The Sea: Its Stirring Story of Adventure, Peril, & Heroism. Volume 1Whymper, Frederick
History
The Sea: Its Stirring Story of Adventure, Peril, & Heroism. Volume 1
Whymper, Frederick
Adventure and adventurers; Arctic regions; Ocean; Voyages around the world
But although the worst of their voyage was over, their troubles in other
ways were serious. While among the islands off the coast of Australia
several of them were seriously affected with weakness, dizziness, and
violent pains in their bowels. Infinitesimal quantities of wine were
administered, to their great benefit. A party was sent out on one of the
islands to catch birds, and they returned with a dozen noddies; these and
a few clams were all they obtained. On the 3rd of June they left Cape
York, and once more launched their little boat on the open ocean. On the
5th a booby was caught by the hand, the blood of which was divided among
three of the men who were weakest, and the bird kept for next day’s
dinner. The following day the sea ran high, and kept breaking over the
boat. Mr. Ledward, the surgeon, and Lebogue, an old hardy sailor, appeared
to be breaking up fast, and no other assistance could be given them than a
tea-spoonful or two of wine. On the morning of the 10th there was a
visible alteration for the worse in many of the people. Their countenances
were ghastly and hollow, their limbs swollen, and all extremely
debilitated; some seeming to have lost their reason. But next day Bligh
was able to announce that they had passed the meridian of Timor, and the
following morning land was sighted with expressions of universal joy and
satisfaction. Forty-one days had they been on the ocean in their miserable
boat, and by the log they had run 3,618 nautical miles. On the 14th they
arrived at Coupang Bay, where they were received with all kinds of
hospitality. The party on landing presented the appearance of spectres:
their bodies skin and bones, and covered with sores; their clothing in
rags. But the strain had been too much for several of them. The botanist
died at Coupang, three of the men at Batavia, and one on the passage home.
The doctor was left behind and not afterwards heard of. Bligh arrived in
England on March 14th, and received much sympathy. He was immediately
promoted, and afterwards successfully carried the bread-fruit tree to the
West Indies. Meantime the Government naturally proposed to bring the
mutineers to trial, whatever it might cost.
The _Pandora_, a frigate of twenty-four guns, and one hundred and sixty
men, was selected for the service, and was placed under the command of
Captain Edward Edwards, with orders to proceed to Otaheite, and if
necessary the other islands. The voyage was destined to end in shipwreck
and disaster, but the captain succeeded in securing a part of the
mutineers, of whom ten were brought to England, and four drowned on the
wreck.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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