Cole Testimony Home Minutes & Appendix Purcell Testimony
Revised Jun 5 2021
Mr. PECKOVER, the GUNNER of the BOUNTY, sworn..
I was awaked from my sleep by a confused noise, and directly afterwards thought I heard the fixing of bayonets; I jumped up, and at the door met Mr. Nelson; he told me the ship was taken from us. I answered, "We were a long way from land, when I came off deck." Mr. Nelson said, "It is by our own people, Christian at their head, or Christian has the command, but we know whose fault it is, or who is to blame." I answered, "Let us go forward and see what's to be done." On going to the hatchway to get up, we were stopped by Sumner and Quintal, by a fixed bayonet down the hatchway, who said, "Peckover you can't come up; we have mutinied, and taken the ship, and Mr. Christian is captain": That in a short while, Mr. Samuel came down, and said "he was going away in the small cutter with Captain Bligh, Hayward, and Hallet." He advised with me what he should take with him, I advised him but a few things, he took only a few shirts and stockings in a bag. That Mr. Fryer came down after wards, and asked me what I meant to do; I told him I wished to do for the best, and to get home if I could, for staying behind we should be reckoned as pirates if taken. He said he would be answerable for that, and something about Captain Bligh, but what I could not distinguish, as we were about this time ordered on the deck. I was a long while down, before I was ordered on the deck; when I came up, I saw Captain Bligh and Christian alongside of him with a naked bayonet. I saw Burkitt in arms on the quarterdeck, with a cartouch box around him, but whether he had any arms I cannot say. I asked Christian to let me go down forward, to get my things out of my chest; Christian said, you have no things down aft, I said only a few, then stept to the gangway, and went over the side. There was a centinel on the gangway, but who I cannot say. I saw Muspratt forward on the forecastle, he seemed to be doing something about wood, he was not under arms, nor was he splitting wood. I saw three or four more people, I don't recollect their names, nor who they were under arms. I then went into the boat, and a centinel saw me down, I believe there were then in the boat ten or twelve. The cutter was along side with Byrne in it, and in about four or five minutes the remainder of the people, who went with Captain Bligh came into the boat; and in a short time after we dropt or were veered astern, when lying astern Burkitt asked me if I wanted any thing; I told him I had nothing but what I stood in; he said, if I would send the keys up, he would get me some cloaths; I said I had lost them; he made some answer which I do not remember; he told me he would go and get me some things, and being gone about ten minutes, returned and threw a handkerchief full of different cloaths into the boat. Another person, who I don't know, went and fetched me more cloaths. Coleman called to me over the stern, and begged I would call on his friend at Greenwich and acquaint him of the matter. I think he said he wished to come into the boat. Cole at different times asked Captain Bligh to cast off the boat, fearing the people would fire into the boat, soon after cast adrift.
Q. per COURT.—Was you upon deck any considerable time before you was put in the boat?
A. Two or three minutes.
Q. Was you carried on the quarterdeck?
A. No.
Q. What part of the ship did you remain in?
A. I believe on the after hatchway.
Q. Did you see Christian, and where was he?
A. Yes, on the starboard side of the quarterdeck.
Q. Could you discover every one on the quarterdeck from the combings of the hatchway on which you stood?
A. By looking round I could, except in the wake of the mizen mast.
Q. Could you see any persons that were not below in any other part of the ship?
A. All, except where the pigs were stowed, on the larboard side of the deck.
Q. What hindered you from seeing the larboard side?
A. The main mast I don't doubt, I looked round but I saw no body.
Q. Was any centinel over you while you was upon deck?
A. I don't remember any, the two centinels that were over us were at the bottom of the ladder.
Q. Were you placed there by centinels, or were you at liberty to go to any part of the ship?
A. I was not at liberty to go to any part of the ship, Christian ordered me into the boat, and told me the boat was alongside, and Captain Bligh was just going in.
Q. What number of men did you see under arms in any part of the ship?
A. Burkitt, Mills with a cartouch box round him, but whether under arms I cannot say, Christian upon deck with a bayonet, and Sumner and Quintal below.
Q. Are you sure no more?
A. No more.
Q. Name them again.
A. Christian, Burkitt, Sumner, Quintal, and Mills with a cartouch box.
Q. Where are the arms kept?
A. All in the chest upon the main grating.
Q. Was the arm chest usually kept locked?
A. Yes. And the keys in the Masters cabin.
Q. How long was it from that time you first heard of the mutiny to the time you went into the boat?
A. Two hours, or two hours and an half.
Q. How many people did the Bounty's company consist of?
A. Only forty-three at that time.
Q. How many of the people did you consider were concerned in the mutiny?
A. Four or five.
Q. Was it our opinion that four people could take the ship from thirty-nine?
A. By no means.
Q. Give your reasons for thinking so.
A. There must have been more concerned. I saw no more under Arms when I came on deck.
Q. What was your reason for submitting when you saw four only under arms?
A. I came naked on the quarterdeck, except my trowsers; I saw Burkitt with a musket and bayonet, Christian alongside Captain Bligh, and the centinel on the gangway, who he was I do not know.
