David Bianculli

Yes, a full-blown mutiny they knew was risky and a real breach of naval order. And if it was a full-blown mutiny like the kind some were contemplating... The punishment could be, or likely would be, being hanged if they ever made it back to England. So even when they are planning it, they are holding these debates.

And what's amazing is that even on this desolate, remote island, the castaways are conscious of the Admiralty, you know, thousands of miles away, all the way in England, paring down on them. So they are thinking about the rules, what rules they can break.

And what's amazing is that even on this desolate, remote island, the castaways are conscious of the Admiralty, you know, thousands of miles away, all the way in England, paring down on them. So they are thinking about the rules, what rules they can break.

And what's amazing is that even on this desolate, remote island, the castaways are conscious of the Admiralty, you know, thousands of miles away, all the way in England, paring down on them. So they are thinking about the rules, what rules they can break.

They are writing up documents and trying to create a written record contemporaneously that can justify their uprising, a written record that would withstand the attrition of a public trial.

They are writing up documents and trying to create a written record contemporaneously that can justify their uprising, a written record that would withstand the attrition of a public trial.

They are writing up documents and trying to create a written record contemporaneously that can justify their uprising, a written record that would withstand the attrition of a public trial.

Yeah, it's amazing. They have these little scraps of paper and they're having all the mutineers sign them, especially the second in command. So it seems like that they were justified in their actions. And then Bulkley just takes all these pieces of paper with them on their journey. That is correct.

Yeah, it's amazing. They have these little scraps of paper and they're having all the mutineers sign them, especially the second in command. So it seems like that they were justified in their actions. And then Bulkley just takes all these pieces of paper with them on their journey. That is correct.

Yeah, it's amazing. They have these little scraps of paper and they're having all the mutineers sign them, especially the second in command. So it seems like that they were justified in their actions. And then Bulkley just takes all these pieces of paper with them on their journey. That is correct.

Okay, so once the boat is ready, the mutineers take control of it and leave Captain Cheap along with a few remaining men loyal to him on the island. He actually requests to be left there rather than to be taken prisoner on the boat. And Bokling and his men make this journey almost 3,000 miles successfully, but you could not call it an easy trip.

Okay, so once the boat is ready, the mutineers take control of it and leave Captain Cheap along with a few remaining men loyal to him on the island. He actually requests to be left there rather than to be taken prisoner on the boat. And Bokling and his men make this journey almost 3,000 miles successfully, but you could not call it an easy trip.

Okay, so once the boat is ready, the mutineers take control of it and leave Captain Cheap along with a few remaining men loyal to him on the island. He actually requests to be left there rather than to be taken prisoner on the boat. And Bokling and his men make this journey almost 3,000 miles successfully, but you could not call it an easy trip.

No, it was not an easy trip. And one important caveat upon leaving the captain, they didn't really leave him with a working boat to get off. And so I think the assumption to some degree, or at least from Cheap's point of view, is he was being left to die so that he could never share his story. So if the others made it back to England, only one version of the tale would prevail.

No, it was not an easy trip. And one important caveat upon leaving the captain, they didn't really leave him with a working boat to get off. And so I think the assumption to some degree, or at least from Cheap's point of view, is he was being left to die so that he could never share his story. So if the others made it back to England, only one version of the tale would prevail.

No, it was not an easy trip. And one important caveat upon leaving the captain, they didn't really leave him with a working boat to get off. And so I think the assumption to some degree, or at least from Cheap's point of view, is he was being left to die so that he could never share his story. So if the others made it back to England, only one version of the tale would prevail.

So only 29 of the 81 men who take this trip survive. One actually dies, I think, as they made it to safety. And we won't get into the story, but miraculously, Captain Cheap and some of his men are rescued from the island by a group of native people. And we'll save that to the readers. But it's amazing, first of all, that...

So only 29 of the 81 men who take this trip survive. One actually dies, I think, as they made it to safety. And we won't get into the story, but miraculously, Captain Cheap and some of his men are rescued from the island by a group of native people. And we'll save that to the readers. But it's amazing, first of all, that...

So only 29 of the 81 men who take this trip survive. One actually dies, I think, as they made it to safety. And we won't get into the story, but miraculously, Captain Cheap and some of his men are rescued from the island by a group of native people. And we'll save that to the readers. But it's amazing, first of all, that...

that these men survived, they made it to safety, greatly diminished, but they all make it back to England. And there the survivors engage in this sort of war of words, like some of the men, including Bulkley, publish accounts of their experience, in part to make money, but also to sway public opinion to their side. And this is all happening at a time of increased journalism and publishing.