"Court is assembled by the Right Honorable Lords, Commissioners of the Admiralty and I quote: "To enquire into the cause and circumstances of the seizure of His Majesty's armed vessel, The Bounty, commanded by Lieutenant William Bligh" "and to try the said Lieutenant William Bligh for his conduct on that occasion."" "Surrender your sword and be seated." "Lieutenant Bligh." "Perhaps it would be useful if you told the court in your own words the events of April 28th last year." "Yes, sir." "If it please, my Lords, I will first read a list of the mutineers who seized my ship." "The crew is not on trial here, Mr Bligh." "You, sir, are on trial." "The question at issue is how you came to lose your ship." "To understand that, Captain Greetham, it is essential to know who were the mutineers aboard that ship." "Alleged mutineers." "Continue, Mr Bligh." "Fletcher Christian, Masters Mate." "Wasn't this Christian a friend of yours?" "He was, sir." "Fifty guineas says he's dead." " Sixty says he's alive." " I'll wager he's still alive." "How much?" "We'll dine within the hour." " How much?" " Sixty guineas." "Taken." "I'll be back to collect it." "William!" "Fletcher!" "What are you all doing?" "One of our members collapsed." "We're betting on whether or not he's dead." " What brings you to this den of iniquity?" " Is there somewhere we can talk?" "It's a breadfruit." "Breadfruit?" "The Admiralty has instructed me to lead an expedition, to take breadfruit plants from Tahiti to Jamaica." "Tahiti?" "Fletcher, I want you to sail with me again." "In what capacity?" "Well, the Admiralty's already assigned a Mr John Fryer as Master of the ship." "He's a good man, I think." "But I want you to be Master's Mate." " If you agree, that is." " Agreed." "Good, splendid!" "Good." "Why take breadfruit to Jamaica?" "Cheap fodder for the slaves on the plantations there." "Bananas are very expensive there these days." "It lacks glory, William." "Well, I don't have your connections, you see, Fletcher." "I want to make a name for myself, before I'm too old." "And this green grocery trip will make your name?" "Now look, we'll go around Cape Horn to Tahiti." "We'll pick up the breadfruit then continue on through the Endeavour Straits around the Cape of Good Hope to Jamaica." "And then back to England." "We'll circumnavigate the globe." "Yes, but why risk going round the Horn?" " What?" "Because it is the quicker route, Mr Fryer." "Quicker if we strike the one week in a hundred when there isn't a storm raging." "So you would have us go the long way?" "Around Africa and Australia." "There and back." "Avoid the Horn altogether." "What conditions do the plants need?" "Warmth, light and water." "I shall be giving up my cabin to them." "We shall be like little pigs in a stye." "Shan't we?" "No, sir, we shall not." "I run a healthy ship, Mr Fryer." "I only say the Bounty's too small." "We should have a frigate, not a chamber pot." "Yes, and I should have promotion to Captain." "But the Navy Board would not heed either request." "See?" "Quickly now, children." "Ah, my little ones." "They've come to say goodnight." "Goodnight, goodnight." "Off you go..." "Aren't you going to say goodnight to Mr Christian, Mr Fryer?" " Don't I get a kiss?" "Goodnight, young ladies." "Goodnight, goodnight." "William, a toast." "To circumnavigation." "To circumnavigation." "Circumnavigation." "And your safe and speedy return." "Yes." "We set sail two days before Christmas, 23rd December 1787." "Stand by to set the mainsail." "What are you staring at me for?" "Aloft!" "Loose that mizzen topsail, lively!" "Remove some of these gussets!" "Back down in the rigging!" "Stand by, you crew gunners!" "Away, you crew gunners." "Southwest by south." "That's your course." "Southwest by south." "Aye, aye, sir." "Right men!" "Food up!" "Come on." "What's the name of the cook?" "Lamb?" "Hey, Lamb!" "I hope you got some lamb in that stew." "Hey, is it true what they say about Tahiti?" "You mean the women." "Do they really go around with no clothes on?" "All they wear is tattoos." "In wonderful places." "True?" "Cross my heart." "Paradise." "You're in my place, Quintel." "Move yourself." "Don't look at him." "There'll be trouble." "I said you're in my seat." " Piss off." " Bugger off." " What did you say?" " Shut it, Churchill." "You keep out of this." "Look out, he's got a knife." "Keep it quiet, Churchill." "Keep it down, lads." "Churchill!" "The King." "The King." "God bless him." "To the ship." "May she swim well." "The ship." "The men are very quiet." "Charming tune." "And a fine musician." "We're lucky to have him." "Yes." "He is not there by chance, Mr Nelson." "Having him there is good for morale." "Dr Huggen, another glass?" "No, thank you, sir." "You're uncommonly abstemious tonight." "Well, more men have died at sea from drink, disease and dirt than ever died by drowning." "Depend upon it, gentlemen." "I'm determined the Bounty shall not lose a single man." "By heavens!" "I'll drink to that." " Striking a superior officer." " No, I didn't." " It's a hanging offence, sir." " Sorry, sir." "Can't be helped." "We shall all get to know each other pretty closely." "I wonder what we shall find out." "It depends how inquisitive we are, Mr Young." "It doesn't sound quite right to me." "Do you think someone had better go and look?" "Good evening, Mr Heywood, sir." "Good evening, Adams." "Evening, Mr Adams, sir." "Everything