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The Bounty Mutiny
The names William Bligh, Fletcher Christian, and the Bounty have excited the popular imagination for more than two hundred years. The story of this famous mutiny has many beginnings and many endings but they all intersect on an April morning in 1789 near the island known today as Tonga. That morning, William Bligh and eighteen surly seamen were expelled from the Bounty and began what would be the greatest open-boat voyage in history, sailing some 4,000 miles to safety in Timor. The mutineers led by Fletcher Christian sailed off into a mystery that has never been entirely resolved.
While the full story of what drove the men to revolt or what really transpired during the struggle may never be known, Penguin Classics has brought together-for the first time in one volume-all the relevant texts and documents related to a drama that has fascinated generations. Here is the full text of Bligh's Narrative of the Mutiny , the minutes of the court proceedings gathered by Edward Christian in an effort to clear his brother's name, and the highly polemic correspondence between Bligh and Christian-all amplified by Robert Madison's illuminating Introduction and rich selection of subsequent Bounty narratives.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
While the full story of what drove the men to revolt or what really transpired during the struggle may never be known, Penguin Classics has brought together-for the first time in one volume-all the relevant texts and documents related to a drama that has fascinated generations. Here is the full text of Bligh's Narrative of the Mutiny , the minutes of the court proceedings gathered by Edward Christian in an effort to clear his brother's name, and the highly polemic correspondence between Bligh and Christian-all amplified by Robert Madison's illuminating Introduction and rich selection of subsequent Bounty narratives.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
254 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1790
About the author
William Bligh
96 books7 followersVice Admiral of the Blue William Bligh, FRS, RN was an officer of the British Royal Navy and a colonial administrator. A historic mutiny occurred during his command of HMS Bounty in 1789; Bligh and his loyal men made a remarkable voyage to Timor, 3,618 nautical miles (6,701 km; 4,164 mi), after being set adrift in the Bounty's launch by the mutineers. Fifteen years after the Bounty mutiny, he was appointed Governor of New South Wales in Australia, with orders to clean up the corrupt rum trade of the New South Wales Corps, resulting in the so-called Rum Rebellion.
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March 18, 2021
تظل شخصية الكابتن "وليم بلاي" من الشخصيات المثيرة للجدل في التاريخ، فالبعض يصفه بالغرور والقسوة وهو ما أدى إلى واحدة من أشهر الانقلابات في التاريخ البحري حين تمرد عليه طاقم سفينته وتركوه مع 18 من البحارة في قارب صغير، لكنهم نجحوا في العودة للوطن بعد رحلة مثيرة للانفاس تعد مثالا لقوة الإرادة البشرية، بينما يعتبره آخرون ضحية، لكن بالتأكيد يجمع الجميع على كفاءته البحرية
الكتاب الحالي يمثل مذكرات القبطان، وكعادة معظم المذكرات الشخصية فهي تعرض جانب واحد من الحقيقية، وغالبا ما يصور كاتبها نفسه على أنه الضحية ويحاول تجميل نفسه بقصد أو دون وعي، لكنها تقدم وصف جيد لصراع مرير من أجل البقاء يصعب أن يتكرر مجددا
الكتاب الحالي يمثل مذكرات القبطان، وكعادة معظم المذكرات الشخصية فهي تعرض جانب واحد من الحقيقية، وغالبا ما يصور كاتبها نفسه على أنه الضحية ويحاول تجميل نفسه بقصد أو دون وعي، لكنها تقدم وصف جيد لصراع مرير من أجل البقاء يصعب أن يتكرر مجددا
December 10, 2023
I always vaguely thought the mutiny on the Bounty was one of those things mainly of interest to…I don't know, older people, retired officer-types who browsed the Naval History section of the bookshops, and perhaps spent their weekends in the shed painting scale models of the Cutty Sark.
I guess I'd better get painting, because I found this really fascinating. The bare facts of what happened on the Bounty are interesting in themselves; the political context makes them even more resonant; and the eventual fate of both mutineers and mutinees is frankly jaw-dropping.
The facts of what happened are well established. Captain Bligh was forced off the Bounty with a handful of loyal followers one spring morning in 1789, and left to fend for himself on the open ocean near Tonga in just a small boat. A little over a year later, he landed at Portsmouth, having completed what he knew was the greatest boat voyage on record.
The core of their achievement was in the first 4,000 miles, from the island of Tofoa (as it was then called) all the way to the Dutch outpost at Timor, a journey made with no charts or maps and based more or less on Bligh's memory. The weather was rough, and eighteen men crammed into this open boat had to bail day and night to keep from sinking, their clothes drenched, surviving on minuscule rations of bread and and water supplemented with occasional raw birds caught by hand.
The fate of the mutineers was even more mysterious. Many of them were caught by a British ship sent out for that purpose a couple of years later, but of their leader, Fletcher Christian, there was no sign. For twenty years, no one knew what had happened to him, until, in the 1810s and 20s, a few garbled reports started to filter in of a colony of English-speaking people on a remote Polynesian island.
This was Pitcairn, where apparently nine of the mutineers had wrecked the Bounty and set up an insular (in a very literal sense) community with their Tahitian ‘wives’ (in many cases not much more than sex-slaves). Exactly what happened isn't clear, but the small community of Europeans and Tahitians clearly went through some kind of Lord of the Flies-style reckoning of fights, counter-rivalries, and murders, until most of the first generation had been killed off.
The connection of these events through to today is breathtaking. We hear from the mutinous midshipman Edward Young in this book; the current mayor of Pitcairn is Simon Young, and his predecessor was a Steve Christian.
This neat edition from Penguin collects Bligh's memoir together with a transcript of the court-martial, as well as the brief pamphlet war that followed it; it also includes extracts from nineteenth-century books and newspapers which pieced together the story of Pitcairn.
The mutiny took place the same year as the French Revolution, and throughout the next century – as the introduction notes – ‘one's view of the mutiny still grew out of one's own belief in either the overarching importance of the stability of civilization on one hand, or in the inalienable rights of man on the other’. Was Bligh a maligned hero? Or were the mutineers striking a blow against despotic authority? It would have been nice to see more exploration of these arguments, but as a starting-point for the whole story, this is a great collection.
I guess I'd better get painting, because I found this really fascinating. The bare facts of what happened on the Bounty are interesting in themselves; the political context makes them even more resonant; and the eventual fate of both mutineers and mutinees is frankly jaw-dropping.
The facts of what happened are well established. Captain Bligh was forced off the Bounty with a handful of loyal followers one spring morning in 1789, and left to fend for himself on the open ocean near Tonga in just a small boat. A little over a year later, he landed at Portsmouth, having completed what he knew was the greatest boat voyage on record.
