Testimony of William
Peckover (9/13/1792)
Mr. WILLIAM PECKOVER, Gunner of the"
Antelope," but late of the" Bounty," called in and sworn. Examined by the COURT- Q. Inform the Court of all the
Circumstances within your Knowledge respecting His Majesty's Armed
Vessel" Bounty" being run away with. A. I was awaked out of
my Sleep by a confused Noise; directly after, I thought I heard the
fixing of Bayonets. I jumped out, and put my Trowsers on; at the Door I
met Mr. Nelson the Botanist, who told me that the Ship was taken from
us; my Answer was we were a long way from Land. When I came off the
Deck Mr. Nelson answered, " It is by our own People and Mr. Christian
at their head" -or" has got the command," I don't know which-" but we
know whose fault it is," or, "we know who is to blame "-I do not know
which of those Expressions it was; I made Answer, " Let us go forward
and see what is to be done." Going to the Hatch - way, trying to get
up, we were stopped by John Sumner and Matthew Quintal with fixed
Bayonets down the Hatchway, who said, "Mr. Peckover, you must come up,
we have Mutinied and taken the Ship, and Mr. Christian has got the
Command"; those were the Words to the best of my Knowledge. In a short
time after Mr. Samuel came up, and told us that he was going away in
the small Cutter with Captain Bligh, Mr. Hayward, Mr. Hallet and
himself, and advised with me what he should take with him. I told him
that if I was in his Place, I should take but very few things, upon
which he put a few Shirts and Stockings in a Pillow Case; some short
time after, Mr. Fryer came down to my Cabbin he asked me what I meant
to do for the best. [I replied] that I wished to get Home if I possibly
could, for by staying behind we should be reckoned as Pirates, if we
should ever be taken. He told me something about Captain Bligh, but
what I can't say, and that he himself would be answerable for that, and
he was ordered upon Deck just at this time. I was a long while down
before I was ordered up, and when I came upon Deck I saw Captain Bligh,
and Mr. Christian standing alongside of him with a naked Bayonet. I saw
Burkitt in Arms on the Quarter Deck-John Mills, I can't say whether he
was in Arms or not, but he had got a Cartouch Box bound round him. I
asked Mr. Christian to [let me] go down forward to get some things out
of my Chest; his Answer was, " Have you got no things down aft?" I told
him, "No, only a few," and I stepped to the Gangway and went over the
side; there was a Centry at the Gangway, but who, I cannot say. I saw
Muspratt forward upon the Forecastle, he seemed to me as if he was
about something in the Wood, he was not under Arms or in the Act of
Splitting Wood. I saw three or four more People there, whose Names I do
not recollect, nor do I know whether they were under Arms or not. Then
I went down into the Boat; the Centry saw me down; then I believe there
was about ten or twelve in the Boat. The Cutter was lying alongs' with
Michael Byrn in her. In about four or five Minutes after this, the
remainder with Mr. Bligh came into the Boat; a short time after they
veered her astern with the Hauser, whilst we were lying under the
Stern, Thomas Burkitt came and asked me if I wanted anything. I told
him I had only what I stood in, a Shirt, and a pair of Trowsers; he
told me if I would send my Keys up, he would go and get me some
Cloaths. I told him that I had lost them, or dropped them overboard. He
made me some Answer, which I do not remember, but told me that he would
go and get me some; he was gone a short time, about 8 or 10 Minutes,
and returned with a Handkerchief and different Cloaths, and threw them
into the Boat; one more whom I don't know went down into my Cabbin and
got me some more Cloaths. Coleman called to me over the Stern and beg'd
that I would call upon a friend at Greenwich and acquaint him of the
matter; then he said that he wished to come in the Boat. Mr. Cole at
different times asked Captain Bligh to cast the Boat off, or cast her
loose, that he was rather dubious of their firing into us. I cannot say
the Answer that Captain Bligh made him, but the Boat was cast adrift,
but by whom I can't tell. Q. Were you upon Deck any
considerable time, before you were put into the Boat? Q. Was you carried upon the
Quarter Deck? Q. In what part of the Ship
did you spend those three Minutes? Q. Did you see Christian? Q. Where was he? Q. Could you distinguish
every body upon the Quarter Deck from the Combings of the Hatchway upon
which you stood? Q. Could you see any Persons
that were not below that were in any other Part of the Ship? Q. What hindered you from
seeing on the Larboard side? Q. Were there any Centinels
over you, during the whole time you were upon Deck? Q. Were you placed on the
Combings of the Hatchway by the Centinels, or were you at liberty to
