H.M.S. Bounty

The Bounty's master, Captain Bligh, gives description of the ship:

Her burthen was nearly 215 tons; her extreme length on deck, 90 feet ten inches; extreme breadth, 24 feet 3 inches; and height in the hold under the beams, at the main hatchway, 10 feet 3 inches. In the cock pit were the cabins of the surgeon, gunner, botanist, and clerk, with a steward room and store-rooms. The between decks was divided in the following manner:-- the great cabin was appropriated for the preservation of the plants and extended as far forward as the after hatchway. It had two large sky-lights, and on each side three scuttles for air, and was fitted with a false floor cut full of holes to contain the garden-pots, in which the plants were to be brought home. The deck was covered with lead, and at the foremost corners of the cabin were fixed pipes to carry off the water that drained from the plants, into tubs placed below to save it for future use. I had a small cabin on one side to sleep in, adjoining to the great cabin, and a place near the middle of the ship to eat in. The bulk-head of this apartment was at the after-part of the main hatchway, and on each side of it were the berths of the mates and midshipmen; between these berths the arms-chest was placed. The cabin of the master, in which was always kept the key of the arms, was opposite to mine... The ship was masted according to the proportion of the navy: but, on my application, the masts were shortened, as I thought them too much for her, considering the nature of the voyage.

The Bounty was armed with 4 short four-pounder carriage guns and 10 half-pounder swivel guns.

THE CAPTAIN
Source: D. Silverman's Pitcairn Island

Bligh's selection was merited by his sound record as sailing master with Captain Cook on his third and fatal voyage to the South Seas in the "Resolution," by his extensive services in the Navy and the merchant fleet, and by his superlative knowledge of naval surveying and cartography. Since merit was not always paramount in Navy appointments, it may have been of equal importance that he was given support by his wife's uncle, Duncan Campbell, who today would be described as a "shipping tycoon." Campbell sold to the British Navy the trading ship, originally named "Bethia," which, symbolically renamed and refurbished for its mission, became the immortal "Bounty." Campbell not only "put forward Bligh's qualifications" to that influential patron of the geographical arts, Sir Joseph Banks, but won his telling support for the appointment. Banks did not yet know Bligh personally, but knew of him and had obtained for Bligh a share in the profits of the official account of Cook's third voyage. He was to become Bligh's lifelong friend, patron, and advocate.

WHAT HAPPENED TO BOUNTY AFTER THE MUTINY

According to Beechey, the crew:

... brought the ship to anchor in a small bay on the northern side of the island (Pitacairn), which I have in consequence named "Bounty Bay," where everything that could be of utility was landed, and where it was agreed to destroy the ship, whether by running her on shore, or burning her. Christian, Adams, and the majority, were for the former expedient but while they went to the forepart of the ship to execute this business, Matthew Quinteal set fire to the carpenter's storeroom. The vessel burnt to the water's edge, and then driften upon the rocks, where the remainder of the wreck was burnt for fear of discovery. This occurred on the 23rd of January, 1790.

The following account was given by Jenny (Teehuteatuaonoa, in her native Tahiti):

Christian got the vessel under a rocky point and came to anchor. The mutineers began to discharge the ship, by means of the boat and a raft made out of the hatches. The property from the ship was landed principally on the raft, by means of a rope fastened to the rocks. When all they wanted was brought on shore, they began to consider what they should do with the vessel. Christian wished to save her for a while. The others insisted on destroying her, and one of them went off and set fire to her in the fore part. Shortly after two others went on board and set fire to her in different places. Some regretted exceedingly they had not confined Captain Bligh and returned to their native country, instead of acting as they had done.

In 1933 the rudder of the "Bounty" was retrieved from six fathoms of water in Bounty Bay by Fletcher Christian's descendant, Parkin Christian. This discovery and others inspired the 1956 expedition by Luis Marden, a man skilled in diving and marine photography. The Marden expedition resulted in the recovery of a rudder pintle, hull fittings, and oarlock, and sheathing nails from the wrecked "Bounty."