Left Arrow
Right Arrow
Fateful Voyage

PreviousFryer Voyage Page 5HomeJohn FryerFryer Voyage Page 7Next

Revised May 19 2021

John Fryer's Narrative of the Launch Voyage - Page 6

May 3, 1789 [?-?] Boat — May 3d Sunday fresh Gales the first part latter part a hard Gale wind from ESE to [?] — first part empd getting our things into the Boat. The Natives began to make fires on the Beach, and put stones into their canoes. one man swam off and alongside the Boat, and played some time alongside — at last west astern and thought that he had been gone onshore — but he swam and take hold of the Boat stern — and took a Blanket out — but my calling out he let it go — under his feet — in the water where he kept it some

time untill I took hold of an oar — when he emmedially swam for the shore — soon after Captn Bligh sent word, that I saw him coming down & haul'd the Boat close to the shore — just at sun set I saw Captn Bligh coming down when I emmediatly veer'd on the Grapnel Rope and haul'd in on the Beach Rope, untill the Boats stem struck the ground — the Natives got hold of the Rope in order to haul the boat on shore — when they haul'd back on the Rope by which means several of [them] fell down — Captn Bligh kept asking Mr Fryer let the Boat come onshore I call'd to him sir the