CHAPTER III.
THE MUTINY That,--Captain Bligh,--that is the thing;--I am in hell!--I am in hell!--FLETCHER CHRISTIAN.
-- Horror and doubt distract His troubled thoughts, and from the bottom stir The hell within him; for within him hell He brings, and round about him, nor from hell One step no more than from himself can fly By change of place; now conscience wakes despair That slumber'd, wakes the bitter memory Of what he was, what is, and what must be Worse; of worse deeds worse sufferings must ensue.
'In the morning of the 28th April, the north-westernmost of the Friendly Islands, called Tofoa, bearing north-east, I was steering to the westward with a ship in most perfect order, all my plants in a most flourishing condition, all my men and officers in good health, and in short, everything to flatter and insure my most sanguine expectations.
On leaving the deck I gave directions for the course to be steered during the night.

The master had the first watch; the gunner, the middle watch; and Mr.Christian, the morning watch.

This was the turn of duty for the night.
'Just before sun-rising on Tuesday the 28th, while I was yet asleep, Mr.Christian, officer of the watch, Charles Churchill, ship's corporal, John Mills, gunner's mate, and Thomas Burkitt, seaman, came into my cabin, and seizing me, tied my hands with a cord behind my back, threatening me with instant death if I spoke or made the least noise.

I called, however, as loud as I could in hopes of assistance; but they had already secured the officers who were not of their party, by placing sentinels at their doors.

There were three men at my cabin door, besides the four within; Christian had only a cutlass in his hand, the others had muskets and bayonets.