —rated as
13520-483: The wealthy landowner and businessman John Macarthur , and prominent Crown representatives such as the colony's principal surgeon, Thomas Jamison , as well as senior officers of the New South Wales Corps . Jamison and his military associates were defying government regulations by engaging in private trading ventures for profit, a practice that Bligh was determined to end. The conflict between Bligh and
13650-506: The weather, if Antwerp was the primary objective he hoped they should not find themselves involved in a siege of Flushing or in Walcheren, but should proceed to the ultimate objective without delay. The Minister heard what he had to say, but did not question him about it. Keats told the enquiring it was an expression of his opinion only; it was not advice, as his advice had not been sought. On Superb ' s return to Portsmouth in 1809 she
13780-438: The whole of the islands of Schouwen and Duiveland and ultimately took the fortress of Batz so as to command the navigation of both East and West Scheldt. Unfortunately due to the lengthy delays suffered by the army at Flushing the enemy had time to arrange reinforcements and for its shipping to retreat up river to Antwerp which was now well defended. On 17 August Keats wrote to the military commanders advising he had orders to pursue
13910-498: The wind in the Straits increased to a fresh gale the Superb went at 11.5 knots. Keats rapidly gained on the combined fleet, leaving his compatriots some miles astern. With lights concealed, and making no signals, he sailed Superb alongside the 112-gun Real Carlos on her starboard side. Another Spanish ship, the 112-gun San Hermenegildo , was sailing abreast, on the port side, of Real Carlos . Keats fired three broadsides into Real Carlos before any return of fire, so unexpected
14040-515: The émigrés at Quiberon was finally repulsed on 21 July, dealing a disastrous blow to the royalist cause. On 23 August 1795 Keats in Galatea drove the French frigate Andromaque of 42 guns ashore and set her alight to stop the French refloating her. The squadron was cruising near the entrance to the Garonne when she hove in sight. Notwithstanding the difficulty of the navigation, and although his French pilot declared his incapacity to conduct
14170-564: Was paid off . Keats was granted much needed leave and promoted to rear-admiral of the white squadron. On 26 December 1809 he was given the post of His Majesty's Commissioner for the Civil Affairs of Malta, but resigned before taking office. In 1810 after a nearly twenty-one year's continuous service he took leave ashore. In May 1810 he was granted the Freedom of his home town of Bideford , Devon. His health only slightly improved, he
14300-560: Was a Sleep, and seizing me, holding naked Bayonets at my Breast, tied my Hands behind my back, and threatened instant destruction if I uttered a word. I however call'd loudly for assistance, but the conspiracy was so well laid that the Officers Cabbin Doors were guarded by Centinels, so Nelson, Peckover, Samuels or the Master could not come to me. I was now dragged on Deck in my Shirt & closely guarded—I demanded of Christian
14430-531: Was an educated man, deeply interested in science, convinced that good diet and sanitation were necessary for the welfare of his crew. He took a great interest in his crew's exercise, was very careful about the quality of their food and insisted upon the Bounty being kept very clean. The modern historian John Beaglehole has described the major flaw in this otherwise enlightened naval officer: "[Bligh made] dogmatic judgements which he felt himself entitled to make; he saw fools about him too easily … thin-skinned vanity
14560-458: Was buried in 1743. Admiral Richard Goodwin Keats , famous for his actions at the Battle of Algeciras Bay in 1801 was born in Chalton in 1757. William Bligh Vice-Admiral William Bligh FRS (9 September 1754 – 7 December 1817) was a British officer in the Royal Navy and a colonial administrator. He is best known for the mutiny on HMS Bounty , which occurred in 1789 when
14690-615: Was called Kingstown, later renamed Dún Laoghaire . Many sources claim that Bligh designed the North Bull Wall at the mouth of the River Liffey in Dublin. He did propose the construction of a sea wall or barrier at the north of the bay in order to clear a sandbar by Venturi action , but his design was not used. The wall that was constructed used a design by George Halpin and resulted in the formation of North Bull Island by
14820-490: Was called to sea in July 1810. Keats hoisted his flag onboard Implacable commanded by Captain George Cockburn to take command of the British forces including eight sail of the line and numerous gun-boats off Cádiz, which was at that time blockaded by a French army and threatened with a siege. Chalton, Hampshire Chalton is a small village and former civil parish , now in the parish of Clanfield , in
14950-521: Was dying from tuberculosis. Due to his weakened state, Clerke placed Bligh in charge as navigator of the expedition and attempted to explore the Northwest Passage for a second time. Following Cook's and Clerke's deaths, Bligh played a significant role in navigating the beleaguered expedition back to England in August 1780. He was also able to supply details of Cook's last voyage following the return. Bligh married Elizabeth Betham, daughter of
15080-507: Was given in honour of Bligh. In Adventure Bay, Tasmania , third lieutenant George Tobin made the first European drawing of an echidna . In February 1797, while Bligh was captain of HMS Director , he surveyed the Humber estuary, preparing a map of the stretch from Spurn to the west of Sunk Island . In April–May, Bligh was one of the captains whose crews mutinied over "issues of pay and involuntary service for common seamen" during
