Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/417

 880 CHAPTEE YL GOVERNOR BLIGH* I ft King's successor, Bligh, was a naval officer. Except during the ad interim tenures of office by Grose and Pateraon^ only sailors had held command in the colony. Bhgli had obtained notoriety bj the voyage of the BoiinUf, in which he sailed to procure bread-fruit trees in the Pacific and carry them to the West Indies. His arbitrary conduct excited ill-feeliog before he arrived at Tahiti, The mate of the Boinittf was Fletcher Christ ian, In-other of a lawyer who edited Blackstone's ** Commentaries/' Educated, ad- venturous, and perhaps intolerant of discipline as well as tyranny, Christian was not inclined to 1/ear the coarse insults which Blights ungovernable temper heaped upon those under his command. After leaving Tahiti in 1789, Bligh accused Christian of stealing, or combining to steal, cocoa-iuits. Christian controlled liis temper and resolved to leave the ship. Others availed themselves of the indig- nity cast upon him. So many sailors had been flogged that a mutiny was easily planned and executed, Bligh and eighteen others were seized and put into the launch. After hardships which excited sympathy, Bligh made his way from the Friendly Isles to Timor with twelve companions. A boat voyage of more than forty days, compassing more than 3500 mites, would have somewhat redeemed his character even if his cruelties had been known. But the witnesses were far away.^ ' i-hri«tiaii sailed Ut TrmlKinai after caUing at Tahl. ¥»xv^ vW uativeii huatilti be rLturnttJ to Tahiti, where afcvetaX meu v(i oA ;.j2S&!k. xw^