r with what
ease so small a ship might be surprised, and that so favourable an
opportunity would never offer to them again.

The secrecy of this mutiny is beyond all conception. Thirteen of the
party who were with me had always lived forward among the seamen; yet
neither they nor the messmates of Christian, Stewart, Haywood, and Young,
had ever observed any circumstance that made them in the least suspect
what was going on. To such a close-planned act of villainy, my mind being
entirely free from any suspicion, it is not wonderful that I fell a
sacrifice. Perhaps if there had been marines on board a sentinel at my
cabin-door might have prevented it; for I slept with the door always open
that the officer of the watch might have access to me on all occasions,
the possibility of such a conspiracy being ever the farthest from my
thoughts. Had their mutiny been occasioned by any grievances, either real
or imaginary, I must have discovered symptoms of their discontent, which
would have put me on my guard: but the case was far otherwise. Christian
in particular I was on the most friendly terms with: that very day he was
engaged to have dined with me, and the preceding night he excused himself
from supping with me on pretence of being unwell; for which I felt
concerned, having no suspicions of his integrity and honour.

CHAPTER 14.

Proceed in the Launch to the Island Tofoa.
Difficulty in obtaining Supplies there.
Treacherous Attack of the Natives.
Escape to Sea and bear away for New Holland.

1789. April.

My first determination was to seek a supply of breadfruit and water at
Tofoa, and afterwards to sail for Tongataboo, and there risk a
solicitation to Poulaho the king to equip our boat and grant us a supply
of water and provisions, so as to enable us to reach the East Indies.

The quantity of provisions I found in the boat was 150 pounds of bread,
16 pieces of pork, each piece weighing 2 pounds, 6 quarts of rum, 6
bottles of wine, with 28 gallons of water, and four empty barrecoes.

Fortunately it was calm all the afternoon till about four o'clock, when
we were so far to windward that, with a moderate easterly breeze which
sprung up, we were able to sail. It was nevertheless dark when we got to
Tofoa where I expected to land, but the shore proved to be so steep and
rocky that we were obliged to give up all thoughts of it and keep the
boat under the lee of the island with two oars, for there was no
anchorage. Havin