This Morrison was a person, from talent and education, far above the situation he held in the _Bounty_; he had previously served in the navy as midshipman, and, after his pardon, was appointed gunner of the _Blenheim_, in which he perished with Sir Thomas Troubridge.

In comparing this journal with other documents, the dates and transactions appear to be correctly stated, though the latter may occasionally be somewhat too highly coloured.

How he contrived to preserve this journal, in the wreck of the _Pandora_, does not appear; but there can be no doubt of its authenticity, having been kept among the late Captain Heywood's papers; various passages in it have been corrected either by this officer or some other person, but without altering their sense.
It would appear from this important document that the seeds of discord, in the unfortunate ship _Bounty_, were sown at a very early period of the voyage.

It happened, as was the case in all small vessels, that the duties of commander and purser were united in the person of Lieutenant Bligh; and it would seem that this proved the cause of very serious discontent among the officers and crew; of the mischief arising out of this union, the following statement of Mr.Morrison may serve as a specimen.

At Teneriffe, Lieutenant Bligh ordered the cheese to be hoisted up and exposed to the air; which was no sooner done, than he pretended to miss a certain quantity, and declared that it had been stolen.