The governor, Mr. William Adrian Van Este, notwithstanding extreme ill
health, became so anxious about us, that I saw him before the appointed
time. He received me with great affection, and gave me the fullest
proofs that he was possessed of every feeling of a humane and good man.
Though his infirmity was so great that he could not do the office of a
friend himself, he said he would give such orders as I might be certain
would procure us every supply we wanted. A house should be immediately
prepared for me, and with respect to my people, he said that I might have
room for them either at the hospital or on board of Captain Spikerman's
ship, which lay in the road. . . .


FATE OF THE MUTINEERS--COLONY OF PITCAIRN'S ISLAND

The intelligence of the mutiny, and the sufferings of Bligh and his
companions, naturally excited a great sensation in England. Bligh was
immediately promoted to the rank of commander, and Captain Edwards was
despatched to Otaheite, in the _Pandora_ frigate, with instructions to
search for the _Bounty_ and her mutinous crew, and bring them to England.
The _Pandora_ reached Matavai Bay on the 23d of March, 1791; and even
before she had come to anchor, Joseph Coleman, formerly armorer of the
_Bounty_, pushed off from shore in a canoe, and came on board. In the
course of two days afterwards, the whole of the remainder of the
_Bounty's_ crew (in number sixteen) then on the island surrendered
themselves, with the exception of two, who fled to the mountains where,
as it afterwards appeared, they were murdered by the natives.

Nearly twenty years elapsed after the period of the above occurrences,
and all recollection of the _Bounty_ and her wrecked crew had passed
away, when an accidental discovery, as interesting as unexpected, once