15210-414: Was his curse through life … [Bligh] never learnt that you do not make friends of men by insulting them." Bligh was also capable of holding intense grudges against those he thought had betrayed him, such as Midshipman Peter Heywood and ship's gunner William Peckover ; in regard to Heywood, Bligh was convinced that the young man was as guilty as Christian. Bligh's first detailed comments on the mutiny are in
15340-490: Was in Sir John Borlase Warren 's squadron in the Channel in command of the 32-gun frigate HMS Galatea . In her he took part in the running battles along the French, English and Irish coasts that became highly publicized and exemplified the romantic image of naval warfare as it was perceived by the general public. In 1795 Galatea captured La Revolutionnaire . In the same year Galatea took part in
15470-533: Was intended the troops be temporarily housed on nearby Langeland , thought to be both defensible and the best able to provision and water the men while waiting for transport capacity and supplies to be sent from England. Keats wrote to the Governor of Nyborg to the effect that he had no argument with the Danes, but if any opposition should be mounted he would take measures which 'it is to be apprehended might occasion
15600-465: Was merely one of many places where the esteemed seedless breadfruit could be found. The real reason for choosing Tahiti has its roots in the territorial contention that existed then between France and Great Britain at the time. Bounty never reached the Caribbean, as mutiny broke out on board shortly after the ship left Tahiti. The voyage to Tahiti was difficult. After trying unsuccessfully for
15730-506: Was promoted again to vice-admiral of the blue . Perhaps significantly, he never again received an important command, though with the Napoleonic Wars almost over there would have been few fleet commands available. Bligh was recruited to chart and map Dublin Bay , and recommended the building walls for a refuge harbour at what was then known as Dunleary; the large harbour and naval base subsequently built there between 1816 and 1821
15860-492: Was promoted commodore with Admiral Gambier 's squadron in the Baltic, where between 16 August and 7 September, he took part in the Second Battle of Copenhagen . As a first move in the campaign a division under Keats was detached to the Great Belt, separating Funen from Zealand and Copenhagen with instructions to seal off Copenhagen from any support from the Danish army to the west. The squadron consisted of sixteen vessels. As
15990-580: Was promoted to lieutenant under Captain Robert Digby in HMS ; Ramillies in which he took part in the First Battle of Ushant on 27 July 1778. As one of Digby's followers he was moved with him to the second-rate , ninety-gun HMS Prince George . Prince William Henry , later William IV, served aboard Prince George as a midshipman for almost two years during this time where Keats
16120-545: Was safe for a period as the troops remaining to Napoleon were insufficient to mount an invasion. Their redeployment to Spain came at a critical juncture. Whilst the French had been aware of discontent they were unprepared for such an audacious and large scale operation undertaken with such alacrity as gave them no opportunity to mount an adequate response. Keats had demonstrated the capacity of the British navy to implement foreign policy and particularly to deploy large numbers of troops where required, thousands of miles from home. As
16250-419: Was stationed off Cádiz and took part in the second Battle of Algeciras Bay . As the French and Spanish made to escape Ageciras Bay for Cádiz, Admiral Sir James Saumarez hailed Superb and ordered Keats to catch the allied fleets rear and engage. Superb was a relatively new ship and had not been long on blockade duty. As a consequence she was the fastest sailing ship-of-the-line in the fleet. As night fell and
16380-468: Was subsequently engaged at New York and Nova Scotia until Bonetta was paid off in 1785 and between then and 1789 Keats was unemployed ashore and for much of the time lived in France. On 24 June 1789 he was promoted to post-captain in HMS Southampton , possibly at the behest of the Duke of Clarence (Prince William Henry) as a royal favour to a friend. They were engaged in cruises of observation in
16510-424: Was the attack. Some shot passed through the rigging of Real Carlos and struck San Hermenegildo . Real Carlos caught fire and Keats disengaged her to continue up the line. In the darkness the two Spanish ships confused one another for British ships and began a furious duel. With Real Carlos aflame the captain of San Hermenegildo determined to take advantage and crossed the stern of Real Carlos in order to deal
16640-539: Was the second, then first lieutenant of his watch. The two formed a life-long friendship, William describing Keats as the one to whom he owed all his professional knowledge. In 1780 Keats was on Prince George with Admiral Rodney 's fleet when the San Julien struck to her at the Moonlight Battle before they proceeded to the relief of Gibraltar . Keats was with the fleet once more when it again relieved
16770-571: Was to provide a cheap and nutritious food for the African slaves in the West Indies islands around the Caribbean Sea was not met, as most slaves refused to eat the new food. During this voyage, Bligh also collected samples of the ackee fruit of Jamaica, introducing it to the Royal Society in Britain upon his return. The ackee's scientific name Blighia sapida in binomial nomenclature
16900-406: Was used to regulate time. Most of these instruments were obtained by the clerk, Mr Samuel, who acted with great calm and resolution, despite threats from the mutineers. The launch could not hold all the loyal crew members, so four were detained on Bounty for their useful skills; they were later released in Tahiti. Tahiti was upwind from Bligh's initial position, and was the obvious destination of
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