"Mutiny On The Bounty" - by John Boyne Quiz

Answer: False

John Jacob Turnstile is virtually the only fictional character in this story. He is one of a gang of juvenile thieves who live with a horrible Fagin-like man (as in "Oliver Twist", but John's is even worse). One day young John is finally caught by the Portsmouth police - but this may yet turn out to be a blessing in disguise. The date is December 23rd 1787.

Answer: Captain's steward/Cabin-boy

The real cabin-boy on the Bounty was called John Smith. According to this story he got injured before the ship was due to set sail and our John is offered his job at the last minute. Since he was about to spend a long time in prison with an aggressive cell-mate, he understandably accepts.

He hasn't the faintest idea what this job is, nor even where this "Bounty" is supposed to be sailing to. He knows his patron Mr. Lewis will be furious when he finds out where he's gone. But at least he won't be able to touch him at sea. (Later it's revealed Lewis doesn't just train the boys under his roof to pick pockets.

They're expected to cater to the whims of visiting "gentlemen" who take them upstairs. Poor John.)

Answer: To procure breadfruit

The famous botanist Sir Joseph Banks convinced the crown that its numerous slave plantations needed a renewable source of food, e.g. breadfruit. If enough is brought back from the other side of the world, there will be an unlimited supply of food for all slaves.

A relatively-new commander in the Royal Navy named Lt. William Bligh is given the assignment. He will spend the next year or so sailing to the tropical paradise of Otaheite, procuring its breadfruit, then sailing to Jamaica. Nowadays Otaheite is known as "Tahiti".

Answer: Sea-sickness

In olden times a newcomer on a ship had to find his "sea-legs" the hard way. To be precise he was left by everyone in his bunk to vomit until he recovered and could get back to work. Poor John has never felt so bad in his life! He almost wishes he had stayed back in that jail-cell.

The ship keeps bobbing up and down and he feels like he's doing to die. There's nothing he can do about it. But occasionally he wakes to find some kind stranger pressing a cold rag to his head and changing his buckets and whispering words of encouragement. Surprisingly, that kind individual turns out to be none other than Captain Bligh.

Answer: John Fryer

The proper term at the time was Sailing Master. John Fryer was always loyal to the Captain. But after arriving back in England he rarely said kind words about Bligh; he probably resented being demoted after the Cape Horn debacle. Also, for years it was no secret Fryer blamed Bligh for the mutiny.

He was convinced Bligh's decision to keep the men away from their women in Tahiti before setting sail caused the unrest. Authors and script-writers over the centuries have portrayed Bligh as an unreasonable tyrant who got his just desserts at the hands of mutineers; an idea probably enforced by Fryer's animosity.

However, this novel shows that may not have been so at all. (Bligh was in fact regarded as one of the more lenient Royal Navy captains. He never hanged, he rarely whipped, and usually scolded when most other captains would have whipped. So it's safe to say the mutiny would have happened, whoever was in charge.)

Answer: False

Sailors in the Royal Navy were very superstitious. If a crew member had never crossed the Equator before, they surprised him one morning with a "ritual". Usually the ritual involved the sailors dressing up as "golliwogs", wearing white make-up and wigs, and dragging the poor novice onto the desk to face various humiliations. Sometimes they'd even tie the poor fellow to the side of the ship for a time and laugh as he hung on for dear life. Captain Bligh, not very sympathetic, later confesses to John he went through the same abuse; every sailor has to sooner or later.

He adds that even he wouldn't dare try to stop them; he might have a mutiny on his hands.

Answer: The weather was too rough

At the very beginning of the voyage Bligh told those in his confidence he knew a way to speed up the voyage to Otaheite. He would sail via "The Horn", the common nickname for the tip of South America, instead of via South Africa. Had he succeeded, not only would he have arrived at Otaheite sooner, he would have been famous for being one of the few captains to circumnavigate the globe.

But he does not succeed, and his officers finally convince him to turn back after a month of hell sailing one mile.

The Bounty sails to Otaheite the long way after all. Another result of this failure is poor Mr. Fryer's demotion to third-in-command - replaced by Fletcher Christian. Over the weeks young John couldn't help noticing Christian acting in a very toadying manner towards Bligh (John tries not to listen at his Captain's door during meetings...but rarely succeeds). Christian pretends to be surprised at the promotion. "Oh...thank you Captain! I...I don't know what to say!"

Answer: Peter Heywood

Peter Heywood is not much older than John but from the beginning he is mean to the Captain's steward and flexes what little authority he has around him. He was one of the chief participants in John's "initiation" ceremony when crossing the Equator. According to this novel he was friend and side-kick to Fletcher Christian, too. Years later he was eventually arrested and tried for mutinying.

But the court believed him about being forced to take part in the take-over. So he was acquitted - much to John's annoyance.

Answer: The women

William Bligh had visited these islands years ago along with the late Captain Cook. He recalls vividly how the women of these islands wander around top-less. But he's mostly concerned about their tendency to be "hospitable" to visitors, e.g. lavishing them with rum, and attention (and more after evening falls).

He cautions his crew to bear in mind their wives or sweethearts back in England. But few crewmen take the advice. The next few chapters speak of eye-raising tales of partying, grog, beautiful women eager to copulate, and of course the glorious sunshine. No man wants to go back to sea! Even young John is not immune; he falls for a young island girl - who later leaves poor John for his arch-enemy Heywood.

It seems only one man is faithful to his wife, and that's Bligh himself. John can't help noticing how much grumpier his captain's becoming.