The core of their achievement was in the first 4,000 miles, from the island of Tofoa (as it was then called) all the way to the Dutch outpost at Timor, a journey made with no charts or maps and based more or less on Bligh's memory. The weather was rough, and eighteen men crammed into this open boat had to bail day and night to keep from sinking, their clothes drenched, surviving on minuscule rations of bread and and water supplemented with occasional raw birds caught by hand.
The fate of the mutineers was even more mysterious. Many of them were caught by a British ship sent out for that purpose a couple of years later, but of their leader, Fletcher Christian, there was no sign. For twenty years, no one knew what had happened to him, until, in the 1810s and 20s, a few garbled reports started to filter in of a colony of English-speaking people on a remote Polynesian island.
This was Pitcairn, where apparently nine of the mutineers had wrecked the Bounty and set up an insular (in a very literal sense) community with their Tahitian ‘wives’ (in many cases not much more than sex-slaves). Exactly what happened isn't clear, but the small community of Europeans and Tahitians clearly went through some kind of Lord of the Flies-style reckoning of fights, counter-rivalries, and murders, until most of the first generation had been killed off.
The connection of these events through to today is breathtaking. We hear from the mutinous midshipman Edward Young in this book; the current mayor of Pitcairn is Simon Young, and his predecessor was a Steve Christian.
This neat edition from Penguin collects Bligh's memoir together with a transcript of the court-martial, as well as the brief pamphlet war that followed it; it also includes extracts from nineteenth-century books and newspapers which pieced together the story of Pitcairn.
The mutiny took place the same year as the French Revolution, and throughout the next century – as the introduction notes – ‘one's view of the mutiny still grew out of one's own belief in either the overarching importance of the stability of civilization on one hand, or in the inalienable rights of man on the other’. Was Bligh a maligned hero? Or were the mutineers striking a blow against despotic authority? It would have been nice to see more exploration of these arguments, but as a starting-point for the whole story, this is a great collection.
September 15, 2023
Over the years I have seen so many takes on this classic: movies, books, tv shows and even cartoons. Glad to have finally read this book - I think managers today can still learn lessons about leadership from this work - also valuable to members of the military. Really a very interesting take on command in a time of crisis.
July 11, 2022
كم أحببتها
أتممت قرأتها في مرحلة الصبا ولم تفارق أحداثها ذهني لفترة طويلة
أتممت قرأتها في مرحلة الصبا ولم تفارق أحداثها ذهني لفترة طويلة
June 24, 2013
الكتاب جميل .. للكتاب ده بالذات قصة طويلة معايا .. أول مرّه شوف الكتاب وقرأت فيه كنت فى ثلاثة ثانوى .. كنت كل يوم أثناء الـ(الفسحة) بروح المكتبة اقضى ال15 دقيقة بتوع الفسحة فى المكتبة أقرأ الكتاب .. كنت فى صفحة 160 على ما أتذكر .. كل يوم أقرأ فى الكتاب شوية قبل ما الفسحة تخلص .. وفى يوم روحت المكتبة عشان أقرأ فى الكتاب كالعادة لقيت أمينة المكتبة بتمنعنى بحجة أن خلاص التيرم قرّب يخلص ولازم تعمل جرد للمكتبة ومش هاتخلى أى طالب يدخل المكتبة .. ربنا يسامحها بأه .. كنت متعلق بالكتاب جدا .. المهم أنى من الأيام دى وانا محتفظ دايما بورقة فى المحفظة كاتب فيها أسماء ال��تب اللى عايز أقرأها ومش لاقيها .. الكتاب ده من ضمن الكتب اللى كنت مش لاقيها .. كنت كل ما أروح شارع النبى دانيال أدور على الكتاب .. المهم من كام يوم أفتكرت الكتاب فقولت أدور على نسخةألكترونية .. الحمد لله لقيت نسخة على النت منسوخة بالسكانر من من نسخة (متبهدلة)من الكتاب .. خلّصت الكتاب تقريبا فى ساعتين .. المفجأة أنى لقيت نافسى لسه فاكر جمل كاملة من آخر مرّه قرأت فيها الكتاب .
الكتاب قصة مختصرة جدا (طبعاً لأنه معتمد تماماً على دفتر التسجيل اليومى للقبطان). بيوضح بشكل كبير طبيعة الحياة فى البحر فى الفترة اللى أتكتب فيها .. أيام الزمن الجميل للملاحة والاستكشافات والمغامرات الحقيقية.
الكتاب قصة مختصرة جدا (طبعاً لأنه معتمد تماماً على دفتر التسجيل اليومى للقبطان). بيوضح بشكل كبير طبيعة الحياة فى البحر فى الفترة اللى أتكتب فيها .. أيام الزمن الجميل للملاحة والاستكشافات والمغامرات الحقيقية.
March 1, 2024
Captain's Bligh's memoir of his ill-fated voyage upon the H.M.S. Bounty and the struggle for survival that followed it, does not boast the same dramatic power or harrowing details of, say, Nathaniel Philbrick's excellent In the Heart of the Sea. It does, nevertheless, offer a fascinating glimpse into life as a seafaring captain in colonial times, and is also a quite inspiring account of heroism and leadership in the face of adversity. Bligh, who would later become a Govenor of NSW, Australia, tells his story in an endearingly patient and methodical way, at times channelling the not-yet-even-born likes of Charles Dawin (particularly Voyage of the Beagle) and Henry David Thoreau (aka, his curiously therapeutic Walden).
However, more interesting than the mutiny itself, or the ordeal that followed, were to me Bligh's dealings with the indigenous peoples of the Pacific islands. For the most part, at least according to his own telling (which had no need, in 1790, for appeasing modern sensibilities) he treated them with a pleasantly surprising level of kindness, camaraderie, and genuine, respectful curiosity.
However, more interesting than the mutiny itself, or the ordeal that followed, were to me Bligh's dealings with the indigenous peoples of the Pacific islands. For the most part, at least according to his own telling (which had no need, in 1790, for appeasing modern sensibilities) he treated them with a pleasantly surprising level of kindness, camaraderie, and genuine, respectful curiosity.
September 11, 2019
As this book is written by Bligh, the story is from his point of view, and we all know that there is always two sides to a story, sequenced in the style of a diary, lot of captain logs, lots of descriptions about current ocean conditions that the Mutiny finds itself in (etc etc). It is an adventure, with all the conflicts you expect within a crew, squashed together on a boat for months upon months. (Spending months under each others feet is not good for anybody). The story format does work, it is engaging, it is enjoyable, the story line is one of the most famous adventure stories of them all in my opinion. Good book cover, no editorial errors, the speed of story line is good, maybe sometimes you feel a bit over saturated with constant captains logs etc, but I did enjoy it. Well worth reading. A good book, not amazing, but a good solid book.
