Changes

==Mission==

==Mission==

The mission of this 19th century [[England|British]] [[Navy]]  [[ship]] was to acquire [[breadfruit]] trees from  [[Tahiti]]. Although this was done, the Bounty's extended stay in Tahiti (where several crew members had formed relationships) and the claims of tyranny by the Captain, led to a desire on the part of First Mate [[Fletcher Christian]] and many of the crewmen to remain in Tahiti, which led to the mutiny.  Knowing that they could not escape the whole of the British navy, the mutineers eventually settled on [[Pitcairn Island]]. Their descendants live on the island to this day. Some descendants moved on to nearby [[Norfolk Island]], a former [[England|British]] penal colony.

The mission of this 19th century [[England|British]] [[Navy]]  [[full-rigged ship|ship]] was to acquire [[breadfruit]] trees from  [[Tahiti]]. Although this was done, the Bounty's extended stay in Tahiti (where several crew members had formed relationships with the native women) and the claims of tyranny by the Captain, led to a desire on the part of First Mate [[Fletcher Christian]] and many of the crewmen to remain in Tahiti, which led to the mutiny.  Knowing that they could not escape the whole of the [[Royal Navy]], the mutineers eventually settled on [[Pitcairn Island]]. Their descendants live on the island to this day. Some descendants moved on to nearby [[Norfolk Island]], a former [[England|British]] penal colony.

==Beginnings==

==Beginnings==

The ''Bounty'' began her life as the ''Bethia'', a collier which was built in Hull, England in 1784.  She was engaged in the Baltic trade, and had at least three captains before she was purchased by the Royal Navy in 1787 for the purpose of transplanting the breadfruit plant from the island of Tahiti to [[Jamaica]].

The ''Bounty'' began her life as the ''Bethia'', a collier which was built in [[Hull]], England in 1784.  She was engaged in the [[Baltic]] trade, and had at least three captains before she was purchased by the Royal Navy in 1787 for the purpose of transplanting the breadfruit plant from the island of Tahiti to [[Jamaica]].

==Conversion by the Royal Navy==

==Conversion by the Royal Navy==

Renamed ''Bounty'' by the Royal Navy, the ship was refitted to the standards of an armed naval transport, including the armament of four 4-pounder cannons and ten 1/2-pounder swivel guns.  The man assigned to command her was Lieutenant William Bligh, who took charge of the conversion and shortened her masts and lightened her ballast amongst other things.  Her entire aft cabin was converted into a Greenhouse in order to effectively transport the breadfruit.

Renamed ''Bounty'' by the Royal Navy, the ship was refitted to the standards of an armed naval transport, including the armament of four 4-pounder cannons and ten 1/2-pounder swivel guns.  The man assigned to command her was Lieutenant William Bligh, who took charge of the conversion and shortened her masts and lightened her ballast amongst other things.  Her entire aft cabin was converted into a Greenhouse in order to effectively transport the breadfruit.

The ''Bounty'' carried 46 men altogether, which also included naval Master John Fryer and also Fletcher Christian, a personal friend of Bligh’s.  There was also a botanist from [[Kew Gardens]], David Nelson, who was given the special task of taking care of the breadfruit when they arrived at Tahiti.

The ''Bounty'' carried 46 men altogether, including naval Master John Fryer and Fletcher Christian, a personal friend of Bligh’s.  There was also a botanist from [[Kew Gardens]], David Nelson, who was given the special task of taking care of the breadfruit when they arrived at Tahiti.

==Outward Voyage==

==Outward Voyage==

After numerous delays, the ''Bounty'' departed England on December 23rd, 1787.  After battling severe storms she stopped at the island of [[Tenerife]] in the [[Azores]] from January 6th, 1788 until January 11th, 1788 before continuing on.  The ''Bounty'' tried to enter the [[Pacific]] via [[Cape Horn]], on the southern tip of [[South America]] between March 28th and April 22nd, 1788 but terrible weather drove her back, and the ship turned and headed for the [[Cape of Good Hope]] where it arrived on May 24th, 1788 and damages were repaired.  The ''Bounty'' departed there on July 1st, 1788 and crossed the Indian Ocean, stopping briefly in Adventure Bay in [[Tasmania]] between August 21st, 1788 and September 4th, 1788 in order to resupply.  Taking a southerly route from there, the ''Bounty'' passed well south of [[New Zealand]], and discovered the remote Bounty Islands on September 19th.  The ''Bounty'' finally arrived in Tahiti on October 26th, 1788.  On the outward voyage, only one man died as a result of an illness.

After numerous delays, the ''Bounty'' departed England on December 23rd, 1787.  After battling severe storms she stopped at the island of [[Tenerife]] in the [[Azores]] from January 6th, 1788 until January 11th, 1788 before continuing on.  The ''Bounty'' tried to enter the [[Pacific]] via [[Cape Horn]], on the southern tip of [[South America]] between March 28th and April 22nd, 1788 but terrible weather drove her back, and the ship turned and headed for the [[Cape of Good Hope]] where it arrived on May 24th, 1788 and damages were repaired.  The ''Bounty'' departed there on July 1st, 1788 and crossed the [[Indian Ocean]], stopping briefly at Adventure Bay in [[Tasmania]] between August 21st, 1788 and September 4th, 1788 in order to resupply.  Taking a southerly route from there, the ''Bounty'' passed well south of [[New Zealand]], and discovered the remote Bounty Islands on September 19th.  The ''Bounty'' finally arrived in Tahiti on October 26th, 1788.  On the outward voyage, only one man died as a result of an illness.

==At Tahiti==

==At Tahiti==