Pandora

Posted by Brian Stephens on Saturday 3rd of May 2014 18:56

April 1792 - East India Intelligence

Otaheite, Government have received dispatches from Capt. Edwards, Commander of his Majesty's ship Pandora, who was sent out soon after the return of Captain Bligh from the South Seas in search of Christian and the other mutineers who ran away with the Bounty armed ship the contents of which are - that on the Pandora's appearing off Otaheite, two men swam from the shore and solicited to be taken on board, they proved to be two of the Bounty's mutineers, and immediately gave intelligence where 14 of their companions were concealed.; a part of the Pandora's crew were instantly dispatched in search of them, and, after some little resistance, they were taken, and brought prisoners on board. Christian, with the other 9 mutineers, had previously sailed in the bounty to some remote island, and every exertion of the Pandora to discover their retreat proved ineffectual. On her return home, the Pandora struck upon a reef of rocks in Endeavours Straits and had her bottom beat in. Her crew were happily saved, and escaped from their perilous situation to an island in the Straits, except 32 men and 3 of the bounty's people, who unfortunately perished by the boats over-setting. Capt. Edwards was now reduced to the necessity of sending one of his officers and some able seamen in a small boat to Timor, which they were 14 days in reaching, and where a vessel was procured agreeably to that gentleman’s orders, to proceed without loss of time to the assistance of the remainder of the crew, who were taken on board and are, in all probability, by this time safely arrived at the Cape of Good Hope.