April 4, 2019
1.5 Stars. The actual mutiny is a surprisingly brief part of the book, and the motivation and characters involved (which I'd have thought is what would make this book) is entirely missing.
Naturally the voyage was doomed as soon as they caught (and then fattened up and ate) the albatross. I know my Rime of the Ancient Mariner (thanks Iron Maiden).
I wasn't looking for a novel, but this needed to be more than a blow by blow, completely emotionless captains log account of the events. In the right hands this could be a remarkable true story of adventure and survival.
Naturally the voyage was doomed as soon as they caught (and then fattened up and ate) the albatross. I know my Rime of the Ancient Mariner (thanks Iron Maiden).
I wasn't looking for a novel, but this needed to be more than a blow by blow, completely emotionless captains log account of the events. In the right hands this could be a remarkable true story of adventure and survival.
October 12, 2011
It had been a long time since I watched the Hollywood version of Mutiny on the Bounty, not the new one but the old one with a young Clark Gable and Charles Laughton in the lead roles of Mr. Christian and Captain Bligh. I know this movie left with the definite impression that Bligh deserved and caused the mutiny of his crew. So why not give the man a chance to defend his reign as Captain of his ship.
First, this is a diary, and as such can get bogged down in daily entries of longitude and latitude, state of the seas, visiting islands, hogs, weather conditions and inventory of supplies/food. Reading Bligh's daily entries gave me quite a different picture of the man than the one portrayed in the movie. I felt he was doing his duty and he truly seemed concerned about his men and their conditions. Discipline is mentioned infrequently. When he and some of his crew is set asail after the Mutiny, Bligh goes beyond the call to keep his men alive. It seems a miracle and a testament to his leadership that they do live. Nowhere can I see the sadistic disciplinarian depicted in the movie. You've got to wonder. Certainly Bligh did not know a movie would be made of his life so which story do you believe. Hollywood or his own words?
This accounting of the famous story makes me want more. There are other accounts of what led to the mutiny and somewhere in all of this lies the truth. I hope to read at least one more accounting before making up my mind of what I think might have happened back in 1789.
First, this is a diary, and as such can get bogged down in daily entries of longitude and latitude, state of the seas, visiting islands, hogs, weather conditions and inventory of supplies/food. Reading Bligh's daily entries gave me quite a different picture of the man than the one portrayed in the movie. I felt he was doing his duty and he truly seemed concerned about his men and their conditions. Discipline is mentioned infrequently. When he and some of his crew is set asail after the Mutiny, Bligh goes beyond the call to keep his men alive. It seems a miracle and a testament to his leadership that they do live. Nowhere can I see the sadistic disciplinarian depicted in the movie. You've got to wonder. Certainly Bligh did not know a movie would be made of his life so which story do you believe. Hollywood or his own words?
This accounting of the famous story makes me want more. There are other accounts of what led to the mutiny and somewhere in all of this lies the truth. I hope to read at least one more accounting before making up my mind of what I think might have happened back in 1789.
January 20, 2021
Interesting. Very little to do with the actual mutiny. Most of it reads as a captain's log, explaining his location, orders, and fulfilling his general duties. The mutiny itself arises out of thin air, Bligh is entirely blindsided, and tries to convince us that none of the men marooned with him had the slightest notion that it was coming either. I'm left to wonder if, rather, he was not enough of a people person to pick up on nonverbal communication. The book dwells more on correcting his predecessor's cartographic and celestial navigation observations, than it does in what might have precipitated his being dumped on a small boat in the middle of the Pacific.
Still, though, among dwindling rations, terrible weather, and creeping despair, Bligh does admirably well in keeping his ad hoc crew of loyalists together and reaching the Dutch colonies several thousand miles away.
This made me curious about other accounts of the mutiny, in order to piece together what's missing here. It also sent me down a Wikipedia rabbit hole about Pitcairn island where some of the descendants of the mutineers continue to live and speak in a late 18th century English patois.
Still, though, among dwindling rations, terrible weather, and creeping despair, Bligh does admirably well in keeping his ad hoc crew of loyalists together and reaching the Dutch colonies several thousand miles away.
This made me curious about other accounts of the mutiny, in order to piece together what's missing here. It also sent me down a Wikipedia rabbit hole about Pitcairn island where some of the descendants of the mutineers continue to live and speak in a late 18th century English patois.
May 9, 2016
While not as entertaining as any of the movies based on this book, "The Bounty Mutiny" is still an engaging read. From captain's logs to court transcription to a mutineer's journal, the whole story is slowly revealed from every perspective. I wished for more details from Pitcairn Island where some of the mutineers wound up and less details from the court transcript, but when you are dealing with surviving documents you take what you can get.
Now I am definitely interested in seeing the movie adaptations again to see what details I'll notice from the book.
Now I am definitely interested in seeing the movie adaptations again to see what details I'll notice from the book.
August 23, 2014
عندما يكتب شخصا ما عن "رحلة شاقة للبقاء على قيد الحياة" فبالتأكيد كل ما سيفعله هو ان يقول لك:
"أنا من أنقذ حياة الجميع!
أنا أعظم انسان في الكون!
لولاي لمات الجنس البشري بأكمله و لانفجرت الشمس و اندثرت درب التبانة بأكملها!!"
هذا هو ما يفعله الكابتن بلاي تماما..
في كتابه هذا يقدم ملخص لحالة العصيان التي تعرض لها عندما كان قبطانا للسفينة باونتي و كيف استطاع العودة مرة أخرى لانجلترا مع بقية البحارة المنبوذين..
طبعا طوال صفحات الرواية تشعر ان الكابتن كان بريئا تماما.. أنه قبطان عظيم و قائد محنك.. أنه شخص طيب جدا.. لكنه في العمل صارم و حازم و يلتزم بميثاق شرف البحرية البريطانية..
وكما يمر عليك هذا الشعور فإنك أيضا بعد قليل تشعر بوجود شيئا ما غير مريح.. فالعديد من الحوادث يذكرها الكاتبن كأنها حدثت فجأة من العدم...
ففجأة وجد البحارة يعلنون عصيانهم..
وفجأة وجد سكان الجزيرة يريدون قتله..
وفجأةوجد البحارة لا تقدر مجهوده و يسرقون الطعام...
وفجأة و فجأة و فجاة... إلى الأبد!
