Fletcher Christian, Captain Bligh, Pitcairn Island, Charles Laughton, Clark Gable

It has been 221 years since the famous mutiny aboard the Bounty, the British Royal Navy ship took place.  Since, the event has made its way into English folklore and has been celebrated through several books, films and popular songs. There is even one account by William Bligh, the captain of the ship.

THE STORY:   The ship began its journey from Spithead, England, on December 23, 1787, with 46 men aboard. It was headed to Tahiti in the South Pacific to gather breadfruits plants. The idea was to transport the plants to the Caribbean’s and grow them as a cheap source of food for slaves. After reaching the tropical island of Tahiti, many of the crews fell for the exquisite beauty of the place and the genial nature of the inhabitants there.  Similarly, the islanders had taken a liking to the crews too. So when the ship set sail from Haiti on 4th April, 1789 after a five-month stay at Haiti, many of the men were loathe to go. And their desire to stay back found voice on the fateful day of 28 April, 1789. Captain Bligh and the loyalists were put in a small boat while the mutineers led by Fletcher Christian captured the boat and went back towards Haiti.

The event has gained a folklorish status since then and has been commemorated in many books, films, songs. Lord Byron’s 1823 poem The Island is based on the story. The mutiny also serves as background to Mark Twain novel The Great Revolution in Pitcairn.

The most famous film being made on the subject is Mutiny on the Bounty which won Oscar for Best Picture in 1935. The movie starred Charles Laughton as Bligh and Clark Gable as Christian.

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