Editing William Bligh (section)

===Bligh's letter to his wife, Betsy===
The following is a letter to Bligh's wife, written from Coupang, Timor, Dutch East Indies (circa June 1791), in which the first reference to events on the ''Bounty'' is made.
[[File:William Bligh - Project Gutenberg eText 15411.jpg|thumbnail|upright|William Bligh, pictured in his 1792 account of the mutiny voyage, ''A Voyage to the South Sea'']]

<blockquote>My Dear, Dear Betsy,

I am now, for the most part, in a part of the world I never expected, it is however a place that has afforded me relief and saved my life, and I have the happiness to assure you that I am now in perfect health....

Know then my own Dear Betsy, that I have lost the ''Bounty'' ... on the 28&nbsp;April at day light in the morning Christian having the morning watch. He with several others came into my Cabin while I was a Sleep, and seizing me, holding naked Bayonets at my Breast, tied my Hands behind my back, and threatened instant destruction if I uttered a word. I however call'd loudly for assistance, but the conspiracy was so well laid that the Officers Cabbin Doors were guarded by Centinels, so Nelson, Peckover, Samuels or the Master could not come to me. I was now dragged on Deck in my Shirt & closely guarded—I demanded of Christian the case of such a violent act, & severely degraded for his Villainy but he could only answer—"not a word sir or you are Dead." I dared him to the act & endeavoured to rally some one to a sense of their duty but to no effect....

The Secrisy of this Mutiny is beyond all conception so that I can not discover that any who are with me had the least knowledge of it. It is unbeknown to me why I must beguile such force. Even Mr. Tom Ellison took such a liking to Otaheite [Tahiti] that he also turned Pirate, so that I have been run down by my own Dogs...

My misfortune I trust will be properly considered by all the World—It was a circumstance I could not foresee—I had not sufficient Officers & had they granted me Marines most likely the affair would never have happened—I had not a Spirited & brave fellow about me & the Mutineers treated them as such. My conduct has been free of blame, & I showed everyone that, tied as I was, I defied every Villain to hurt me...

I know how shocked you will be at this affair but I request of you My Dear Betsy to think nothing of it all is now past & we will again looked forward to future happyness.<!-- Check source to determine spelling, if it's as shown here add " [sic] ", else please fix --> Nothing but true consciousness as an Officer that I have done well could support me....Give my blessings to my Dear Harriet, my Dear Mary, my Dear Betsy & to my Dear little stranger<ref>The Blighs' fourth child, another daughter, born a few months after Lt. Bligh sailed from England.</ref> & tell them I shall soon be home...To You my Love I give all that an affectionate Husband can give –

Love, Respect & all that is or ever will be in the power of your <br>ever affectionate Friend and Husband Wm Bligh.<ref>Alexander, Caroline, ''The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty'' (Viking Penguin, New York, 2003), pp. 154–156.</ref></blockquote>

Strictly speaking, the crime of the mutineers (apart from the disciplinary crime of [[mutiny]]) was not piracy but [[barratry (admiralty law)|barratry]], the misappropriation, by those entrusted with its care, of a ship and/or its contents to the detriment of the owner (in this case the [[British Crown]]).