r of the crew were ignorant of what was going on. No doubt a
few who might have given the alarm were afraid to do so. Among those
who were asleep was one deserving of special notice, namely, Peter
Heywood, a midshipman who was true as steel at heart, but whose extreme
youth and inexperience, coupled with the surprise and alarm of being
awakened to witness scenes of violence, produced a condition of inaction
which resulted in his being left, and afterwards classed, with the
mutineers.

Shortly after five o'clock the armed men streamed quietly up the
fore-hatch and took possession of the deck. Sentinels were placed below
at the doors of the officers' berths, and above at the hatchways. Then
Fletcher Christian, John Adams, Matthew Quintal, William McCoy, Isaac
Martin, and several others went aft, armed with muskets, bayonets, and
cutlasses. Leaving Martin in charge of the quarter-deck, they descended
to Captain Bligh's cabin.

The commander of the _Bounty_, all ignorant of the coming storm which
his ungentlemanly and cruel conduct had raised, was sleeping calmly in
his berth.

He was roughly awakened and bidden to rise.

"What is the reason of such violence?" he demanded, addressing
Christian, as they half forced him out of bed.

"Silence, sir," said Christian, sternly; "you know the reason well
enough. Tie his hands, lads."

Disregarding the order to be silent, Bligh shouted "murder!" at the top
of his voice.

"Hold your tongue, sir, else you're a dead man," said Christian, seizing
him by the tied hands with a powerful grasp, and holding a bayonet to
his breast.

Of course no one responded to the Captain's cry, the hatchways,
etcetera, being guarded. They gave him no time to dress, but hurried
him on deck, where, amid much confusion and many abusive cries,
preparations were being made for getting out a boat, for it was resolved
to set Bligh and his friends adrift. At first there was some disputing
among the mutineers as to which boat should be given to them.
Eventually the launch was decided on.

"Hoist her out, bo's'n. Do it smartly and instantly, or look-out for
yourself."

The order was given sternly, for the boatswain was known to be friendly
to Bligh. He obeyed at once, with the assistance of willing men who
were only too glad to get rid of their tyrannical commander.

"Now, Mr Hayward and Mr Hallet, get into the boat," said Christian,
who seemed to be torn with conflicting emotions. His ton