Among Them Were
A Fisherman, A Carpenter, And Some Competent Navigators, So That Little Doubt
Was Entertained That A Scheme So Admirably Planned Would Be Adequately
Executed*.
When their elopement was discovered, a pursuit was ordered
by the governor.
But the fugitives had made too good an use of the
intermediate time to be even seen by their pursuers. After the escape
of Captain Bligh, which was well known to us, no length of passage or hazard
of navigation seemed above human accomplishment. However to prevent future
attempts of a like nature, the governor directed that boats only of stated
dimensions should be built. Indeed an order of this sort had been issued
on the escape of the first party, and it was now repeated with
additional restrictions.
[*It was my fate to fall in again with part of this little band of adventurers.
In March 1792, when I arrived in the Gorgon, at the Cape of Good Hope,
six of these people, including the woman and one child, were put on board
of us to be carried to England. four had died, and one had jumped overboard
at Batavia. The particulars of their voyage were briefly as follows.
They coasted the shore of New Holland, putting occasionally into different
harbours which they found in going along. One of these harbours, in the
latitude of 30 degrees south, they described to be of superior excellence
and capacity. Here they hauled their bark ashore, paid her seams with tallow,
and repaired her.
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