alright here?" "Couldn't be better, sir." "My place." "Stupid buggers." "You watch your mouth too, old man." "Don't old man me, Churchill." "You haven't got a lucky face." "Seasick, Mr Heywood, sir?" "Just leaving England." "Home sick." " Feels you'll never see it again." " Don't say that, sir." "It's bad luck." "Sorry." "Never been to sea before." "Two months ago I was still at school." "Never been to school meself." "Can't even read." "I can't steer a ship." "Any fool can steer a ship, sir." "It's just knowing where to take it." "23rd December 1787." "The end of our first day at sea." "Tot of rum, sir?" "No, thank you, no." "Come on, sir." "We don't cross the Equator every day." "No." "Thank you." "No." "Make sure Mr Heywood has some, though." "OK." "That'll do." "Haul him in." "Away." "Coming up for sup, Mr Heywood." "Sir." "Here you go, sir." "Have some of that." "Have some of that, sir." "Revive the spirit as they say." "Have a sup of that." "Go on." "Get some of this muck down you." "Well done, sir." "Thank you, Quintel." "Lieutenant Bligh, I have your log here before me." "In it, there is the frequent entry of a single word: dancing." "Can you explain that?" "I can, sir." "A crew on a long voyage may easily fall into melancholy and violence." "I believe this can be relieved by regular exercise." "So for 20 minutes each day, I had the crew mustered and I had them dance." " Dance?" " Yes." "They danced." "An activity they participated in wholeheartedly?" "I think so." "Yes." "And yet, Mr Bligh, in your own log, you admit that this rather unorthodox form of exercise led to grave discontent." "On one occasion only, sir." "And not grave." "Charlie." "If you only had a frock on, I'd ask you for a dance." "Get your knees up, Quintel." "I'm doing me best, sir." "Don't answer back." "We're bloody sailors, not bloody dancers." "Mr Christian." "Mr Young." "Put a gag on Quintel." "It wasn't bloody me!" "Don't make it worse, Quintel." "It wasn't him, sir." "It was me." "Come along, Mr Christian." "You've got the wrong man, sir." "Churchill said it was he who made the remark." "Gag them both." "Jesus Christ." " Do as he says, Mr Christian." " Sir!" "Fletcher." "William, don't you think those men have been gagged there long enough?" "They were both guilty of an act of insubordination." "I could have passed it off with a laugh and have done less harm." "The Royal Navy is not a humorous institution, sir." "And insubordination is no laughing matter." "However, you may cut them loose, Mr Christian." "But mind they appreciate the gravity of their offence." "Thank you, sir." "Captain's orders." "Yeah." "Sure." "You can close your mouth." "Or I'll put it back in." "I hadn't expected this from the Horn." "Do you think the weather will stay with us?" "Perhaps." "It doesn't look much." "Does it?" "No, no, it doesn't, sir." "But I've seen the Horn when the waves were as high as three houses one on top of the other." "I once saw six men washed overboard on one wave." "Someone on this ship is very lucky." "Mr Fryer!" "Close reef!" "Close reef, sir?" "Don't argue with me." "Close reef." "Close reef, Mr Cole." "Stand by to close reef!" "All hands on deck!" "Move yourselves!" " Hurry along and take those sails in!" " Get further aloft!" "Hurry up!" " Move yourselves!" "Get those sails in!" "Doesn't seem to like fair weather, does he?" "Haul on that sheet!" "Get those sails in!" "Mr Fryer." "I seem to have made a misjudgement." "You don't make many, sir." "Make sail." "Make sail, Mr Cole." "Aye, Aye, sir." "Prepare to make sail!" "Let go sheets and tack!" "Square away!" "Get aloft!" "Someone!" " Mr Christian!" " Move on!" "Pull!" "Pull!" "Robert, mind those bloody pots!" "Robert!" "Robert's on fire!" "Someone douse him!" "We'll all be killed!" "All hands on deck!" "Everyone on deck!" "Close the hatches!" " Take the wheel, man." " Steering to port side." "The wheel, McKoy!" "You all right, sir?" "Man those pumps!" "Jamie, hold that board." "Someone!" "Don't let go on the pumps!" "Somebody get a bloody hammer!" "Sir!" "Sir!" "Have the carpenter lash those things down, now!" " We must turn back!" " What?" "In my opinion, we should put about." "In my opinion we should not, sir." "We keep on our course." "You'll never make it round the Horn." "We must turn back." "Mr Cole!" "Mr Cole!" "I want my opinion in the log, sir." "Mr Cole, have that lashed down." "And all the men on deck, now!" "I want my opinion in the log!" "Very well, Mr Fryer." "If that's what you wish, you shall have it." "The ship can't stand it!" "The ship can stand it very well, Mr Fryer!" "And how long do you think the men can stand it?" "As long as the officers can stand it, Mr Fryer!" "Get these things tied down now!" "Valentine!" "Come with me, boy!" "Mr Bligh, how long did you attempt to round the Horn?" "31 days." "And how far did you travel in that time?" " 85 miles, sir." " 85 miles in 31 days, Mr Bligh." "You endangered your ship and your crew for 31 days in order to satisfy your ambition to circumnavigate the globe." "My dearest Betsy," "Only to you in this bitter moment can I reveal my heart." "I have failed completely in my attempt to round Cape Horn and circumnavigate the globe." "My doubts about Mr Fryer's commitment to our endeavour have been confirmed." "Enter." " The men are assembled, sir." " Come in." "Come in." "I'm very sorry, William." "It can't be helped." "Come along." "Lads!" "We will