Mutiny and Aftermath: James Morrison’s Account of the Mutiny on the Bounty and the Island of Tahiti

370 Pages·2013·7.95 MB·English

by  Vanessa Smith

M
utiny
aftermath
James Morrison’s Account of
B
the Mutiny on the OUNTY
and the Island of Tahiti

Edited by VANESSA SMITH and NICHOLAS THOMAS
Mutiny and Aftermath

M
UTINY
and
A
ftermath
James Morrison’s Account
of the Mutiny on the Bounty
and the Island of Tahiti
Edited by Vanessa Smith
and Nicholas Thomas
with the assistance of Maia Nuku
University of Hawai‘i Press
Honolulu
© 2013 University of Hawai‘i Press
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
18 17 16 15 14 13 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Morrison, James, 1763 or 4‒1807, author.
[Journal of James Morrison]
Mutiny and aftermath : James Morrison’s account of the mutiny
on the Bounty and the island of Tahiti / edited by Vanessa Smith
and Nicholas Thomas ; with the assistance of Maia Nuku.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8248-3676-4 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Bounty Mutiny, 1789. 2. Tahiti (French Polynesia : Island)—Discovery
and exploration—English. 3. Morrison, James, 1763 or 4‒1807—Diaries.
I. Smith, Vanessa (Vanessa Jane), editor. II. Thomas, Nicholas, editor. III. Title.
DU20.M676 2013
910.9164'8—dc23
2013008415
University of Hawai‘i Press books are printed on acid-free
paper and meet the guidelines for permanence and
durability of the Council on Library Resources.
Designed by Josie Herr
Printed by Sheridan Books, Inc.
Contents
List of Illustrations vii
Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xix
Introduction 1
Part I. The Journal: Mutiny, Mutineers, Islanders
1. The Voyage and the Mutiny 25
2. The Occupation of Tubuai 56
3. Return to Tahiti 88
4. From Tahiti to England 121
Part II. The Account: The Island of Tahiti
5. The Tahitian World 157
6. Tahitian Society, History, and Culture 185
7. Arts, Rites, and Customs 220
Appendix I: Morrison’s Polynesian Words and Terms 269
Appendix II: Morrison’s People 275
Appendix III: Morrison’s Place-names 283
Appendix IV: Morrison’s Plants 285
Notes 287
Select Bibliography 321
Index 329

Illustrations
1. Track of the voyage of the Bounty xi
2. First page of James Morrison’s manuscript xiv
3. “The Breadfruit of Otahytey,” George Tobin, 1792 2
4. “Matavai Bay, Island Otahytey—Sunset,” George Tobin,
1792 36
5. Map of Tubuai 58
6. Whalebone and ivory necklace, Austral Islands 64
7. Whale ivory ear ornaments, Austral Islands 65
8. Parae, Tahiti 71
9. Pearlshell necklace, Tubuai, Austral Islands 78
10. Tahiri, flywhisk, Austral Islands 82
11. Tahiri, flywhisk (detail), Austral Islands 83
12. “On Matavai River, Island of Otahytey,” George Tobin,
1792 90
13. “Morai Point, at Oparrey, Island of Otahytey,”
George Tobin, 1792 122
14. Tapa or barkcloth beater, Tahiti 167
15. Matau, fish hooks, and lures, Tahiti 175
16. Map of Tahiti showing political districts, groupings,
and key sites. 186
17. Ti’i, carved double figure, Tahiti 197
18. “The Morai at Oparrey, Island of Otahytey—Looking towards
Matavai,” George Tobin, 1792 199
19. To’o, god image, Tahiti 201
viii ILLUSTRATIONS
20. Taumi, feather gorget, Tahiti 205
21. Headrest, Tahiti 221
22. “A double Canoe with the Eotooa (God) and provisions on the
prow—Island of Otahytey,” George Tobin, 1792 224
23. Breadfruit splitter, Tahiti 234
24. Penu, pounder, Tahiti 235
25. Tamau, braided human hair, Tahiti 245
26. Pahu, drum, Tahiti 252
27. “A Toopapow, with the Corpse on it—Island of Otahytey,”
George Tobin, 1792 259
Mutiny and Aftermath