ما أسباب هذا؟ ما الذي أدي لكل هذا.. لا يقول لنا الكاتبن.. و لكن للإنصاف فإنه "يخمن" أحيانا الأسباب الداعية لما حدث.. بالرغم من أنه "لا يستطيع تفهمها كلية لأنه كان يعاملهم كما ينبغي تماما (كنت انتظر انه سيقول بما يرضي الله في بعض الأحيان!!!"
هنا نجد عدة احتمالات..
إما أن الكابتن كان مظلوما .. و في هذه الحالة فالتمرد خطؤه.. فالقائد يجب ان يعلم ما يدور في سفينته.. و إلا كان قائدا ساذجا لا يستحق القيادة..
و إما أنه كان يعلم ولم يهتم بمحاولة حل المشكلة من أساسها.. و بالتالي فهو قائد عديم المسئولية..
و إما انه كان ظالما بالفعل و يستحق ما حدث له..
و في كل الأحوال فإن الرواية من أولها لآخرها مجرد محاولة للدفاع عن النفس .. حتى و إن ظهرت بمظهر "الحياد" .. و في الحقيقة لا أهتم.. بل كنت أتمنى ان يغرق الكابتن .. فقد كان في نظري من الأحداث التي رواها (و الأهم من الأحداث التي تغاضى عن ذكرها) يبدو لي قائدا متسلطا ديكتاتورا ساديا تماما!
"أنا من أنقذ حياة الجميع!
أنا أعظم انسان في الكون!
لولاي لمات الجنس البشري بأكمله و لانفجرت الشمس و اندثرت درب التبانة بأكملها!!"
هذا هو ما يفعله الكابتن بلاي تماما..
في كتابه هذا يقدم ملخص لحالة العصيان التي تعرض لها عندما كان قبطانا للسفينة باونتي و كيف استطاع العودة مرة أخرى لانجلترا مع بقية البحارة المنبوذين..
طبعا طوال صفحات الرواية تشعر ان الكابتن كان بريئا تماما.. أنه قبطان عظيم و قائد محنك.. أنه شخص طيب جدا.. لكنه في العمل صارم و حازم و يلتزم بميثاق شرف البحرية البريطانية..
وكما يمر عليك هذا الشعور فإنك أيضا بعد قليل تشعر بوجود شيئا ما غير مريح.. فالعديد من الحوادث يذكرها الكاتبن كأنها حدثت فجأة من العدم...
ففجأة وجد البحارة يعلنون عصيانهم..
وفجأة وجد سكان الجزيرة يريدون قتله..
وفجأةوجد البحارة لا تقدر مجهوده و يسرقون الطعام...
وفجأة و فجأة و فجاة... إلى الأبد!
ما أسباب هذا؟ ما الذي أدي لكل هذا.. لا يقول لنا الكاتبن.. و لكن للإنصاف فإنه "يخمن" أحيانا الأسباب الداعية لما حدث.. بالرغم من أنه "لا يستطيع تفهمها كلية لأنه كان يعاملهم كما ينبغي تماما (كنت انتظر انه سيقول بما يرضي الله في بعض الأحيان!!!"
هنا نجد عدة احتمالات..
إما أن الكابتن كان مظلوما .. و في هذه الحالة فالتمرد خطؤه.. فالقائد يجب ان يعلم ما يدور في سفينته.. و إلا كان قائدا ساذجا لا يستحق القيادة..
و إما أنه كان يعلم ولم يهتم بمحاولة حل المشكلة من أساسها.. و بالتالي فهو قائد عديم المسئولية..
و إما انه كان ظالما بالفعل و يستحق ما حدث له..
و في كل الأحوال فإن الرواية من أولها لآخرها مجرد محاولة للدفاع عن النفس .. حتى و إن ظهرت بمظهر "الحياد" .. و في الحقيقة لا أهتم.. بل كنت أتمنى ان يغرق الكابتن .. فقد كان في نظري من الأحداث التي رواها (و الأهم من الأحداث التي تغاضى عن ذكرها) يبدو لي قائدا متسلطا ديكتاتورا ساديا تماما!
April 18, 2023
In 1787, Captain William Bligh, aged 33, was given command of the Bounty, a merchant ship: his mission was to transport breadfruit from Tahiti to the West Indies. The Bounty set sail on December 23rd. Almost everyone knows the story. Or do they? This is Bligh’s version, in his own words.
It will very naturally be asked, what could be the reason for such a revolt? …. the mutineers had flattered themselves with the hopes of a more happy life among the Otaheiteans … and this, joined to some female connections, most probably occasioned the whole transaction.
The famous mutiny took place on April 28th, 1789:
Just before Sunrise Mr. Christian and the Master at Arms… came into my cabin while I was fast asleep, and seizing me tied my hands with a Cord & threatened instant death if I made the least noise. I however called sufficiently loud to alarm the Officers, who found themselves equally secured by sentinels at their doors… Mr. Christian had a Cutlass & the others were armed with muskets & bayonets.
Bligh and 18 other crew members loyal to him were set adrift in the Bounty’s launch, an open boat, 23-foot long by 6’9″ wide. Before being set adrift, two of the condemned men were allowed to collect twine, canvas, lines, sails, cordage, an 8 and 20 gallon cask of water, and Mr. Samuel got 150 lbs. of bread, with a small quantity of rum and wine, also a quadrant and compass; but he was forbidden, on pain of death, to touch either map, ephemeris, book of astronomical observations, sextant, time-keeper, or any of Bligh's surveys or drawings.
This would have been, for most seamen, a death sentence. But Bligh pulled off one of the greatest feats of seamanship in history: his took his boat straight for Timor, Java, covering 3618 nautical miles in 47 days – with not a single man lost.
Was Bligh a villain? Or a just a stern captain – like most others of his time – with a bad crew? This book is more interesting than the near-fictional 1932 Mutiny on the Bounty by Nordoff and Hall or any version produced by Hollywood.
It will very naturally be asked, what could be the reason for such a revolt? …. the mutineers had flattered themselves with the hopes of a more happy life among the Otaheiteans … and this, joined to some female connections, most probably occasioned the whole transaction.
The famous mutiny took place on April 28th, 1789:
Just before Sunrise Mr. Christian and the Master at Arms… came into my cabin while I was fast asleep, and seizing me tied my hands with a Cord & threatened instant death if I made the least noise. I however called sufficiently loud to alarm the Officers, who found themselves equally secured by sentinels at their doors… Mr. Christian had a Cutlass & the others were armed with muskets & bayonets.
Bligh and 18 other crew members loyal to him were set adrift in the Bounty’s launch, an open boat, 23-foot long by 6’9″ wide. Before being set adrift, two of the condemned men were allowed to collect twine, canvas, lines, sails, cordage, an 8 and 20 gallon cask of water, and Mr. Samuel got 150 lbs. of bread, with a small quantity of rum and wine, also a quadrant and compass; but he was forbidden, on pain of death, to touch either map, ephemeris, book of astronomical observations, sextant, time-keeper, or any of Bligh's surveys or drawings.