go about and run downwind for Africa and the Indian Ocean." " Mr Lamb!" " Here, sir." "As soon as we have put about it will be safe to light your galley fires again." "Tonight I want as much hot mush as every man can eat." "Let's hear it for the Captain, lads!" "Hip-hip!" "Hooray!" "Hooray!" "However." "However." "We're still faced with a long hard voyage." "I mean to make good use of every hour of sailing time." "And to assist me in this, I'm replacing Mr Fryer with Mr Christian who will now act as executive second in command with the rank of Acting Second Lieutenant." "Mr Fryer, come back here." "Mr Fryer, sir!" "Come back here!" "You'll dismiss when I have done with you, sir." "Do you hear me?" " This is an outrage!" " Mr Fryer." "In all my years at sea..." "Your years at sea?" "Good Lord, man." "If I had known your nature," "I would not have accepted you as boson of a river barge." "Must I suffer this before..." "You'll suffer my correction, whenever you're at fault, sir!" "What fault?" "Damn your eyes, man!" "You turned your back on me!" " For that I apologize." " Very well." " But I protest." " You protest, do you?" "I am Master of The Bounty." "And I am Commander, by law!" "I am the first." "Do you understand?" "God damn your hide." "And now you may dismiss, sir!" " Mr Cole." " Sir." "All hands on deck." "If you please." "Surely, Mr Bligh." "It was unwise to replace a professional sailor like Mr Fryer with a relative novice?" "Fletcher Christian could hardly be called a novice, sir." "The fact that he was a good friend of yours, was not of undue influence upon you?" "Let me know the intent of your question, Mr Greetham." "We're trying to establish, Mr Bligh, how you came to lose your ship." "I did not lose my ship, sir!" "It was taken from me by a gang of mutineers led by Fletcher Christian." "The man you promoted." "Yes." "I promoted him because John Fryer was grossly inefficient." "And he was also a coward." "Fletcher Christian at least had courage." "More, perhaps, than you ultimately found to be acceptable, Mr Bligh?" "Friday, October 10th." "At half-past twelve today, James Valentine departed this life as a result of illness and fatigue sustained at Cape Horn." "This after all my care of the men is surely a result of our drunken surgeon's neglect." "Oh, God." "By whose mercy the souls of all men rest." "Bless these waters and absolve from sin, he whose body we now confine to them." "Eternal rest grant unto him." "And may he rest in peace." "Amen." "Amen." "Commit the body to the deep." "At four o'clock we buried Valentine with all the decency in our power." "Twenty-five degrees." "Thirty-six minutes." "Land Ho!" "Land Ho!" "Where away?" "Dead ahead, sir." "Stand by to fire the salute!" "Ready to fire the salute." "Fire!" "Stand by for a second salute!" "Fire second salute!" "I'll have her." "Thank you." "Quintel!" "Sorry, sir." "Have you ever seen a woman before?" "Keep your mind and your eyes on your work, man." "Come on, get in line there." "Oars!" "Prepare to toss oars." "Toss oars." "Toss your oars." "Thank you." "Hail, Capitan Bligh." "Hail, King Tynah." "Thank you, your Majesty." "I bring you greetings from His Majesty, King George of England." "How is the great Captain Cook?" "Captain Cook!" "He's well, and he also sends his greetings." " He lives?" " Yes." " He is my friend." " I know." "Now you see." "He gave me his picture." "Yes." "Some people say he was killed by the people of Hawaii." "No..." "Captain Cook is very much alive." "And he's in good health, King Tynah." "He's very much alive." "As I said, he sends his greetings to you." "And he always talks of you as his very close friend." "You told that to this man..." "Tynah?" "King Tynah, sir." "A savage King." "A King, my lord." "Descended from many Kings." "As our King George is descended from many Kings." "Yes, in a way, sir." "Then why did you lie to him?" "Why did you not tell him" "Captain Cook was murdered in Hawaii 10 years before?" "Because they believe that Captain Cook is immortal." "Literally?" "Yes, I think so, sir." "They seem to regard his likeness as a sacred image." "Interesting." "They also believe that every British officer is more or less related to him." "So you were more or less immortal too." "It would appear so, sir." "And..." "I also needed their assistance." "Captain Cook was our guarantor." "How long you stay in Tahiti?" "About two months." "Round about the islands." "Stay here." "Do not go to the other islands." "No welcome there for you." "Everything you need is here." "I'm much obliged to you." "His Majesty King George has sent you many gifts," "King Tynah." "Perhaps I could carry back in return." "Gifts from yourself to His Majesty King George." "Anything for a King." "Pigs." "Bananas." "Coconuts." "Breadfruit." "Breadfruit." "Breadfruit's a very good idea." "Yes, breadfruit." "I think His Majesty likes breadfruit." "Isn't that true, Mr Nelson?" "Indeed it is, sir." "His Majesty is a very keen gardener." "He would appreciate breadfruit greatly." "If you were to send him little breadfruit plants." "He could grow them in his own garden." "We shall grow him many little plants." "Thank you." " Mr Christian." " Sir." "Mr Cole." "Would you distribute the gifts to King Tynah and his good people." "These are gifts from His Majesty King George of England to yourselves." "Sir." "Take it away, Mr Cole." "Oh, dear God." " I hoped to avoid this." " Avoid