|
BANKS ARGUES FOR WILLIAM BLIGH
“Care to comment Sir Joseph?” asked Pitt cocking a thin eyebrow as he half-turned to the big man on his right.
“Certainly, but where to begin?’ Banks unwound his powerful body and began to straighten. His bushy eyebrows almost joined as he focused on Graham. You say ‘in truth,’ Mr Graham. Now that is novel—perhaps even unique. Why would you be interested in the truth? Of what use is ‘the truth’ to the journals and broadsheets? Their readers don’t want the truth. They never do, and they never did. They want heroes and villains.’ He thumped the table. “They want men of wonder, handsome, tall, men of honour—like your supposed image of Fletcher Christian, and men of evil, cunning, unstoppable, who would spit roast their own relatives for the joy of hearing their screams. Like the Captain Blighs’ of your fantasy world. No! They would sweep the truth from the table and stamp it beneath their feet like a bug. The truth has an ugly face, you see. It is a dead hand. You don’t want the truth, and neither do they. The truth here is a poisoned dagger that would pierce the heart of those you defend.” The big man mimed his best downcast look as he rocked his shaggy head slowly back and forth. “But since you insist on distorting the facts shall have some truth for a change?” He looked down the long table. “Oh how soon we forget Mr Graham.” Then to his right. “Oh how soon we forget Sir Thomas. Oh dear how soon we forget Miss Heywood!” his chin slumped as again he shook his head ruefully.
This was followed by a long silence. Finally his head rose and a look of wide-eyed irony breached his shadowed features as if re-discovering some long lost truth. He turned to face the tribunal “My Lords, perhaps you recall the feat of this ‘evil madman’ sailing four thousand miles across a fearful ocean in an open boat packed with nineteen starving sailors?” He searched their faces. “Not long ago the same newspapers now denigrating him were singing his praises.” As if gathering this revelation into his breast his face was no longer sad, more buoyant, if anything. He said to no one in particular, “I wonder how many lives Bligh saved? I wonder can you remember that particular voyage? That forgotten epic that proved Captain Bligh's courage, intelligence and seamanship?” He challenged Graham. “No! It seems some have forgotten already. Yes gentlemen and Miss Heywood I also read the journals and the broadsheets and I understand their popular politics.”
He stopped and began to fill a cut glass from the amber colored decanter. “So what do we really know of Captain Bligh?” still pouring he half-turned to Graham. “You propose poor leadership, uneven temper, insensitive, humourless, abusive and prone to nag worse than a fishwife.” He shrugged. “On the other hand I say excellent navigator, brilliant cartographer, superior seaman, brave in the face of danger and follows his orders to a fault—the exact qualities that made me recommended him for the voyage. Then there are the rumours and journalistic talk of Captain Bligh being a cruel and violent flogger. I hear of him even being depicted as an officer who denied his crew rations and generally treated them like animals,. I will tell you here and now I don't believe a word of it!” No doubt you have all heard or read of these accusations?” Mr Graham?”
Pitt looked up from studying his nails and nodded.
“Then I will explain to Mr Graham and Sir Thomas, and the other doubters exactly why I don't believe them for one moment” Banks searched his papers retrieving a couple of pages the looked up. “First to the accusation he was a cruel and violent flogger. Have you seen the logged punishments Mr Graham?”
“Yes” replied the advocate non-committally.
“And do you really believe, with your extensive experience as a naval advocate, Lieutenant Bligh was an excessive flogger?” Can you name any Captain in the Navy who flogs less, in fact, exactly where would you rate Lieutenant Bligh?”