stand in any part of the Ship? Q. What number of Men did
you see under Arms, in any Part of the Ship? Q. Are you sure that you saw
no other Person under Arms, but those which you have mentioned? Q. Name them over again? Q. Where were the Arms of
the Ship kept? Q. Was the Arm Chest usually
kept locked? Q. How long was it from the
time that you first heard of the Mutiny till you went into the Boat? Q. How many People did the
Ship's Company of the "Bounty" consist of ? Q. How many of those did you
consider were concerned in the Mutiny? Q. Was it your opinion that
four People took the Ship from nine and thirty? Q. Give your reasons to the
Court for thinking so? Q. What were your particular
reasons for submitting, when you saw but four Men under Arms?-A. I came
naked upon the Quarter Deck with only my Trowsers on, and there I saw
Burkitt with a Musquet and Bayonet, and Christian alongside of Captain
Bligh, and the Centry on the Gangway, but who he was I do not know. Q. Did you expostulate with
Mr. Christian on his Conduct? Q. Did you go with the
Centinels who were over you? Q. Was any Force used
towards you, to put you into the Boat? Q. Did you on that day see
Joseph Coleman? Q. Did he appear to be under
Arms? Q. What was he doing when
you saw him? Q. Did you see Peter
Heywood, the Midshipman, on that day? Q. Did you see Michael Byrn? Q. At what time did you see
him? Q. Was he under Arms? Q. Did you see James
Morrison? Q. Did you see Charles
Norman? Q. Was he under Arms when
you, saw him? Q. What was he doing? Q. Did you consider him at
that time as one of the Mutineers? Q. Did you see Thomas
Ellison? Q. Did you see ThoIlliis
McIntosh? Q. Did you consider him as
one of the Mutineers ? Q. Did you see William
Muspratt? Q. Was he under Arms, when
you Saw him and what was he doing? Q. Did he appear to be
obeying the Orders of Mr. Christian? Q. Did you see John Millward
that Day? Q. Was he under Arms when
you saw him? Q. Did you consider him as
one of the Mutineers? Q. Was he one of those
People who awed you to go into the Boat? Q. You say you saw Joseph
Coleman looking over the Stern, did you consider him as one of the
Mutineers? Q. You saw Michael Byrn in
the Cutter; did you consider him as one of the Mutineers ? Q. In the former part of
your Evidence you have said, that you were put into the Boat by the
Centinel-Do you know who that Centinel was ? Q. Was there a Continel on
the Gangway as you went over the Ship's side ? Q. I cannot be upon Oath,
whether he was under Arms or not. In what Situation was Byrn in the
Cutter when you saw him ? Q. Did he seem to be in
sorrow? Q. Did you see Norman when
he looked over the Stern as you have before described call out to any
Person in the Boat? Q. What are your reasons for
believing that Coleman, Norman, McIntosh, and Byrn were averse to the
Mutiny? Q. But what was your own
Observation? Q. In the former part of
your Evidence in Conversation with Mr. Nelson, the Botanist, he said to
you that you knew whose fault it was, or Words to that effect-do you
apprehend that Mr. Nelson alluded to any of the Prisoners? Q. Do you know whether any
of the thirty nine People, who you say were not of the Mutiny or under
Arms, attempted to relieve Captain Bligh? Q. Or if they attempted to
accompany him into the Boat? Q. Those Men who remained in
the Ship, did you believe them to be of Mr. Christian's Party, except
Coleman, Norman, McIntosh, and Byrn? Q. Do you know whether
Burkitt had the Watch upon Deck, on the Morning of the Mutiny? Q. Was Muspratt one of the
Watch on that Morning? Q. Was it Ellison's Watch
upon Deck? Q. Had Norman that Watch? Q. Had Coleman and Byrn that
Watch? Q. Where was Millward at the
time you saw him? Q. In what Watch did Mr.
Heywood, the Prisoner, do his Duty? Cross-examined by JAMES MORRISON- Q. Do you recollect when you
was in that Boat astern of the Ship, that I did hand over the Cutlasses
and five or six and twenty Pieces of Pork, two large Gourds of Water,
and a ball of Spunyarn to sling the Mast alongside the Boat? Q. Did you ever observe
anything in my Conduct that would lead you to think I was concerned in
the Mutiny? Cross-examined by THOMAS BURKITT- Q. Did you see me when you
came upon Deck offer to force you or anybody else into the Boat, or use
any bad Expressions or make Game of anyone Person in the Boat? Q. Did ever my Conduct
during the Voyage and during the five Months that I was with you as a
Centinel at Otaheite before that Morning give you reason to suspect
that I was a ringleader in the Mutiny? By the COURT- Q. When he relieved you at 4
o'Clock in the Morning, did you observe anything particular in his
Conduct, or in his Manner? Q. Were there any Centinels
usually placed on board the " Bounty" in any part of the Ship at Sea? |