what, sir?" "Dammit all, man, I'm expected to sleep with her." "She's one of King Tynah's wives." "A gift from one chief to another as it were." "Now look, five minutes after I go below, you must call me up on some important business." "Alright?" "Yes, sir." "What business?" "Business, dammit." "Any bloody business." "Welcome aboard, Ma'am." "Yes." "Get on with your work." "She should soften the old man up a bit." "Hot." "Enter." "Excuse me, sir." "I..." " Mr Christian." " Sir." "What demands my immediate attention?" "It could wait until tomorrow." "What is it?" "Damn you." "The ship is sinking, sir." "Good." "Ma'am." "Was Fletcher Christian at this time still your friend and ally?" "At that time, yes." "There was no indication of any resentment towards you?" "No." "None." "Mr Bligh." "When you planted out your breadfruit, did not the savages carry out some sort of ceremony?" "An indecent ceremony?" "Is this relevant, Captain Greetham?" "My Lord, if the crew were allowed to witness it, yes." "Were the crew present, Mr Bligh?" "Yes." "And was it indecent?" "It is their deep belief that the earth is rendered fruitful by the coupling of their Gods." "And that the Gods can be roused by the coupling of men and women." "So it did begin at the ceremony?" "No, sir." "Not at the ceremony." "No, it was Fletcher Christian and the native girl." "You misunderstood the depth of the emotion between them?" "Yes." "I realise that now." "I had assumed that it was simply youthful passion." "It takes more than an infatuated youth to make a mutiny." "It takes a discontented crew." "The crew were anything but discontented, sir." "Fletcher Christian corrupted them." "Yes, but what made them so easy to corrupt?" "I don't know." "It was the place itself." "Come here." "Mr Christian." "Come in, whoever you are." "Captain Bligh's surprised that he hasn't had the pleasure of your company at supper for some weeks." "Do you still do that?" "And the Captain says he'll expect you this evening." "Today..." "Today's not Friday." "Six o'clock." "Prompt, if you please." "Wait, Dr Huggen." "I found the most extraordinary plant today." "On the west side of the island." "Just by the mouth of the river." "Mr Christian, it is half past seven." "Well, you didn't wait for me, I hope." "May I ask why you have come to my table in a state of undress?" "Well, I couldn't wear the jacket." "The tattoo's too painful." " Good God." " Put on your jacket, Mr Christian." "It's very painful, sir." "Put on your jacket, Mr Christian." "If you please." " May I serve now?" " Wait!" "Thank you, Mr Christian." "Very well, Smith, you may serve now." "Thank you, sir." " Mr Nelson." " Sir." "When did you last inspect the breadfruit plants?" "Yesterday, sir." "Not today?" "No, sir." "Mr Christian said a daily inspection was not necessary." "Oh, did he indeed?" "Well, Mr Christian." "And when do you think they will be ready to transport in your opinion?" "They'll be some time yet, sir." "We've already been here thirteen weeks longer than we intended." " Will we never leave this place?" " Because we arrived so late." "The plants..." "I want to be advised of their progress every day, Mr Christian." "Unless you need the time to cover the rest of your body in pretty pictures." "Wait!" "The sooner we are seamen again the better." "Don't you agree, gentlemen?" "Now perhaps you will join me in prayer." "Oh Lord, our heavenly father." "Almighty and everlasting God." "Most humbly do we thank thee for what we're about to receive." "It won't be long now, lads." "You'll all be on your way home." "You're not coming?" "I fancy having a look at a few of the other islands around here." " They'll hang you for desertion." " Only if we're caught." "You with us, John?" "No." "I've got a wife and three kids back home." "There he goes." "Mr Bligh and bloody mighty." "How do you fancy the Endeavour Straits?" "The Indian Ocean?" "The South Atlantic?" "The North Atlantic?" "Nothing but rotten biscuits and pork." "And his bloody lordship on your back morning, noon and night." "Not me, lads." "Not me." "When do we go then?" "Who's officer of the watch tonight?" "I am." "Yeah?" "Yes." "Well, that's it, then." "Hey, Fletcher Christian." "Harami." "Maieva." "Harahai." "Thank you." "You wanted to see me, sir?" "My daughter..." "She has something of yours." "Of mine?" "You are here now." "Tamari." "Well, I'm sorry, sir, I..." "Take this tusk." "And when you see it, you'll remember my daughter and my grandchild." "You will never forget Tahiti Nui." "Fletcher Christian." "Your wife." " Think we should go as well?" " No, I do not." "Mr Heywood's going to have to answer for this, you know." "Poor Heywood." "Hey, you bloody fools." "The Hottentots out there aren't as friendly as these ones, you know." "Yeah." "Come on, lads." "Good luck to them, that's what I say." "They'll need it." "All hands." "Thank you, Mr Fryer." "Last night." "Three men of Mr Heywood's watch deserted ship." "The penalty for which is death by hanging." "Mr Heywood, how is it you did not see them?" "Were you asleep?" "Yes, sir." "Very well." "You shall kiss the gunner's daughter." " Bosun." " Sir." "Put this man over the cannon." "Do it now!" "Aye, aye, sir." "Now listen to me, all of you." "In one week's time..." "Stop that laughing!" "Silence!" "You think this is funny?" "You're a pitiful sight, Dr Huggen." "Go below to your quarters..." "You think this is a humorous occasion." "You