Under Bank’s questioning glare and knowing there were no grounds for argument on that point Graham aped Bank’s earlier downcast look and shrugged. The mime was one neither Banks nor any of the others failed to misunderstand. Everyone realised Graham had just deliberately destroyed any notions of an honourable contest between himself and Sir Joseph. It signalled the beginning of a clash of wills where truth could well be the looser and a strangling noose the winner. A fiercer purpose straightened Banks as he glared down the table at the younger man. “Well then, to the facts!” he said. “So it seems no one would argue the allegations regarding Bligh's tyranny and flogging are not totally false, eh? Well enough said of that! Let us now examine the accusation Captain Bligh denied his crew rations.” The two civilian commissioners, Pitt and Spencer, leaned forward expectantly as Banks knew they would, he knew they would also have read the scathing press attacks on Bligh shipboard husbandry. “Was there any time during the voyage when the crew were short rationed according to Navy regulations?” Bank’s asked the room.
Pasley stroked his chin and frowned. Unlike Graham he wondered just how well informed Banks really was, so he spoke up. “Apart from the incident when Bligh found the cheese missing and short rationed the officers until the deficiency was made up—and the threat before the mutiny after the coconut incident. I can think of none other.”
Banks smiled benignly. “The threat he made the day before the mutiny was never carried out. In fact you will find that on the night before the mutiny, the night of the 27th, the crew were issued their normal rations—and as to the cheese? Apart from the word of Hillbrant there is no proof the cheese was not pilfered as claimed by Mr Bligh. Remember Mr Samuel supported Bligh.” Banks turned from Pasley and snapped at Graham. “In your knowledge or from evidence you have gained was there any time during the voyage when Captain Bligh issued more food than was actually due?”
Banks waited but Graham did not respond. “Then I shall tell you. When they attempted to round the Horn they were issued extra hot food and rum to warm them. At Cape Town they were also issued extra rations purchased using the King’s coin, and during their stay in Tahitie they received as much fresh fruit, vegetables and meat as they wanted without using their own funds to purchase it.” Again he stared at Graham but there was still no response. He turned to the Tribunal. “I hope gentlemen, as Mr Graham declines to comment, my point is made. I will, in the cause of justice, concede that through dire necessity Lieutenant Bligh did withhold some rations and rum from some particularly difficult officers, Mr Purcell for an instance. Here Mr Bligh contends he had little alternative as the man was a particularly querulous warrant officer and few alternatives were available as the man was essential in the day to day running of the vessel. Nevertheless I have neither heard nor read of any complaints of starvation from Bounty leaving Portsmouth up to the day of the mutiny. This fact would seem to give the lie to the argument that Captain Bligh was miserable or unfair with rations.” Again Bank’s paused. “Quite the opposite I should think gentlemen!” He viewed Graham and Pasley for any reaction or disagreement.
When there was none he nodded agreeably. “Mmm.. Then shall we examine another rumoured complaint against Captain Bligh, his alleged bad relationship with his crew, his alleged poor leadership and alleged doubtful seamanship? Nowhere are these false allegations better demonstrated to be mere hot air than on the two occasions when Captain Bligh’s life, and the lives of his crew, were in danger. The first, rounding the Horn and the second, the voyage on the open boat. Has anyone any doubts as to the voracity of the evidence there?” Again no one spoke.
“Good! I say that on both these occasions it is proven from many sources Lieutenant Bligh showed remarkable seamanship and an uncommon regard, if not tenderness, toward his crew, and at the conclusion of both these trials of character all personnel were moved to give their leader three cheers. Hardly resounding criticism of his husbandry!”
Banks picked up another page. “Next I shall deal with the rumours Mr Bligh was a cruel, violent flogger who denied his crew sustenance and treated them like dogs. Another spurious accusation that is hardly supported by the facts. To an independent mind Captain Bligh could easily be viewed as a hero. Why? He persisted and triumphed in the face of danger only to be eventually betrayed by a small section of his crew who proved themselves disloyal, villainous and totally without mercy! Ungrateful scum that they were.”
Banks spat out the last phrase and in the silence that followed seem to echo about the room. Finally he tossed back his head, rubbed his chin, casting his glance around the table he frowned. “I had hoped to avoid expanding on the motive for the mutiny but circumstances now force me to bring it up. I wonder are any of you at all familiar with the sexual practices of Tahitie ... and their effects on the ordinary English sailor?”