This would have been, for most seamen, a death sentence. But Bligh pulled off one of the greatest feats of seamanship in history: his took his boat straight for Timor, Java, covering 3618 nautical miles in 47 days – with not a single man lost.
Was Bligh a villain? Or a just a stern captain – like most others of his time – with a bad crew? This book is more interesting than the near-fictional 1932 Mutiny on the Bounty by Nordoff and Hall or any version produced by Hollywood.
January 15, 2024
This version is just the Captain's log of the entire voyage. The mutiny doesn't come until over halfway through! But it was interesting to read and made me go down the rabbit hole of Wikipedia learning more about it. Bligh seems so focused on recording navigation info and collecting plants that he doesn't seem to pay much attention to his crew except to note when someone dies. So maybe that played a role in the mutiny.
July 23, 2016
بالتأكيد لن يكون ويليام بلاي محايداً عندما يكتب في مذكراته عن التمرد الذي اندلع على سفينته كما أن المحكمة البحرية في لندن لم تحكم لصالح المتمردين ضد قبطان كان يوماً ما يعمل ضابطاً تحت إمرة جيمس كوك,, لكن ما لا شك فيه أن ويليام بلاي كان قائداً رائعاً خاصة في تعامله مع محنته التي استطاع فيها النجاة بأتباعه المطرودين على قارب صغير و العودة إلى إنجلترا في أحداث دراماتيكية لم يكن أكثر القراء تشاؤماً أن يتوقع نجاته و ربما كانت روح الانتقام و القيادة و بالطبع نزعة البقاء هي التي أبقته قائداً يقظاً طوال محنة العودة,, لكن في المقابل فشل ويليام في الأحداث التي أدت إلى التمرد خاصة مع ضابطه كريستيان و هو الحدث الذي كان بمثابة القشة التي قسمت ظهر البعير و كان دائم التبرير لممارساته و يبدو أنه إلى نهاية الكتاب لم يفهم السبب الحقيقي للتمرد أو ربما تنصل في داخله من مسؤوليته عن هذه الأزمة في المقام الأول و اكتفى بشيطنة المتمردين
July 14, 2019
قصة جميلة وممتعة ومثيرة
واذكر انها احدثت انقلابا فكريا وجدلا واسعا في المجتمع الاوربي وقت صدورها
بسبب ما احتوته من مشهد تحليلهم لأكل لحم احدى اصدقائهم الموتي ، في لحظاتهم الاخير قبل الموت مما انقذ حياتهم
اشاع هذا الامر صخبا شديدا في اوربا
وكان المؤلف يحتمي بان هذه الحدث قد حدث بالفعل ، مما جعل الرواية تشكل واقعا لانقاذ حياة بعض الاشخاص
وصارت اوربا بين مؤيد ومعارض
وارى ان ذلك الامر فيه ذكاء من الكاتب
رغم انني لا ارى من الجيد الاسهاب في الكثير من الوصف الطويل للاوقات التي مر بها ابطال القصة ، فكان على الكاتب ان يقلل ذلك الوقت ويكز على الاوقات التي تثير القارئ لا التي تدعوه للملل.
انها قصة جيدة وتحرك الماء الراكد بداخل عقولنا
واذكر انها احدثت انقلابا فكريا وجدلا واسعا في المجتمع الاوربي وقت صدورها
بسبب ما احتوته من مشهد تحليلهم لأكل لحم احدى اصدقائهم الموتي ، في لحظاتهم الاخير قبل الموت مما انقذ حياتهم
اشاع هذا الامر صخبا شديدا في اوربا
وكان المؤلف يحتمي بان هذه الحدث قد حدث بالفعل ، مما جعل الرواية تشكل واقعا لانقاذ حياة بعض الاشخاص
وصارت اوربا بين مؤيد ومعارض
وارى ان ذلك الامر فيه ذكاء من الكاتب
رغم انني لا ارى من الجيد الاسهاب في الكثير من الوصف الطويل للاوقات التي مر بها ابطال القصة ، فكان على الكاتب ان يقلل ذلك الوقت ويكز على الاوقات التي تثير القارئ لا التي تدعوه للملل.
انها قصة جيدة وتحرك الماء الراكد بداخل عقولنا
July 16, 2008
This was another book on my "to read list." I did quite like it. There was one funny thing about the book, in the old Bogart movie, the captain was angry about the loss of his strawberries. In the book it was coconuts.
I did enjoy the book. I loved hearing about the Pacific islands and their people and learning about the English navy.
I learned to love or hate the people in the book, just as the author intended.
I would recommend the book if you have not read it.
I did enjoy the book. I loved hearing about the Pacific islands and their people and learning about the English navy.
I learned to love or hate the people in the book, just as the author intended.
I would recommend the book if you have not read it.
October 2, 2011
A fascinating story of betrayal and survival from the man who endured it all.
July 8, 2018
Was Fletcher Christian an opportunistic coward? Was Lieutenant Bligh a brutist tyrant?
We will never know the full story of the Bounty but in consideration of the evidence contained in this book, I conclude that both statements are probably correct. The story of the Bounty is one of the greatest instances of maritime mutiny ever recorded. The fact that so many books and films have been made on the topic is a testimony to our fascination and keeps it in our current consciousness.
There are romanticised notions of the seductions of the Polynesian peoples (especially the women) on the crew as well as the authoritarian and erratic behaviour of their commander, Lieutenant William Bligh. Both are factors, but have been exaggerated and the documentary evidence shows a more nuanced situation. It seems to me that a large part of the mutiny was a personal “falling out” between Bligh and master’s mate Fletcher Christian which could have been remedied before muskets and cutlasses prevailed. 18th-century notions of “honour” amongst gentleman have been more readily discarded as an explanation in favour of Christian’s preoccupation with what has been described as a “favourite female” of Tahiti. Christian fell into a deep depression and was able to draw on support from a minority of the crew to overthrow the commander of the vessel.
The book’s main contents are a reproduction of Bligh’s narritive of the mutiny, as well as the detailed proceeding of the court-martial produced by Edward Christain (Fletcher Christian’s lawyer brother). The rest of the book contains the response and counter-response between Bligh and the brother Christian in a level of petty-pamphlet squabbling which must have been frustrating for both men at the time but proves gripping reading. Sections of alleged dialogue really jump out, such as Christian’s final breakdown: “That-captain Bligh-that is the thing; I am in hell-I am in hell”. On reflection, it was Bligh’s robustness of discipline that kept the adrift men alive to Kupang and Christian’s affability amongst the crew that led the Bounty to Tahiti and Pitcairn.