are mistaken." "From now on there's going to be discipline on this ship." "We're going to have order." "And we're going to be like seamen." "In one week's time we will put to sea." "There will be no more grog." "There will be no more shore leave." "You've become a rabble, all of you." "And you will clean up this ship and yourselves." " Bosun." " Sir!" "Administer the punishment now." "Capitan Bligh." "Mr Christian!" "Mr Christian, sir." "Sir!" " I wish to talk to you outside." "Now!" " Coming, sir." " Thank you." "Is there anything wrong, sir?" "Yes." "Last night while the mate of the watch was asleep, three..." "Stop that noise!" "Three men jumped ship last night." "Churchill was one of them." "You don't seem surprised?" "Now that it's happened, no." "No, I'm not surprised." "I must say I'm no longer surprised myself when I see the example being set by my first officer." "Just look at yourself, man." "Look at the way you're dressed." "Come on." "You're no better than one of these natives." "At least I am no worse." "I think your brain has been overheated, sir." "And your body overindulged in sexual excess." "I have done no more than any natural man would do." "No." "You have done no more than any wild animal would do." "It always makes me laugh, but when men lose their self-restraint they say they're natural." "They are more natural than men who have nothing to restrain." "Mr Christian, you will report to the ship before sundown." " Is that understood?" " No." "No." "What did you say?" "You said no." "Is that what you said?" "Is that what you said?" "No." "Alright." "You will report to the ship immediately." "Do you understand me?" "And you will stay on ship." "There will be no more mixing with the damned degenerate natives of these islands." "By any of my officers." "Or by any of my crew." "You comprehend my meaning, sir?" "Good." "Keep em' coming." "Move it along." "Don't drop them." "Come on, Purcell." "Remember that's what we're here for." "And the next one, please." "Come on." "Keep them coming." "Good lads." "Alright." "Where are they?" "I don't know yet, sir." "We'll find them." "Damn fools." "Don't make it worse for yourself." "Stand up." "Stand up!" "He can't, sir." "Bit of trouble with the locals out there." "You know the penalty for desertion, mister?" "We came back of our own accord, sir." "You're a mindless animal, Churchill." "I will decide your punishment when you're fit to receive it." "Mr Cole!" "Get Dr Huggen." "Aye, aye, sir." "Sir." "Over here." " Is he dead?" " Yes, sir." "Poor bugger." "Alright, bury him." "Will you organise that, please, Mr Cole?" "Fletcher." "I've come to say good-bye." "You do not come back." "Do you?" "Ever?" " I must go now." " No." "Not yet." "Soon." "Eyes front, Mr Christian!" "Off hats." "Take the men below." " Make sail, Mr Fryer." " Aye, aye, sir." "Stand aside." "Stand down." "Stand down!" "Come on, lads." "No sense in this." "Well, gentlemen, between ourselves and home are 27,000 sea miles, the Endeavour Straits and the Great Barrier Reef." "Now, the crew is deeply demoralised, gentlemen." "And I must accept, as every captain must accept, the inevitable and theoretical responsibilty for that." "The actual and immediate responsibilty, however," "I place on you, my fellow officers, who met this crisis with lethargy, impudence and flagrant defiance publicly uttered." "And perhaps also for that, I am to blame." "I counted on a strength of character which you do not possess." "However, the cure for our predicament is discipline." "And I shall apply it with an even hand, of course, but most where it is most required." "Yes, well, that will be all." "Thank you." "You may leave now." "Not you, Mr Christian." "Leave it." "Now!" "Alright, Smith, you may go and close the door, please." "So..." "You think I'm harsh with you?" "Look, I've been at sea many years, Fletcher." "Since I was twelve." "And I've seen many men, many good men, lose their heads over native women in these waters." "And I've never yet seen it come out well." "Of course I understand the excitement and..." "But think to yourself, man." "Could you take a woman like that back home to your friends and family?" "No, of course you couldn't." "They're not like us, Fletcher." "You think I was harsh with you." "But you needed someone to show you where your duty really lay." "Because you were at a loss, my friend." "You may not thank me now but you will later." "So, let's get the ship running properly and get back to where we were before." "Now look, Fletcher." "Listen to me." "I am prepared to forgive and I am prepared to forget." "Do you understand me?" "Will that be all, sir?" " Yes, that will be all." " Thank you." "You sent for me, sir?" "Yes, I did." "This ship is filthy, Mr Christian." "Sir?" "The ship is filthy, Mr Christian!" "Look for yourself." "Look!" "Filthy, sir!" "Filth there!" "And there!" "And look at there!" "I understand you dismissed the swabbing party." "You left these decks crusted with grime." "Look at it there!" "Bloody disgrace." "Now you'll be well advised, sir, to call them back again and this time do it properly." "Do you understand me?" "Filth, sir!" "Filthy, Mr Christian." "Still filthy!" "Look!" "I see nothing, sir, but your finger." "I'll not have your vile ways brought aboard my ship, sir!" "Do you understand?" "Now you'll call up the swabbing party, yet again!" "And this time you'll make bloody sure that the