to suppose otherwise than that he was perfectly innocent of the
transaction, nevertheless, says the commander, 'I spoke to him in a very
peremptory manner, and insisted upon his discovering and bringing to me
the offender. He promised to use his utmost endeavours to discover the
guilty person. The next morning he and his wife came to me, and assured
me that they had made the strictest inquiries without success. This was
not at all satisfactory, and I behaved towards them with great coolness,
at which they were much distressed; and the lady at length gave vent to
her sorrow by tears. I could no longer keep up the appearance of
mistrusting them, but I earnestly recommended to them, as they valued
the King of England's friendship, that they would exert their utmost
endeavours to find out the offenders, which they faithfully promised to
do.'

Here Bligh observes, it had since occurred to him, that this attempt to
cut the ship adrift was most probably the act of some of his own people;
whose purpose of remaining at Otaheite might have been effectually
answered without danger, if the ship had been driven on shore. At the
time it occurred, he says, he entertained not the least thought of this
kind, nor did the possibility of it enter into his ideas, having no
suspicion that so general an indication, or so strong an attachment to
these islands, could prevail among his people, as to induce them to
abandon every prospect of returning to their native country.

This after-thought of Bligh will appear in the sequel to be wholly
gratuitous, and yet he might naturally enough have concluded that so
long and unrestrained an intercourse with a people among whom every man
had his _tayo_ or friend; among whom every man was free to indulge every
wish of his heart; where, from the moment he set his foot on shore, he
found himself surrounded by female allurements in the midst of ease and