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“At the hatchway I saw James Morrison, the boatswain’s mate. I said to him, ‘Morrison, I hope you have no hand in this?’ He replied, ‘No, sir, I have not.’ ‘If that’s the case,’ I replied, in a low voice, ‘be on your guard. There may be an opportunity for recovering ourselves.’ His answer was, ‘I’m afraid it is too late, Mr. Fryer.’

“I was then confined to my cabin, and a third sentinel was put on, John Millward, who, I thought, seemed friendly. Mr. Peckover, the gunner, and Mr. Nelson, the botanist, were confined in the cockpit, to which place I persuaded the sentinels to let me go. Mr. Nelson said, ‘What is best to be done, Mr. Fryer?’ I said to them, ‘If we are ordered into the boat, say that you will stay on board, and I flatter myself that we shall recover the ship in a short time.’ Mr. Peckover said, ‘If we stay we shall all be deemed pirates.’ I told them not; that I would answer for them and everyone that would join with me. At the time we were talking, Henry Hillbrandt, the cooper, was in the bread room, getting some bread to be put into the boat for Captain Bligh. I suppose he must have heard our conversation and had gone on deck to tell Mr. Christian, as I was immediately ordered up to my cabin. I heard from the sentinels that Christian had consented to give Mr. Bligh the launch, not for his own sake but for the safety of those who were going with him. I asked if they knew who was to go with Captain Bligh, and they said they believed a great many.