Revised Jun 6 2021

No. 6. Mr. Hallet to Miss N. Heywood

Savage Lochryan Mar 19th. 1792

Madam.

Feb 12, 1792
Mar 15, 1792 Your affecting Letter dated Feb'y 12th. did not come to Hand till the 15th. of this month which I take the earliest Opportunity of answering, & assure you that I sympathize strongly in your grief, & will as far as in me lyes, answer your different Interrogations. I shall begin with saying, that before the unfortunate period, at which the Mutiny in the Bounty took place, the Conduct of your Brother was such, as to have procured him an universal Esteem; but what were the unpropitious Motives by which he was actuated to side with the criminal party, I am totally ignorant of, nor can I (as you may readily conceive it was a Time of great Confusion among us) declare positively the part he acted in it. Shou'd I ever be called upon to give my Evidence, which you must be sensible will be a distressing Thing, for a person of any Feeling, to give against those, with whom he had formerly lived in Habits of Intimacy, notwithstanding the Friendship I had for your Brother, I shall be strictly bound by Oath to adhere to Truth, tho' I hope if ever a Trial shou'd take place that the Consideration of his youth, at the Time he committed the rash Act, which might as has too frequently been the Case, lay him open to be led away with strong Notions by those who had arrived at more mature years, will plead with the Jury in his Favor. I am Madam

your most ob't. hbl serv't

  John Hallet