Voyage of H.M.S. 'Pandora' : $b despatched to arrest the mutineers of the 'Bounty' in the South Seas, 1790-91Edwards, Edward
History
Voyage of H.M.S. 'Pandora' : $b despatched to arrest the mutineers of the 'Bounty' in the South Seas, 1790-91
Edwards, Edward
Bounty (Ship); Pandora (Frigate); Voyages around the world -- Early works to 1800
On not finding the ship next day, they gave up all further hopes of her,
and steered for Anamooka, the rendezvous Captain Edwards had appointed.
Their distress for want of water, if possible, surpassed that of our own,
and had so strong an effect on one of the young gentlemen, that the day
following he became delirious, and continued so for some months after it.
They at last made the island of Tofoa, near to Anamooka, which they
mistook for it. After trading with the natives for provisions and water,
they made an attempt to take the vessel from them, which they always will
to a small vessel, when alone; but they were soon overpowered with the
fire arms. They were, however, obliged to be much on their guard
afterwards, at those islands which were inhabited.
After much diversity of distress, and similar encounters, they at last
made the reef that runs between New Guinea and New Holland, where the
_Pandora_ met her unhappy fate; and after traversing from shore to shore,
without finding an opening, this intrepid young seaman boldly gave it the
stem, and beat over the reef. The alternative was dreadful, as famine
presented them on the one hand, and shipwreck on the other. Soon after
they had passed Endeavour Straits, they fell in with a small Dutch
vessel, who shewed them every tenderness that the nature of their
distress required.
They were soon landed at a small Dutch settlement; but the governor
having a description of the _Bounty's_ pirates from our court, and their
vessel being built of foreign timber, served to confirm them in their
suspicions; and as no officer in the British navy bears a commission or
warrant under the rank of lieutenant, where, by seal of office, their
person or quality may be identified, they had only their bare _ipse
dixit_ to depend on. They, however, behaved to them with great precaution
and humanity. Although they kept a strict guard over them, nothing was
withheld to render their situation agreeable; and they were sent, under a
proper escort, to this place.
This settlement is reckoned next to Batavia, and is so lucrative, that
the governor is changed every five years. The present governor's name is
Overstraaten, a gentleman of splendid taste and unbounded hospitality,
who lives in a princely style; and to the _otium dignitate_ of Asiatic
luxury, has the happiness to join an honest hearty Dutch welcome.
A regiment of the Duke of Wirtemburg is doing duty here, amongst whom
were several men of rank and fashion, who shewed us much civility and
politeness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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