Much of Bligh’s account is his epic 3,500 mile journey in a small ship’s boat exposed to the elements and fleetingly touches the mutiny itself. Edward Christian’s account is thorough and forensic, providing a fascinating insight into the cross-examinations of the crew. In response to this attempt as exoneration of Christian, Bligh as commander of the ship fired back with a detailed wealth of documentary evidence to support his claim of events. Edward Christian replied with open doubt of the nature of Bligh’s obtained affidavits, with an accusation of perjury.
It is true to say that Christian was gifted as a seaman and and had sought a prominent position in the Royal Navy. Bligh was very much motivated by his late mentor and hero, Captain James Cook. Christian and Bligh had similar lives too: both men were from distinguished families that had fallen on hard times and had something to prove. The real tragedy for me is that prior to the final voyage of the Bounty Christian and Bligh were friends. Bligh met his wife in the Isle of Man where Christain’s family originated. Indeed it is stated in the introduction that Peter Haywood, George Stewart, Thomas Haywood and John Hallet were friends of the Bligh family. Bligh was exonerated at court-martial but Christian’s fate will never fully be known (suicide? Murder on Pitcairn? Incognito return to England? Probably the second one according to Jenny and John Adams).
Further appendices provide information that has been previously dismissed, such as the story of “Jenny” a Tahitian woman who had left Pitcairn (because of course, a non-white woman was far less believable than 40-odd Englishmen, Manxmen, Irishmen, Cornishmen, Scotsmen and a German who contradicted each other). The subsequent result for the mutineers was murder or execution apart from John Adams alias Alexander Smith. Ultimately we will never have a definitive knowledge of what occurred but the accounts of the crew coupled with the subsequent reports help to build up a fuller account of the mutiny. In summary, a surprisingly dense book which shone a light with primary evidence on a romanticised trauma.
We will never know the full story of the Bounty but in consideration of the evidence contained in this book, I conclude that both statements are probably correct. The story of the Bounty is one of the greatest instances of maritime mutiny ever recorded. The fact that so many books and films have been made on the topic is a testimony to our fascination and keeps it in our current consciousness.
There are romanticised notions of the seductions of the Polynesian peoples (especially the women) on the crew as well as the authoritarian and erratic behaviour of their commander, Lieutenant William Bligh. Both are factors, but have been exaggerated and the documentary evidence shows a more nuanced situation. It seems to me that a large part of the mutiny was a personal “falling out” between Bligh and master’s mate Fletcher Christian which could have been remedied before muskets and cutlasses prevailed. 18th-century notions of “honour” amongst gentleman have been more readily discarded as an explanation in favour of Christian’s preoccupation with what has been described as a “favourite female” of Tahiti. Christian fell into a deep depression and was able to draw on support from a minority of the crew to overthrow the commander of the vessel.
The book’s main contents are a reproduction of Bligh’s narritive of the mutiny, as well as the detailed proceeding of the court-martial produced by Edward Christain (Fletcher Christian’s lawyer brother). The rest of the book contains the response and counter-response between Bligh and the brother Christian in a level of petty-pamphlet squabbling which must have been frustrating for both men at the time but proves gripping reading. Sections of alleged dialogue really jump out, such as Christian’s final breakdown: “That-captain Bligh-that is the thing; I am in hell-I am in hell”. On reflection, it was Bligh’s robustness of discipline that kept the adrift men alive to Kupang and Christian’s affability amongst the crew that led the Bounty to Tahiti and Pitcairn.
Much of Bligh’s account is his epic 3,500 mile journey in a small ship’s boat exposed to the elements and fleetingly touches the mutiny itself. Edward Christian’s account is thorough and forensic, providing a fascinating insight into the cross-examinations of the crew. In response to this attempt as exoneration of Christian, Bligh as commander of the ship fired back with a detailed wealth of documentary evidence to support his claim of events. Edward Christian replied with open doubt of the nature of Bligh’s obtained affidavits, with an accusation of perjury.
It is true to say that Christian was gifted as a seaman and and had sought a prominent position in the Royal Navy. Bligh was very much motivated by his late mentor and hero, Captain James Cook. Christian and Bligh had similar lives too: both men were from distinguished families that had fallen on hard times and had something to prove. The real tragedy for me is that prior to the final voyage of the Bounty Christian and Bligh were friends. Bligh met his wife in the Isle of Man where Christain’s family originated. Indeed it is stated in the introduction that Peter Haywood, George Stewart, Thomas Haywood and John Hallet were friends of the Bligh family. Bligh was exonerated at court-martial but Christian’s fate will never fully be known (suicide? Murder on Pitcairn? Incognito return to England? Probably the second one according to Jenny and John Adams).
Further appendices provide information that has been previously dismissed, such as the story of “Jenny” a Tahitian woman who had left Pitcairn (because of course, a non-white woman was far less believable than 40-odd Englishmen, Manxmen, Irishmen, Cornishmen, Scotsmen and a German who contradicted each other). The subsequent result for the mutineers was murder or execution apart from John Adams alias Alexander Smith. Ultimately we will never have a definitive knowledge of what occurred but the accounts of the crew coupled with the subsequent reports help to build up a fuller account of the mutiny. In summary, a surprisingly dense book which shone a light with primary evidence on a romanticised trauma.
May 3, 2021
Quando il 23 Dicembre 1787, il brigantino "Bounty", sotto il comando del Tenente William Bligh, parte dall'Inghilterra diretto ad Haiti con il compito di raccogliere numerosi esemplari di albero del pane da trapiantare poi nelle Indie Occidentali, nessuno si aspetterà mai che il tutto finirà con un ammutinamento.
Sarà infatti il 28 Aprile 1789 che parte della ciurma, capitanata da Fletcher Christian, lascerà alla deriva, su di una scialuppa, il suo Comandante assieme ad altri diciotto membri dell'equipaggio.
Inizierà così un odissea che durerà 48 giorni attraverso 5800 Km di Oceano per trovare poi la salvezza sull'Isola di Timor.
Questo è il resoconto di Bligh e di ció che accadde in quei giorni, dalla partenza dall'Inghilterra sino al ritorno in patria.
"Gli ammutinati del Bounty", scritto dallo stesso William Bligh una volta tornato in patria e dopo aver subito un processo sotto corte marziale, da cui ne uscirà poi innocente, si offre al lettore come un diario estremamente dettagliato di ció che avvenne lungo tutta l'epopea che vide il Tenente prima "padrone" della nave e poi naufrago, un racconto reso ancora più chiaro e ricco anche grazie alle numerose note a corredo che aggiungono notizie storiche imprescindibili per la comprensione completa della situazione raccontata.
