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“We’ll have Christian and the others here before nightfall; I’ll venture my day’s rations on it,” said Coleman.

“Nonsense, Coleman,” said Stewart. “Christian would never be so foolish as to choose any hiding-place known to Captain Bligh.”

“What of Tupuai, Mr. Stewart?” Norman asked. “Christian would have stayed there if the Indians had been friendly, and that island was known to Captain Bligh.”

“What do you think, Byam?” Stewart asked.

My opinion was, and Morrison and most of the others agreed, that Christian would never again seek an asylum on a known island, more particularly on any island that Bligh had visited. Nevertheless, we waited with impatience for the return of the cutter. The frigate stood off and on all day, and toward sunset we saw the cutter putting off from shore. I had an excellent view of her as she approached, and when I could say, with certainty, that none of Christian’s party was in her, Ellison gave a cheer, and clapped his manacled hands together. We all felt as he did: we wanted Christian and the men with him to escape. As soon as the cutter was hoisted on board we stood out to sea, and that is the last we saw of Aitutaki.