the facts of
the mutinous proceedings as stated by the Lieutenant, in his own words.

CHAPTER III

THE MUTINY

That,--Captain Bligh,--that is the thing;--I am in hell!--I am
in hell!--FLETCHER CHRISTIAN.

--Horror and doubt distract
His troubled thoughts, and from the bottom stir
The hell within him; for within him hell
He brings, and round about him, nor from hell
One step no more than from himself can fly
By change of place; now conscience wakes despair
That slumber'd, wakes the bitter memory
Of what he was, what is, and what must be
Worse; of worse deeds worse sufferings must ensue.

'In the morning of the 28th April, the north-westernmost of the Friendly
Islands, called Tofoa, bearing north-east, I was steering to the
westward with a ship in most perfect order, all my plants in a most
flourishing condition, all my men and officers in good health, and in
short, everything to flatter and insure my most sanguine expectations.
On leaving the deck I gave directions for the course to be steered
during the night. The master had the first watch; the gunner, the middle
watch; and Mr. Christian, the morning watch. This was the turn of duty
for the night.

'Just before sun-rising on Tuesday the 28th, while I was yet asleep,
Mr. Christian, officer of the watch, Charles Churchill, ship's corporal,
John Mills, gunner's mate, and Thomas Burkitt, seaman, came into my
cabin, and seizing me, tied my hands with a cord behind my back,
threatening me with instant death if I spoke or made the least noise. I
called, however, as loud as I could in hopes of assistance; but they had
already secured the officers who were not of their party, by placing
sentinels at their doors. There were three men at my cabin door, besides
the four within; Christian had only a cutlass in his hand, the others
had muskets and bayonets. I was hauled out of bed, and forced on deck in
my shirt, suffering great pain from the tightness with which they had
tied my hands[4] [behind my back, held by Fletcher Christian, and
Charles Churchill, with a bayonet at my breast, and two men, Alexander
Smith and Thomas Burkitt behind me, with loaded muskets cocked and
bayonets fixed]. I demanded the reason of such violence, but received no
other answer than abuse, for not holding my tongue. The master, the
gunner, Mr. Elphinstone, the master's mate, and Nelson, were kept
confined below; and the fore-hatc