Interessante è poi la presenza, dopo il memorandum di Bligh, del verbale del processo, tenutosi nel 1792, in cui oltre alla deposizione dello stesso Capitano, si potranno leggerne molte altre dei suoi compagni naufraghi e di un appendice, scritta da Edward Christian (fratello di Fletcher, il capo degli ammutinati) che cercherà, in qualche modo, di redimere l'immagine del fratello attraverso citazioni di persone che l'hanno conosciuto o che hanno navigato con lui, notizie poi confutate dallo stesso Bligh, in una contro appendice in cui, attraverso testimonianze giurate e documenti ufficiali, cercherà nuovamente di difendersi per ristabilire la probabile verità dei fatti.
Questo memorandum, che non dimentichiamo non è opera di fantasia ma racconto della realtà, risulta un lavoro interessante ed avvincente sin dall'inizio, un racconto dalla scrittura fluida, chiara, circostanziata e concisa (seppur vista solo attraverso gli occhi e il punto di vista di Bligh), un racconto che fonde avventura e dramma, un racconto a tratti commovente, eroico e disperato che vede al centro diverse umanità, figlie di un tempo ormai andato (una menzione particolare va poi fatta alla parte del diario in cui si tratta il periodo di sosta sulle isole in cui il lettore si troverà al cospetto di meravigliosi e affascinanti spaccati di vita delle popolazioni che vi abitano) ma che rimane nell'immaginario collettivo, seppur spesso forse troppo romanzato, grazie a film e libri.
Un libro da leggere assolutamente tutto d'un fiato tanto per chi ama le avventure di mare quanto per chi è appassionato di storia.
Sarà infatti il 28 Aprile 1789 che parte della ciurma, capitanata da Fletcher Christian, lascerà alla deriva, su di una scialuppa, il suo Comandante assieme ad altri diciotto membri dell'equipaggio.
Inizierà così un odissea che durerà 48 giorni attraverso 5800 Km di Oceano per trovare poi la salvezza sull'Isola di Timor.
Questo è il resoconto di Bligh e di ció che accadde in quei giorni, dalla partenza dall'Inghilterra sino al ritorno in patria.
"Gli ammutinati del Bounty", scritto dallo stesso William Bligh una volta tornato in patria e dopo aver subito un processo sotto corte marziale, da cui ne uscirà poi innocente, si offre al lettore come un diario estremamente dettagliato di ció che avvenne lungo tutta l'epopea che vide il Tenente prima "padrone" della nave e poi naufrago, un racconto reso ancora più chiaro e ricco anche grazie alle numerose note a corredo che aggiungono notizie storiche imprescindibili per la comprensione completa della situazione raccontata.
Interessante è poi la presenza, dopo il memorandum di Bligh, del verbale del processo, tenutosi nel 1792, in cui oltre alla deposizione dello stesso Capitano, si potranno leggerne molte altre dei suoi compagni naufraghi e di un appendice, scritta da Edward Christian (fratello di Fletcher, il capo degli ammutinati) che cercherà, in qualche modo, di redimere l'immagine del fratello attraverso citazioni di persone che l'hanno conosciuto o che hanno navigato con lui, notizie poi confutate dallo stesso Bligh, in una contro appendice in cui, attraverso testimonianze giurate e documenti ufficiali, cercherà nuovamente di difendersi per ristabilire la probabile verità dei fatti.
Questo memorandum, che non dimentichiamo non è opera di fantasia ma racconto della realtà, risulta un lavoro interessante ed avvincente sin dall'inizio, un racconto dalla scrittura fluida, chiara, circostanziata e concisa (seppur vista solo attraverso gli occhi e il punto di vista di Bligh), un racconto che fonde avventura e dramma, un racconto a tratti commovente, eroico e disperato che vede al centro diverse umanità, figlie di un tempo ormai andato (una menzione particolare va poi fatta alla parte del diario in cui si tratta il periodo di sosta sulle isole in cui il lettore si troverà al cospetto di meravigliosi e affascinanti spaccati di vita delle popolazioni che vi abitano) ma che rimane nell'immaginario collettivo, seppur spesso forse troppo romanzato, grazie a film e libri.
Un libro da leggere assolutamente tutto d'un fiato tanto per chi ama le avventure di mare quanto per chi è appassionato di storia.
February 9, 2019
الكتاب هو مذكرات يومية كتبها البحار و المستكشف الإنجليزي وليام بلاي، خلال الرحلة التي قام بها الى جزيرة تاهيتي في عرض المحيط الهادي في أواخر القرن الثامن عشر الميلادي ، أين تعرضت سفينة "بونتي" التي يقودها الى تمرد من طرف بعض البحارة متهمين إياه بسوء معاملتهم ، مما تسبب في طرده من على متنها رفقة بعض أنصاره، و قد كادوا أن يدفعوا حياتهم ثمنا لتلك "الثورة" قبل أن يصلوا إلى بر الأمان بعد أهوال جسام عاشوها على سطح قارب مهترئ بين أمواج المحيط المتلاطمة.
هذه المغامرة البحرية الشيقة جديرة بقراءتها.
هذه المغامرة البحرية الشيقة جديرة بقراءتها.
October 10, 2023
An excellent first hand account of the voyage of The Bounty, and the infamous mutiny, written by Captain Bligh himself. If you ever wondered what it was like to serve in the British navy in the late 1700’s and the encounters, adventures and daily life of a crew, this is a fascinating book. Captain Bligh was misrepresented in the movies; he was actually a naval genius whose iron discipline and navigation skills saved the lives of his remaining loyal crew.
September 16, 2021
كنا بحاجة لسماع الحكاية من الطرف الآخر
سيظل دائمًا الأسد حيوان مفترس طالما جميع الأقلام في أيدي الصياد
سيظل دائمًا الأسد حيوان مفترس طالما جميع الأقلام في أيدي الصياد
January 19, 2021
What brought on the mutiny?
Was it the reportedly harsh leadership of Captain William Bligh, or was he a victim of circumstances and scheming subordinates?
As you might expect, Bligh came out looking pretty unblemished in his travelogue about his experiences in the late 1780s. In fact, he came off sounding a little TOO virtuous, and never provided a satisfactory explanation of why Lieutenant Fletcher Christian and some of the crew decided to set Bligh and a number of others adrift on a small boat in the East Indies, other than the fact that the crew really enjoyed their time in Tahiti (it's a magical place) and didn't want to leave.
