# Captain Bligh

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-bligh/474533>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [November 26, 2008, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-bligh/474533 "2008-11-26T06:26:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-bligh/474533/41 "2009-01-01T19:46:53Z")

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> [@paperbackwriter](#):
>
> Ok, yes, looking back at my notes, you are correct that there was an initial investigation by Dutch authorities in Timor.

From what I can tell — again using Toohey’s book as a source — the “trial” (for want of a better term) took place on Java and wasn’t an initial investigation.

There was an incident that resulted in several crew members being chained as prisoners and several others asking to make complaints against the captain.

I apologize for being so vague and for not having the book at hand for specific reference.

> [@](#):
>
> My notes don’t, unfortunately, give me any indication of how formal this was or under what authority it was convenved. I’d have to go back to my sources to find that.

I would be interested in what you find. It sounds to me like many of the men felt they had been mistreated, but balked at formal charges.

> [@](#):
>
> OTOH, this means there were two opportunities for Bligh’s remaining crew to express displeasure to outside authorities that they passed on.

I have to wonder if there was some disincentive for the crew to express their feelings…

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**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-bligh/474533/42 "2009-01-01T22:17:53Z")

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The most remarkable (and tragic) aspect of the Bligh mutiny is what happened to the mutineers who fled to Pitcarin’s Island.

Does anyone know if the trilogy accurately depicted their history or not?

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**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-bligh/474533/43 "2009-01-04T03:37:34Z")

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> [@Malthus](#):
>
> …  
> Does anyone know if the trilogy accurately depicted their history…?

“Various discrepent accounts have been preserved concerning the events which took place on Pitcairn during the eighteen years preceeding the visit of the _[Topaz](http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutiny_on_the_Bounty#Pitcairn_Island)_”

“Each of these accounts is remarkable for its differences from the others.”

“The history of those early years on Pitcairn was tragic… fifteen men and twelve women… were set down on a small island… At the end of a decade, although there were many children, only one man and ten women remained; of the sixteen dead, fifteen had come to violent ends.”

From the preface to the [Bounty Trilogy](http://www.amazon.com/Bounty-Trilogy-James-Hall/dp/0316611662)

Aside from that, it is fictionalized.

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