decks are clean!" "Or by God, you'll answer for it, sir!" "I'll not have any of your foul, filthy gutter ways on board my ship!" "Do you understand?" "Good God, pigs in a sty have more comprehension or cleanliness than you buggers have." "Now you'll get these decks clean or by God I'll make you lick them clean with your tongues if you don't mend your ways." "There is a thief among us." "Yes, there is a thief on board this ship, which is unfortunate because you know what hardship that means for honest men." "Last night my personal store of coconuts was well up to the top of the netting." "This morning, I..." "Well, I mean, look for yourselves." "See?" "Now, if the thief will declare himself, I will punish him alone." "And then we can forget the matter." "Sir." "Hold your tongue, Goddamn you, sir!" "I'm addressing the crew, Mr Christian." "Who do you think you are?" "Now if the thief will not declare himself..." "I took one." "You?" "I was thirsty." "I took one of your coconuts." "I thought it of no consequence." "One coconut, Mr Christian?" "A dozen were taken, man." "I know nothing of a dozen." "Then, unless you're a liar as well as a thief, the rest were taken by other members of your watch who look to you for their example, do they not, sir?" " Mr Cole." " Sir." "Impound the personal stores of every man on Mr Christian's watch and put them on half rations." " Aye, aye, sir." " Thank you." "Stand down." "That isn't a raft, it's a coffin." "There's a five-knot current running between here and that island." "I'll take my chance." "You think a lot of us haven't thought of this?" "You're not the only one to have left a woman behind." "Fletcher, the men are ready for anything." "What are you saying, Ned?" "Are you inciting me to mutiny?" "If I were you, I'd take the ship." "That's all." "Why don't you, then?" "I said if I were you." "I'm not." "What I have to say to you is the result of considerable reflection." "Its consequences would be two-fold." "Firstly, our journey will be shortened." "Which I know is a consideration that cannot distress you." "And secondly, upon its successful conclusion not one of you in later years will look back without a surge of pride." "We shall go with the winds to Jamaica by way of Cape Horn." "You'll kill us all." "What did you say, Adams?" "We tried the Horn before." "It was almost the end of us." "Damn you, man." "Don't you bloody cross me." "Mr Cole, take this man below." "And tomorrow we will assemble to watch him receive punishment for cowardice and insubordination." "Mr Cole, take him below, sir!" "You, Mr Fryer, give him the makings." "Sir." "Now." "We set out to circumnavigate the globe." "And by God we shall do it." "To the greater glory of us all." "Is that understood?" "Thank you." "Now you may dismiss." "Enter." " Can I have a word with you?" " I'm busy." "Is it important?" "I think, yes." "Be brief!" "William, about your decision to go around the Horn." "William?" "Not sir?" "Not captain?" "William." "I don't think the men will have it." "Oh, the men won't have it." "Are they in charge of the Bounty?" "They might be if you insist." "Again." "Will you repeat that, please?" "The men might be in charge." "What are you threatening me with?" "It's not a threat, it's a warning." "There are rumblings, are there?" "No." "There is fear." "Around the Horn is the easiest way." "The better way." "And that is how we will go." "Anything more?" "Don't put Adams under the lash." "He was insubordinate." "Cowardly and insubordinate." "He frightened the men." "I did not put that fear there, he did." "So he will be lashed and we will go around the Horn." "Are you frightened to go around the Horn, Mr Christian?" "Are you a coward too, sir?" "There will be no killing." "Except Bligh." "There will be no killing." "We set him adrift." "Hi." "Christian's taking the ship." "Are you with us?" "Come on, wake up." "We're taking the ship." "Wake up." "Wake up!" "Shut up." "Christian's taking the ship." "Christian's taking the ship." "We're taking the ship." "Are you with us?" "Come on then." "Come on, Fryer." "Wake up!" "Get up!" " Come on, Fryer!" "Mr Bligh." "Will you get up?" "Get up." "Get up!" "On your feet." "What the hell do you think you're doing?" " Tie him." " What are you doing?" "Mr Cole!" "Mr Cole!" "Come on, get up on deck." "Mr Cole!" "You'll hang for this!" "Mr Nelson." "We've taken the ship." "We've taken the ship!" "We've taken the ship!" "We've got Bligh!" "Get on deck!" "Dance!" "Dance!" "Easy!" "Dance!" "You shut up!" "You dance!" "Dance!" "Come on." "Get going." "You're a fool, Quintel." "You'll hang for this." " Are you in this, Norton?" " No, sir, I'm not." "Shut up your trap!" "Desist this madness!" "Be quiet!" "Have you any conception of what you're doing?" "Just shut your mouth!" "Are you in this, Adams?" "It's all you fault." " Yes, you're in this!" " There was never a coward on this ship!" " You're a coward, sir!" " And that was your mistake!" "You're a blackhearted villian, sir!" "Pritchard, get over here!" "Stay there, Pritchard." "Stay, Pritchard, you're a man." "Get over then." "Allison, get over here!" "Shut up!" "I'm staying here!" "Let's kill the bugger now, lads." "I said leave him!" "You sodding bastards!" "You take you hands off him!" " Let's kill him!" " Take your hands off him, now!" " Kill him!" " Get your hands off him." "Now!" "Mr Christian, I appeal to you, sir." "Put aside this madness and