Q. Did you expostulate with Christian?
A. No.
Q. Did you with the centinels over you?
A. I reasoned with these below, but to no purpose.
Q. Was any force used to put you into the boat?
A. The centinel saw me up, and Burkitt being on the quarterdeck as I mentioned, and Christian ordered me into the boat.
Q. Did you on that day see Coleman?
A. Yes.
Q. Did he appear under arms?
A. No.
Q. What was he doing?
A. Looking over the stern.
Q. Did you see Heywood that day?
A. No.
A. Yes.
Q. At what time?
A. Near eight o'clock.
Q. Was he under arms?
A. No.
Q. What was he doing?
A. In the cutter alongside.
A. No.
A. Yes.
Q. Was he under arms?
A. No.
Q. What was he doing?
A. Looking over the stern.
Q. Did you consider him as one of the mutineers?
A. No.
A. No.
A. Yes.
Q. What was he doing?
A. Looking over the stern.
Q. Did you consider him as one of the mutineers?
A. No.
A. Yes.
Q. Was he under arms, or what was he doing?
A. Upon the forecastle.
Q. Did he appear to be obeying the orders of Christian?
A. He was standing on the forecastle not doing any thing.
A. Yes.
Q. Was he under arms?
A. Not to my knowledge.
Q. Did you consider him a mutineer?
A. I cannot say, he was not under arms.
Q. Was he one that awed you to go into the boat?
A. No.
Q. You saw Coleman looking over the stern, Did you consider him as a mutineer?
A. No.
Q. You said you was put into the boat by a centinel; Do you know by whom?
A. No.
Q. Was any centinel on the gangway as you went over the ship's side?
A. There was, but I cannot say what his name is, he must have been under arms at the same time, but I cannot upon my oath say whether he was or not.
Q. In what situation was Byrne in the cutter?
A. To the best of my knowledge, standing.
Q. Did he seem to be sorrowful?
A. He did.
Q. Did Norman when he looked over the stern, call to any one in the boat?
A. I don't recollect,
Q. What are your reasons for believing Coleman, Norman McIntosh, and Byrne, were adverse to the mutiny?
A. I often heard Captain Bligh mention it in the launch.
Q. What were your observations?
A. It is impossible for me to say, they were upon the stern and appeared to wish to come into the boat; I was busy, I do recollect Coleman calling to me.
Q. In conversation with Nelson, he said to you; "You know who's fault it was"; Did you apprehend he alluded to any of the prisoners?
A. No; it was impossible to judge what he meant.
Q. Did either of the thirty-nine people, not of the mutineers, or under arms, offer to relieve Captain Bligh?
A. No.
Q. Of these men who remained in the ship, did you believe them all to be of Christian's party except the four.
A. I had every reason to suppose so.
Q. Do you know if Burkitt had the watch upon deck in the morning?
A. He had.
A. I believe he was not on any watch he was in the galley.
A. I cannot say.
Q. Was it your watch?
A. No.
A. I believe in that watch, he was not in mine.
Q. Had Coleman and Byrne that watch?
A. I cannot remember.
Q. Where was Millward when you saw him?
A. Looking over the stern.
A. In the first with Mr. Fryer.
Q. Morrison.—Do you recollect when you was in the boat astern, I handed over cutlasses, pork, water, spunyarn, &c.?
A. No.
Q. per Ditto.—Did you ever observe any thing in my conduct that led you to believe I was concerned in the mutiny?
A. No.
Q. Burkitt.—Did you see me when you came upon deck, or did I offer to force you or any body else into the boat? Did I use any bad expressions, or make any game at any one?
A. No farther than standing with musket and bayonet fixed.
Q. Did ever my conduct during the voyage, or the five months I was on shore with you at Otaheite, before the mutiny, give you reason to think I was ringleader in the mutiny?
A. Not in the least.
Observations per COURT.—You said it was concluded that each person left on board was concerned in the mutiny, now you say Morrison was not concerned.
Q. Who were Christian's mess-mates?
A. Elphinstone, Young, Hallet, Ledward, and Tinkler.
Q. When he relieved you at four in the morning, did you observe any thing particular in his conduct?
A. No.
Q. Were centinels usually placed on board the Bounty when at sea, in any part of the ship?
A. No.
Cole Testimony Home Minutes & Appendix Purcell Testimony