SOME BIG QUESTIONS !!
Question 1.Did "Ships Master- Bligh," of the ship "Resolution," help murder Captain Cook?
Question 2.Why did Mrs. Cook burn all of Captain Cook's letters to her?
Question 3.Was Governor Bligh a coward! On 26th January 1808??
ANSWERS 1. YES!!-- By strictly following Cooks’s orders.
Captain Cook's personality and well being had changed, on this, his third voyage of discovery. He led by giving very strict "orders" rather leading by example.
Perhaps all the trials and tribulations, brought about by 3 voyages—sailors—ships safety and well being, were too much for a man of his age. He became irascible and irrational, Lord Sandwich, one of his greatest admirers may not have recognized him as the Captain Cook that he would have known. The advent of his murder by native Hawaiian's at Kealakekua Bay occurred because:-
1. The natives had stolen a boat an important part of the “RESOLUTIONS” equipment.
2. Cook was determined to take the Overall Chieftain of the Hawaiians’ captive until the equipment was returned.
3. Cook gave orders that NO canoe was allowed to leave the Bay.
4. He further instructed Sailing Master William Bligh, that he was to have his sailors load with BALL instead of SHOT so that if they had to fire upon a boatload of escaping Natives in a canoe the maximum carnage would occur. This Bligh did. He fired upon canoe’s and killed a Minor Chieftain as well as other natives. Certainly upsetting the Native population!. At this stage Cook was no longer looked upon as a non interfering “God”.
Cooks Death.
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ANSWERS 2. No surviving Family—perceived need to protect Cook’s PERSONAL writing to Her..
1. At this stage in her life, she had outlived all her children. She died at 94, Cook died at 50.
2. Cook had very influential friends. Maybe Cook felt that they had NOT done enough to increase his and his wife’s Social Status.
3. She viewed the First Fleet on its voyage to Australia, something that was probably organized by Cooks influential friends. Maybe she felt that an era had ended??.
Mrs. James Cook
This embroidered map in the Australian National Maritime Museum collection is attributed to Elizabeth Cook. It depicts her husband’s three voyages to the Pacific and is decorated with floral sprigs.
ANSWERS 3 N NO!!—but perhaps it was a little peculiar by hiding! And NOT DARING to be BOLD. Maybe thoughts of the Pandora Mutiny arose.MNoNOo
Bligh was Decorated by Nelson for bravery during wars against the French. At the time of the Corps taking over and arresting Bligh, Bligh said he was ensuring Governmental Documents about the Corrupt NSW Corps and some Community Leaders( including macAthur), remained safe..
Many years before his arrest in Sydney, His ship The “Pandora”, did not carry Marines to protect the Captain,(this oversight was rectified on future Admiralty ships. Maybe he knew that All the NSW Corps officers would be against Him.
Bligh and 21 others sent adrift
A fictional representation of Bligh found under a bed, drawn by a soldier of the time.
Governor Bligh, after Governor King, was appointed by the English Authorities to Report on the Corruption that the NSW Officer Corps had developed. Using Rum and other alcohol sales as currency instead of English money, and other practices. He was to stamp it out.
Admiral, Lord Nelson, had decorated Bligh for his bravery in many sea battles with the French. It would have taken a lot of courage to stand on the Quarterdeck of any of his ships, when in battle, and be shot at by French men, in the rigging of opposing ships. That was the way Nelson died.
A Leader in the Sydney community, was Captain John Macarthur (retired), who had been sent to England in disgrace to face a Trial of wounding the Lt. Governor of the time, in dual. He was never convicted, and had spent several years in England, only to return to Australia after convincing the English Government about the quality of wool that he and others could produce in Australia. Until that time ALL wool came from Europe, and with Napoleon Bonaparte on the loose England could face a shortage of a very necessary item.
Australia did not have a resident Governor for 4 years, until Bligh arrived. Governor Bligh had captured a lot of information on the people and the practice of the Rum currency. A standoff was evident. On 26th January (Australia Day) 1808. Major Johnson the Senior Officer in the Colony, left his property, and ordered his troops to surround and invade Government House where Bligh was holding a small gathering of like minded senior Colony people who abhorred the “Rum” practice. The Soldiers eventually arrested Bligh.
Government House was NOT a giant rambling House, therefore it would have been impossible for Bligh to “hide,” forever from the Troops.
Bligh’s Secretary had taken the latest information, regarding Rum Corps Officers and practices, to his room. This was where Bligh was found under the bed, clutching documents in his clothing. If Bligh could have escaped from Government House and the Troops surrounding it, he may have made for the Hawksbury region, where many like minded people agreed with his attitude to the Rum currency, and possibly prevented the NSW CORPS from taking retaining its unauthorized power.
Bligh remained under arrest for 12 months after 1808. He caused enormous troubles from ship that was anchored at Hobart. Australia’s next Governor, Lachlan Macquarie was glad to see him return to England.
After his return to England and being partially exonerated in a trial, he was subsequently promoted in the Navy to reach Rear Admiral.
