he deck; that at twelve
he was relieved by the gunner, and retired, leaving all quiet; that at
dawn of day he was greatly alarmed by an unusual noise; and that, on
attempting to jump up, John Sumner and Matthew Quintal laid their hands
upon his breast and desired him to lie still, saying he was their
prisoner; that on expostulating with them, he was told, 'Hold your
tongue, or you are a dead man, but if you remain quiet there is none on
board will hurt a hair of your head'; he further deposes, that on
raising himself on the locker, he saw on the ladder, going upon deck,
Mr. Bligh in his shirt, with his hands tied behind him, and Christian
holding him by the cord; that the master-at-arms, Churchill, then came
to his cabin and took a brace of pistols and a hanger, saying, 'I will
take care of these, Mr. Fryer'; that he asked, on seeing Mr. Bligh
bound, what they were going to do with the captain; that Sumner replied,
'D---- n his eyes, put him into the boat, and let the see if he can live
upon three-fourths of a pound of yams a day'; that he remonstrated with
such conduct, but in vain. They said he must go in the small cutter.
'The small cutter!' Mr. Fryer exclaimed; 'why her bottom is almost out,
and very much eaten by the worms!' to which Sumner and Quintal both
said, 'D---- n his eyes, the boat is too good for him'; that after much
entreaty he prevailed on them to ask Christian if he might be allowed to
go on deck, which, after some hesitation, was granted. When I came on
deck, says Mr. Fryer, Mr. Bligh was standing by the mizen-mast, with his
hands tied behind him, and Christian holding the cord with one hand, and
a bayonet in the other. I said, 'Christian, consider what you are
about.' 'Hold your tongue, Sir,' he said; 'I have been in hell for
weeks past; Captain Bligh has brought all this on himself.' I told him
that Mr. Bligh and he not agreeing was no reason for taking the ship.
'Hold your tongue, Sir,' he said. I said,--Mr. Christian, you and I have
been on friendly terms during the voyage, therefore give me leave to
speak,--let Mr. Bligh go down to his cabin, and I make no doubt we shall
all be friends again;--he then repeated, 'Hold your tongue, Sir; it is
too late'; and threatening me if I said anything more. Mr. Fryer then
asked him to give a better boat than the cutter; he said, 'No, that boat
is good enough.' Bligh now said to the master, that the man behind the
hen-coops (Isaac Martin) was his friend, and de