the 26th. They warped the ship up the harbour,
landed the live stock, and set about building a fort of fifty yards
square.

While this work was carrying on, quarrels and disagreements were daily
happening among them, and continual disputes and skirmishes were taking
place with the natives, generally brought on by the violent conduct of
the invaders, and by depredations committed on their property.
Retaliations were attempted by the natives without success, numbers of
whom being pursued with fire-arms were put to death. Still the situation
of the mutineers became so disagreeable and unsafe, the work went on so
slowly and reluctantly, that the building of the fort was agreed to be
discontinued. Christian, in fact, had very soon perceived that his
authority was on the wane, and that no peaceful establishment was likely
to be accomplished at Toobouai; he therefore held a consultation as to
what would be the most advisable step to take. After much angry
discussion, it was at length determined that Toobouai should be
abandoned; that the ship should once more be taken to Otaheite; and that
those who might choose to go on shore there might do so, and those who
preferred to remain in the ship might proceed in her to whatever place
they should agree upon among themselves.

In consequence of this determination they sailed from Toobouai on the
15th, and arrived at Matavai Bay on the 20th September, 1789. Here
sixteen of the mutineers were put on shore, at their own request,
fourteen of whom were received on board the _Pandora_, and two of them,
as before mentioned, were murdered on the island. The remaining nine
agreed to continue in the _Bounty_. The small arms, powder, canvas, and
the small stores belonging to the ship, were equally divided among the
whole crew. The _Bounty_ sailed finally from Otaheite on the night of
the 21st September, and was last seen the following morning to the
north-west of Point Venus. They took with them seven Otaheitan men and
twelve women. It was not even conjectured whither they meant to go; but
Christian had frequently been heard to say, that his object was to
discover some unknown or uninhabited island, in which there was no
harbour for shipping; that he would run the _Bounty_ on shore, and make
use of her materials to form a settlement; but this was the only
account, vague as it was, that could be procured to direct Captain
Edwards in his intended search.

It appears that when the schooner, of