As for the book itself, it is a very informative account of the Bounty's journey, starting in England, then passing around the Cape of Good Hope, and finally to the East Indies and Tahiti. After spending a number of months among various native tribes, Bligh and the Bountiful set out for home when the mutiny occurred.
As for entertainment value, this book is a bit of dry reading. Actually, I listened to this on audiobook, but I'm sure the results would have been the same. For someone who sailed halfway around the world, encountered both friendly and hostile natives, lost his ship to a mutiny, and sailed 3,500 nautical miles on a small boat to civilization, Bligh seemingly hadn't the knack or literary flair to make it sound interesting. Of course, that wasn't his intent in writing this, but, c'mon, there's some entertainment value there!
Was it the reportedly harsh leadership of Captain William Bligh, or was he a victim of circumstances and scheming subordinates?
As you might expect, Bligh came out looking pretty unblemished in his travelogue about his experiences in the late 1780s. In fact, he came off sounding a little TOO virtuous, and never provided a satisfactory explanation of why Lieutenant Fletcher Christian and some of the crew decided to set Bligh and a number of others adrift on a small boat in the East Indies, other than the fact that the crew really enjoyed their time in Tahiti (it's a magical place) and didn't want to leave.
As for the book itself, it is a very informative account of the Bounty's journey, starting in England, then passing around the Cape of Good Hope, and finally to the East Indies and Tahiti. After spending a number of months among various native tribes, Bligh and the Bountiful set out for home when the mutiny occurred.
As for entertainment value, this book is a bit of dry reading. Actually, I listened to this on audiobook, but I'm sure the results would have been the same. For someone who sailed halfway around the world, encountered both friendly and hostile natives, lost his ship to a mutiny, and sailed 3,500 nautical miles on a small boat to civilization, Bligh seemingly hadn't the knack or literary flair to make it sound interesting. Of course, that wasn't his intent in writing this, but, c'mon, there's some entertainment value there!
December 20, 2012
رواية متميّزة جداً، خصوصاً لكونها تتمحور حول قصَّة واقعية، عندما أمسكتها عجزت عن إفلاتها لدقيقةٍ واحدةٍ حتى أنهيتها بالكامل. هي ليست رواية بمعنى الكلمة، بل أشبه بكتاب مذكّرات، فهي لا تتناول أي أوصافٍ معينة أو أفكاراً فلسفية، بل مجرَّد سرد بسيط لأحداث التمرُّد يوماً بيوم، لكن القصة الحقيقية وحدها بدون أي إضافات كافية لإطلاعك على تجربة إنسانية فريدة جداً، وما يزيد قيمتها كثيراً هو أنَّها تجربة يعود عمرها إلى أكثر من مائتي سنة!
من المهم عند قراءة الرواية إدراك أنها كتبت لأسباب محددة لا كمجرَّد تدوين تاريخي، حيث كان يريد القبطان بلاي - الذي تم طرده من السفينة على إثر تمرد رجاله - أن يجتذب تعاطفاً شعبياً معه بعد أن سوَّء بحَّارته سمعته في إنكلترا وصوَّروه للناس على أنه رجل قاسٍ ومتوحش، وأن التمرد على إمرته كان مبرراً. وقد أدت الرواية غرضها هذا بنجاح، حيث وقفت المحكمة في صف القبطان، وتمَّت ترقيته فيما بعد، ثم عُيِّن حاكماً لمقاطعة نيو ساوث ويلز الأسترالية في آخر حياته. إلا أن كون الرواية مكتوبةً من طرف واحد "غير حيادي"، هو القبطان نفسه، يجعل إصدار حكم على الأمر لصالح أي طرف غير ممكن.
عدى عن هذه القضية السياسية، فإنَّ الجانب الإنساني من الرواية والكفاح من أجل البقاء الذي عاشه القبطان ورجاله، جدير بالقراءة من دون شك. كما إن الجانب الاجتماعي والثقافي الخاصّ بطريقة حياة أهالي جزيرة تاهيتي وأسلوب تفاعلهم مع الغرباء البيض ممتع ومثير أيضاً. باختصار، إنها رواية تستحقّ القراءة بجدارة!
من المهم عند قراءة الرواية إدراك أنها كتبت لأسباب محددة لا كمجرَّد تدوين تاريخي، حيث كان يريد القبطان بلاي - الذي تم طرده من السفينة على إثر تمرد رجاله - أن يجتذب تعاطفاً شعبياً معه بعد أن سوَّء بحَّارته سمعته في إنكلترا وصوَّروه للناس على أنه رجل قاسٍ ومتوحش، وأن التمرد على إمرته كان مبرراً. وقد أدت الرواية غرضها هذا بنجاح، حيث وقفت المحكمة في صف القبطان، وتمَّت ترقيته فيما بعد، ثم عُيِّن حاكماً لمقاطعة نيو ساوث ويلز الأسترالية في آخر حياته. إلا أن كون الرواية مكتوبةً من طرف واحد "غير حيادي"، هو القبطان نفسه، يجعل إصدار حكم على الأمر لصالح أي طرف غير ممكن.
عدى عن هذه القضية السياسية، فإنَّ الجانب الإنساني من الرواية والكفاح من أجل البقاء الذي عاشه القبطان ورجاله، جدير بالقراءة من دون شك. كما إن الجانب الاجتماعي والثقافي الخاصّ بطريقة حياة أهالي جزيرة تاهيتي وأسلوب تفاعلهم مع الغرباء البيض ممتع ومثير أيضاً. باختصار، إنها رواية تستحقّ القراءة بجدارة!
January 20, 2008
I couldn't resist the urge to pick up the story of one of the most famous mutiny's in human history as told from the perspective of the captain. It is at once a bitter memoir and a microcosm of all of Europe's fears of the abuse of power and the terror of anarchy. An extremely slow read for something that should be so compelling, Bligh's insight into the situation makes it compelling enough to finish if you can power through the extremely dry first chunk.
February 25, 2008
I had seen the movies and heard about this event, but what I had never heard was the rest of the story where captain Bligh and half his crew are put on a whaling boat and put to sea. Through his amazing skill they made a 3600 mile trip in that small boat to a safe port.
February 23, 2018
A bit dry with a lot of nautical measurements. Seems like Captain Bligh was on a very different voyage from every other account of the mutiny on the Bounty. I can respect his point of view but by his words the mutiny was a complete and total surprise and without any justification at all.
August 16, 2018
It was a bit of a hard read because it is in the form of a ship's log, but is so interesting!!!! I had also read, "In the Heart of the Sea" by Nathaniel Philbrick so I was already somewhat familiar with the incident and geography.
June 13, 2012
Couldn't put it down. Similar to Shackleton.
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