No one spoke. Graham glanced at Ness who was frowning as if wondering where this was leading, or its exact relevance. She caught his glance and saw him smile. She had no idea where this was all leading.
Bank’s quickly explained. “It is time to be frank regarding motive.” His greying brows arched over uncompromising and equally grey eyes. “So let me be now do so and tell you, so you may better understand, why young men might want to return to Tahitie. Understand that In Tahitie normal sexual intercourse is preformed often and without much preamble at all. Also in Tahitie, and on many other islands I visited in the South Seas, there is an uninhibited acceptance of sodomy as well as widespread acceptance of oral intercourse. They are not considered unusual, in fact the sailors I sailed with on Cook's 'Endeavour' referred to these women as 'three-holers'. A succinct if crude description. Of course it referred to their acceptance and wholehearted indulgence in these three forms of intercourse. Captain Bligh’s later reported to me that some weeks after he first met the chief Tynah and his wife Iddeah he heard from Tynah's brother that the Queen sometimes shared her bed with both her husband and his servant, the same one who fed him his meals. At first Bligh refused to believe it but many witnesses confirmed the arrangements and treated it as normal that both men had intercourse with the wife at the same hour and in the presence of one another. From my own experience on I know promiscuity was also accepted as normal—even between families, brothers freely slept with each others wives, particularly elder brothers with the wives of their younger brothers.”
Banks glanced at the frowns and shocked faces that seemed to fill the room. “I can see by your looks most of you are unfamiliar with these aspects of life as it exists in Tahitie. That is understandable as little is published in this regard, but now I ask you to consider what happened when the young British sailor was introduced into this paradise of free sexual gratification. A paradise peopled by some of the most beautiful and alluring women in the world. Would we expect them to remain unaltered? No. I think not.” He waved dismissively. “From my own experience these young sailors, after initially experiencing a range of delights, formed strong attachments to these sirens and were tempted to desert their duty.”
Banks stepped back and put a hand on his chair allowing everyone time to absorb his explanation. Suddenly he stepped forward and leaned over the table. A fierce look contorted his face and his fingers gripped his papers distorting them. “Yes my Lords! There really are very compelling reasons to support Bligh’s view that the motivation was for the crew to return to Tahitie!” He nodded towards Graham. “As opposed to the sceptics I believe there was much to recommend Captain Bligh argument. Even Mr Graham must agree there exists no record or log of any significant event that could be considered a sufficient evidence to provide an alternate motive for the actions of Christian and his band of criminal cohorts”.
Graham quickly agreed. “Yes—and unfortunately the only record in existence is Bligh's log and his later published Narrative. All evidence by the protagonist. That is until now.” He made a show of patting his own pile of affidavits as if they still held some surprises.
Banks huffed, he was not put off. “Are you aware Mr Graham that Mr Cook in the Endeavour faced similar problems to Bligh?.... No? well this tribunal may be sufficiently interested to know I have received a letter from James Mario Matra who read of the mutiny and wrote to me. He explains that what Christian and Bounty’s crew did was exactly the same as was attempted by some of the people of HMS 'Endeavour'; only there it was led by two men Andersen and Gray. It seems they were for remaining in Tahitie and the only reason they didn't was, to quote Mr Matra, ‘they would all get the pox and with no cure die rotten there.’ Apparently Captain Cook, myself and a few other officers would have had to find our own way home. Matra further confided that he was a ring leader among those who would have stayed.”
Banks tapped another document. “Captain Cook, in his log, even mentions that one of the gunners mates conceived a plan to desert and remain in Tahitie. Then there is the evidence that during Cook's second voyage two marines deserted at Tahitie and were recovered only with great difficulty. When examined these men said they had formed attachments to women and it was their intention to remain in hiding until the ship sailed and then afterwards to live a life of ease on the island.