He wishes that Bligh WOULD get a mistress. It would improve his temper if nothing else. And that temper is not abated when three men desert. Even though most Royal Navy captains would hang deserters, Bligh chooses to whip them instead. Considering how harsh the Royal Navy was in those days, he was risking a court-martial by being so lenient.

The three men didn't see it that way though...

Answer: John Jacob Turnstile

Bligh has gotten fond of young Turnstile during the voyage. He has occasionally shown him maps, or when in a good mood asked him about his life back in England. (However when he finds out about Mr. Lewis he wishes he hasn't asked.) Most of the crew assume young John aka "Turnip" is in Bligh's confidence - the captain's favourite - but that's not quite the case; John is still the lowest rank on the ship and Bligh will not forget that. Never-the-less Bligh takes his young servant with him to a spot on the island he's wanted to revisit for years. John can see how Bligh enjoys talking about Cook and how much he wants to emulate the late Captain. Cook was his idol.

But after seeing the rock, John asks how Cook died. Bligh's good mood vanishes and he quickly changes the subject.

Others have asked him about this painful subject before and he makes it clear to John on their way back to the beach this matter will be not raised again. (Once again John wishes the captain would mingle with island girls.)

Answer: They missed the luxury of Otaheite too much

Most of the crew have never been happier. The luxury (and female "company") of Otaheite is unparalleled. But after Bligh recaptures the three deserters, every man is ordered to stay on the ship till they set sail in a fortnight. (Having said that, John boldly swims ashore early one morning to find his sweetheart...only to find her with Heywood, and sneaks back on board in tears.) Weeks later, back at sea tension is high on the Bounty.

Not only are they angry about having to leave, Bligh prohibited them from setting foot on the island, so the men couldn't even give mistresses a "farewell". Late one night, before the morning of April 28th 1789, Fletcher Christian and some mates are on deck whispering. John is nearby and doesn't hear what is said. Christian sees him, comes over, and they chat and laugh.

But suddenly Christian grabs John's neck and threatens to kill him unless he keeps quiet. Poor John doesn't understand and goes to his hammock in tears. But that's nothing compared to hours later, when Christian and co burst into Bligh's cabin and take him prisoner.

The whole ship's in an uproar! Half the crew are armed on deck and demanding the ship be turned around, and the other half don't know what to do. Christian, realising he's crossed a line, keeps crying "I am in hell! I am in hell!" In the end Bligh is bundled into a lifeboat and cast adrift. But the non-mutineers go with him, even though there's not much room. One must ask, if Bligh was so nasty he literally gave the crew no choice but to mutiny, why did half his crew choose to leave with him? (Before making the bold choice to go with Bligh, John steps forward and punches Peter Heywood. The boy finally gets even with his rival before leaving The Bounty forever.) No water, no food, no hope. Some would die in the six weeks before they reached land.

Answer: True

It is no secret Captain Bligh stills admires the late legendary captain. The King of Otaheite was under the impression Cook was literally immortal so Bligh didn't tell him the people of Hawaii had murdered Cook years before. John is surprised to learn Bligh was actually at Hawaii when it happened.

It seems William Bligh blames himself in a way. Perhaps if he'd been watching his captain's back for a bit longer the captain would have lived. No one has ever blamed Bligh for the death of James Cook. John can't help wondering if his captain is confessing his secrets because he believes they'll never see land again.

Answer: Timor

It was not a moment too soon; poor John was almost at death's door. Like a father, Bligh is trying to force his remaining portion of a seagull down the boy's throat. John had confessed Mr. Lewis' misdeeds to his protector. Like most adults of the era Bligh would not have wanted to know, and tried to forget he'd heard it. John has since realised he shouldn't have had to put up with all that abuse at the hands of "gentlemen". Bligh promises he'll protect John, then they hear "Land-ho!" When John wakes in the care of Dutch missionaries, he vows not to go back to that life.

He also understandably vows never to forgive Fletcher Christian and the others. Not least because several died in the life-boat before they reached Timor.

Answer: He's run over by a horse

Months later, John Turnstile is happily back in England. Walking down the streets of his home-town, almost a man now. Mr. Lewis is astonished to bump into him in the street. He threatens to hurt John unless he returns to him. It's not easy but John goes...to the nearest police station.

The officers are appalled to learn what Lewis' house is used for, and that night arrest every "gentleman" at the house, and see all the boys are taken care of. Lewis himself escapes before they can find him - but John tracks him down later that night at a tavern. Lewis sees John standing outside, and comes storming outside in a rage.

The boy he looked after has betrayed him and ruined his lucrative business! Lewis is so drunk he thinks of nothing but charging across the road at the boy...and doesn't see the carriage in time.

Answer: Captain Bligh's funeral

Readers are pleasantly surprised to see young John all grown up now. He is married with several children, plus a captain the Royal Navy; it seems William Bligh kept his word 28 years ago. But then Captain John Turnstile gets a surprise visitor. A Frenchman he met in 1787 called Mr. Zela, the same man who got him the job aboard the Bounty. John confesses that the day he tried picking Mr. Zela's pocket turned out to be the best day of his life.

The two men console each other over the lose of their friend William - John confesses the man was like a father to him. Over the years they have been angry seeing his name smeared because of the mutiny. John explains he's writing his story to show the world what really happened. That Christian was no hero, and Bligh saved the lives of those in his lifeboat with his navigation skills. (In addition, there was no reason for Fletcher Christian to nearly strangle John.) Mr. Zela agrees; it must be said Christian and co had no guilt about setting those poor men adrift, just so they could return to the luxury of Otaheite.

The two men agree history should always remember these points, if nothing else.