it will be forgotten." "I give you my word." " It's too late." "Think of my family and my friendship." "Think of my wife." "I am in hell!" "Hell, sir!" "Why are you being so damn reasonable now?" "God damn your blood to hell with mine, sir!" "God damn your blood!" " Mr Christian, get a hold of yourself!" " You be quiet or I will run you through!" "Do it, Christian." "Kill him!" "Just shut your mouth!" "You shut your mouth!" "I will run you through!" "And then I will kill myself after." "You get him dressed now." "Get him dressed!" " What's the matter with you all?" " Bastard!" " What's the matter with you all?" " You be quiet!" "Gun him down, damn you!" "They're common criminals." " Oh, will be silent, sir!" " Get out of it, Cole!" "You will be silent or I will have you killed, you bastard!" "You do and you will have my blood on your hands." "Stop!" "Quiet!" "We will get him in the boat." "Set him adrift." "Get him dressed!" "Will someone give me my britches?" "Pass us your watch up here then." "Come on, move yourselves." "You blackguard!" "Traitors!" "Mr Bligh, come here, please." "If you wish to leave some of these men on the ship," "I give you my word they will not be harmed." "Lads." "One of you will have to come out." "There's no room." " Mr Fryer, you come up here." " We'll do without him." "We don't want you." "Mr Fryer." "Get up here." "Stay where you are." "Or I'll blow your head off." "God damn you!" "You're the scum of the earth!" "Fulman." "Get up here." "Come on, Fulman." "Move yourself." "Faster, man!" "It will be fairly reported that you were not part of this rabble." "Thank you." "Smith, bring that chest to me." "Do it now." "Get in the boat." "What use is that without charts?" "I need the charts." "Turn around." "You really think you'll be able to command this rabble?" "I'll do my best." "Well, I did my best, and I had the authority of the law." " You're a dead man, Fletcher." " That's enough of that." " You're a dead man, sir." " Get on the boat, sir." "Quickly." " You've not seen the last of me, Ned Young." "Take my word for it." "Thank you, Mr Lamb." "Or you, John Adams." " You've not seen the last of me." " I wouldn't wager on it." " We shall see, sir." "I'll see you hanged." "Veer them away." " Did you bring anything, Smith?" " Yeah, I got a carpent..." " Shut up!" "Veer them away..." "Get ready, boys." "Get the oars out." "Sorry to see you go." "Isn't this what you came for?" "Here you go." "From us to King George." "Goodbye, boys!" "Hope you never come back." "Hope I never see you again." "If you get home, tell my mother that I love her." "That she's got a lovely little Tahitian grandson." "Have a long ride, Tim." "I hope they bloody eat yer, Fryer." "I hope never to see Fletcher Christian again." "Unless it is to see him hanged." "How could he betray my friendship and kindness to him?" "I can only assume he has decided to return to a life in Tahiti." "After taking stock of the meagre provisions allowed us," "I have decided to make for the island of Tafuha in the hope of supplementing our supplies of food and water." "By now, there are many natives about us." "And by their manner, we do not expect our welcome to last much longer." " Mr Cole?" " Sir." "You take charge of my log... and slowly..." "make your way out to the launch." " Easy, Mr Cole." " Aye, aye, sir." "Go now?" "Now." "That's right." "You give me no summer, my boys." "Nasty bugger." "Come on, lads!" "Get in the boat!" "Lose that barrel." "Stop playing games!" "Is that what you want?" "Everybody in the boat!" "Prepare to pull away!" "Mr Bligh!" " Get in the boat!" "Where's the captain?" "Where's Mr Bligh?" "Over there." "Come on then." " Norton, come back, you fool!" " Mr Bligh!" "What are you doing?" "Get aboard, sir!" "Come, Bligh!" "Mr Bligh!" "Get back, you... you bastard!" "Keep back, you bastard!" " I'll have your eyes for footballs!" " Get back in the boat!" " Help the man!" " Get in the boat, sir." "My God!" "No!" "Row for your lives!" "Take your clothes off." " Throw those clothes over!" " Bloody savages!" "Row for your lives!" "We're chops and liver to them if they catch us." "That's the spirit!" "Come on, we'll do it!" "We cannot risk going ashore again." "What are we going to do, sir?" "Well, we shall just have to try and reach Coupang." "Without charts?" "Well, I shall have to navigate from memory, Mr Fryer." "It'll take us close to the most savage islands in these waters." "The Fiji islands where cannibalism is perfected almost to a science." "And from there, my friends, God willing, we shall proceed onward to the Great Barrier Reef itself." "Then to the coast of New Holland and from there across the Timor Sea to Coupang." "Now it will take us at least two months and we have provisions or more enough to last us one week." "So that is the situation, gentlemen." "Plain and simple." "Well, we'll just have to make the best of it." "Won't we, sir?" "Make the best of it, Smith?" "Yes, but will you?" "That's what I ask myself." "Will you make the best of it?" "Do you hear me?" "Are you prepared to make the best of it?" "All of you?" "Because all I can promise you, lads, is relentless pain and hardship." "Now, if you're prepared to make do and make sacrifices and furthermore are willing to swear by it," "I promise you, our chances of survival are fair." "You hear me?" "You all say, aye." "Aye." "Good!" "Mr Fryer, make way." "Prepare to make way." "Make