Banks found another document. “Again on his third and last voyage, in the Society Islands, Cook recorded other desertions. This time it was a midshipman and a seaman, both belonging to the 'Discovery', who were missing. It seemed the midshipman had previously confided he wanted to remain. Cook reported that there were many others who would have remained if he had not personally recovered these two. You see,” Bank’s voice firmed, “if so many desertions and plots could occur on board ships commanded by Captain Cook—and were not only confined to the crew but contemplated by the officers—how more likely was it on 'Bounty'? There the dissidents were cramped, confined and crowded in a small uncomfortable ship that was forced to stay at Tahitie for five months!
“Undoubtedly Captain Bligh flogged seven or eight times... with good cause! But Cook's sailors got more floggings than compliments. I know I was there! They got drunk whenever they could get drunk. They stopped every cask of wine on board; they grumbled and growled and swore. Captain Bligh's men mutinied. Cook's deserted and contemplated mutiny. Bligh has been blamed, reviled, condemned. Cook, as confirmed a flogger as any in the Navy, as you well know Sir Thomas, has received nothing but adulation and praise. Perhaps he was lucky he had no officer like Fletcher Christian’s on the 'Endeavour', or the 'Discovery', or the 'Resolution'.
“And there is more evidence if you need it!” Bank’s grasped another paper, “Captain Samuel Wallis of HMS 'Dolphin', who first discovered Tahitie found he had similar problems. In his log he said the women on the island made his men 'less obedient.' James Proctor, one of his marine corporals deserted his station and insulted an officer and struck the master at arms... and that vessel was there a short time.”
Banks looked to his left. “If, gentlemen, you still do not accept the argument the women and the ease of life were the causes, then examine the situation from the point of view of the mariner. After the discomforts of a voyage halfway around the world would they prefer a life free from care, in the happiest climate in the world, to one of uncertain future prospects in England? Supposing he were to escape the many misfortunes incident to seamen... still he must earn his living in England by the sweat of his brow. This oldest curse of mankind was scarcely felt at Tahitie. There, two or three breadfruit trees, which grow without culture and flourish as long as he himself can expect to live, supply him with abundant food during three-quarters of the year. The cloth-trees and eddo-roots are cultivated with much less trouble then our cabbages and kitchen herbs. The banana, the royal palm, the golden apple all thrive with luxuriance, and require so little trouble I may venture to call them almost spontaneous. Most of our sailor’s days would be spent in a round of various engagements in warm temperatures relieved and refreshed by whilsome sea breezes in the same kind of happy uniformity that runs through the life of all who live there.
“Our deserter could rise with the sun, bathe in the fresh stream then walk about till the heat of the day required him to seek his repose under some tufted tree. There he would be attended by the native women smoothing his hair, anointing him with fragrant oils, blowing the flute, singing to it and listening to the songs of the birds and happy children. At noon or a little later he would eat after which he would resume his few domestic tasks, during which the flame of mutual affection spreads in every heart, and invites the rising generation with new and tender ties. The lively jest, without any ill-nature, the artless tale, the jocund dance and fugal supper, bring on the evening and another visit to the river concludes the actions of the day. Thus being contacted with this simple way of life, and placed in a delightful land, our deserter would be free from cares and happy for this ignorance of the same. Thus providing another good reason to desert?
“Gentlemen, you have already heard from the mutineers, or their representatives, trying to deny these motives. Unfortunately Captain Bligh is not here to defend himself therefore we must be doubly careful that, rather than being thought a villain in his absence, in fact he could well be the hero as originally reported! Yes Captain Bligh may have possessed a passionate temper, but still he was a British officer! An officer as efficient as ever walked a quarter deck! He worshiped that efficiency and he demanded it in others.”
