HMS Bounty Miniature

HMS Bounty, built in 1784 was formerly known as collier Bethia.  The vessel was acquired  by the Royal Navy on 23 May 1787, and named Bounty also known as HM Armed Vessel Bounty. The ship was quite small at 215 tons, but had three masts. Refitted for a breadfruit expedition, she was equipped with four cannons and ten spin guns. The members of the mission were composed of 43 men, 2 civilian botanists and the commanding lieutenant William Bligh.

After ten months at sea, Bounty reached Tahiti on 26 October 1788 after spending five months there Bounty set off with her breadfruit cargo on 4 April 1789.

However, after sailing around 2,100 km west of Tahiti, near Tonga, a mutiny broke out on 28 April 1789, directed by Acting Lieutenant Christian. 22 joined Christian in mutiny, two were passive, and 18 remained loyal to Bligh.

The mutineers passed through the Fiji and Cook Islands, on 15 January 1790 they landed on Pitcairn Island. To avoid being  detected, the ship was burned on 23 January 1790 and the place is now called Bounty Bay.

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