way." "Fletcher!" "Fletcher!" "In the box are gifts for the people of Tahiti Nui." "We did not expect you back." "We have already given you everything." "We only want our women." "And perhaps some men to help me sail the ship." "Where's Captain Bligh?" "Why doesn't he come himself?" "He's no longer with us." "I've taken the ship." "He's dead?" "No, no, he's not dead." "We set him adrift with some of the crew." "You shame me by coming here." "You shame me." "King George will send many ships with many guns to punish us for what you have done." "We can give you nothing." "Go now." "Some of the men would like to remain here and wait for the next ship." "They wanted to go with Bligh but there was no room in his boat." "They can stay, but not you." "Take your gifts and go." "No!" "Should she not be allowed to choose for herself, sir?" "Where will you take her?" "I don't know." "Somewhere the British ships won't find us." "Take her." "You will have all the men you need." "Go now." " Goodbye, Peter." " Good luck, sir." "I think you'll need it more than I." "Thank you." "I'm not coming, Fletcher." "I've thought it out, and..." "Well, I'm staying here." " Let's go." " I think I'll stay too, sir." "Get out." "Let's go!" "Come on, lads." "They'll hang you." "I might just have a lucky face." "Here they come." "Get it." "Good one!" "Loads of them." "They're all over the place." "Look, there's hundreds of them!" "Here we go." "There we go." " Go on." " Sod it." "Who loaded these things?" "Come on, man." "Quick, quick, quick!" " Yeah!" "The only one I wholly trust is Adams." "I go everywhere with a loaded pistol." "And where we are to head beyond the reach of justice, I know not." "Thursday, June 11th." "In the afternoon we saw gannets and many other birds." "And at sunset we caught one in our sail." "Which I reserved for our dinner next day." "Who shall have this?" "Smith." "And who shall have this?" "Mr Fryer." "What about the rest of us?" "You just have to wait your turn, Purcell, like everyone else." "Some of us haven't had nothing in days." "That's enough, Purcell." "Well, it's not enough for me, sir!" "I'll tell you something." "The officers and their lot get everything." "Shut your mouth, Purcell." "I'm as much a man as you are, sir." "What did you say?" " I said I'm as much a man as you are!" "Are you indeed?" "I'm not so certain about that." "Sit down, damn you!" "I'll knock you on the head with it." "Sit down!" "Sit down!" "Mr Cole, give this man my share of food." "I am committed to a desperate enterprise." "I have said farewell to everything I've been accustomed to regard as indispensable." "But I suppose I have found freedom." "So you've found freedom, have you?" "Freedom, retribution, that's what you want." " Isn't that why you gave him your compass?" " I wanted to give him a chance." "A chance to survive, so he'll come after us again." "How can he come after us?" "He'll be marooned on some island." "I only wish to God I'd given him muskets." "Now get out." "At least ten times we have touched land." "Only to find either barren rocks or hostile inhabitants." "And once nearly ran a foul of an English frigate." "Our stores are low." "The spirit of the men even lower." "His royal highness woken up at last, has he?" "Given you a rest, has he, darling?" "Fletcher wants you." "Ned, I found it." "Listen." "Where is it?" ""July 2nd, we discovered an island, seeming uninhabited." "It was well timbered." "But we did not linger for we could find no anchorage."" "That's perfect." "Every ship in the Royal Navy has a copy of that book and those charts." "They never drew it on the charts." "All they give is a latitude, 25 degrees south." "Now it seems to me, all we have to do is simply sail along this line of latitude." "We'll find the island." "Somewhere." "And if we don't?" "These men need a home, Fletcher." "They've mutinied once." "Oh, they'll have a home." "Pitcairn's Island." "They'd better." "I can no longer write for lack of strength." "Commend me to your parents and our loving daughters." "Mr Bligh, when my spirit is gone, there will be nothing but flesh remaining." "I beg you, use that poor flesh to save the others." "No, no, Mr Nelson." "We're civilised men, not savages." "And as civilised men we shall die." "Have no fear." "Sir, we'd like a word." "We've had it up to here." "There is no island." "We want to turn back to Tahiti." "And who'll navigate?" "You." "You're the navigator." "I'll navigate." "This ship's going to Pitcairn's Island." "Sir!" "Sir!" "Smith." "It's land." " What?" " I think it's land." "Mr Cole, you'll hoist the Jack." "It's not proper to land without identification." "Oh, God." "Sir." "I am Lieutenant William Bligh." "I'm a British naval officer... and I have to report an act of piracy." "We've found it." "We've found it, Ned." "It's our island." "We could easily have missed it." "Yes." "We'll never get off this island now, will we, sir?" "Never see England again." "This court finds that the seizure of His Majesty's armed vessel, Bounty, was an act of mutiny by Fletcher Christian and others of her crew." "And that her captain, Lieutenant William Bligh, is in the opinion of this court, to be exonerated of all blame on this occasion." "Indeed, in the matter of his command of the Bounty's open launch, we commend Lieutenant Bligh for his courage and exemplary seamanship." "Will you please come forward, Lieutenant?" "My Lord." "Thank you."