Banks paused briefly. “He was also one of the most intelligent men I have ever met. So what are the chances Lieutenant Bligh was correct when he cited the cause of the mutiny to lie in Tahitie? Who has any other evidence? Let us look at the officers and men if want more proof! In the first place the only officers besides Fletcher Christian who remained on 'Bounty' were three midshipmen Heywood, Stewart and Young. Heywood pleaded his innocence, so did Stewart, therefore we must accept, by deduction, the only officers who actively participated were Christian and Young. In the boat with their Captain were the master, the surgeon, the botanist, the clerk, two midshipmen, most of the warrant and non-commissioned officers, and if we look at Bligh's own list of loyalists, we find not one able seamen or any other common man! Whatever the quality of these officers, and however harshly they may have been treated, it would seem hardly necessary to point out that they either elected to follow their commander or were considered too loyal by the mutineers to be kept on board. Of those that remained three non-commissioned officers were kept against their will, Norman, McIntosh and Coleman. We are left with the conclusion that of the nineteen real mutineers, fourteen were just common sailors! Would any care to argue these figures, Mr Graham – Sir Thomas?”
“No.” Pasley replied.
He turned to Graham. “You have read Blighs log?”
“Obviously.”
“Is it not so Captain Bligh constantly reproved and disciplined his officers? The doctor was a drunk and completely useless, Thomas Hayward was guilty of going to sleep on duty, Purcell the carpenter ignored orders, Fryer the master and Cole the boatswain let the sails rot. Sails! The only means of progress or escape possessed by any ship! Then there was Stewart's neglect allowing the native thief to escape from irons during his watch, the flagrant disobedience of Christian at Tofua three days before the mutiny and Purcell refusing to grind the tools of the natives at Matavai Bay. The list is extensive and far too long for me to enumerate in full!.
“A careful examination of the log reveals, does it not Mr Advocate,” Bank’s barely controlled his sneer, “Bligh's increasing vigilance on behalf of the comfort and health of his men. He hired a fiddler to enliven the long evenings and give the crew the valuable exercise, he divided his crew into three watches so his men did not have to keep watch every four hours and almost daily he had his men wash their clothes and attend to their personal hygiene. Do you think this was evidence of an uncaring and insensitive officer? I get the impression from reading his Log Captain Bligh was as humane and innovative a seaman as the Navy could boast and the well being of his men was always his first consideration. Captain Bligh had absolute contempt for those commanders who, by neglect of duty, arrive home with only half their crew and the other half sick with scurvy, fevers and other preventable diseases. He told me so!
“And as far as your recital of Bligh's language was concerned,.” Banks was now totally contemptuous of Graham and Bligh’s detractors, “Naval officers as you would know Sir Thomas, are not in the habit of speaking to their crew in the same manner Miss Heywood would address her pet canary, or favourite poodle. As for Christian, he was universally treated by Captain Bligh with kindness and favour and even promoted over Mr Fryer to second in command. Far too much sympathy has been expended on these mutineers.”
Bank’s took a deep breath and his eyes flashed with disgust. “The fact Christian and his gang of thugs deliberately sent away nineteen of their companions and shipmates in a tiny boat to what—except for Bligh's remarkable seamanship and bravery would have been to their certain death—was beneath contempt!” he threw down his papers. ... “And all for the breeching of a few more Tahitian virgins!”
The word split the air then echoed about the chamber. A silence crept in and it seemed to Nessy to last forever.
“Is there anything you would like to say Mr Graham?” asked Pitt feeling obliged to break the spell.
“Not at the moment My Lord, no.”
Eventually Banks seated himself and nodded to Ness. “I apologise Miss Heywood if I have in any way inadvertently crushed your hopes or offended you but I thought you should know the true situation, even when it involves your brother. Nothing can excuse the attacks on the reputation of a good man, Captain William Bligh.” Banks sat down and tidied his papers.
Pitt cleared his throat, “Unless you have further evidence Mr Graham I believe this tribunal has heard enough. Do you have anything to add?”
Graham chewed at a fingernail. “I do my Lord.”
Pitt sighed, “In that case I will set aside two hours tomorrow morning which will allow you an opportunity, for now we have matters of government to attend.”
|
|
|
