Читать книгу The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty - Caroline Alexander, Caroline Alexander - Страница 6

Every attempt has been made to use and quote from firsthand source material wherever available. In such quotations, the original and often erratic spelling, punctuation, grammar and typographical conventions (e.g., liberal use of uppercase initial letters) have been retained. In the case of John Fryer’s ‘Narrative’ alone, punctuation has on occasion been added for more straightforward reading. Similarly, a few abbreviations common in the era (‘wr.’ for ‘weather’, ‘larbd.’ for ‘larboard’) but now unfamiliar have been spelled out so as not to cause unnecessary stumbling over sense.

Personal names are particularly variable, and I have attempted to use the form the individual in question used where this can be ascertained, rather than to rely on Bounty story conventions. In the case of the ten mutineers brought to court-martial, this is not difficult to establish, as each of the ten defendants left a deposition signed with his signature: thus ‘Burkett’, not ‘Burkitt’; ‘Byrn’, not ‘Byrne’; although the alternate forms occur frequently in the language of second parties. In other cases, problematic names were established by correspondence, wills or similar personal documentation. Midshipman John Hallett’s father signed his correspondence ‘Hallett’ – not, as Bligh and others wrote, ‘Hallet’ – and so forth. There is strong evidence to suggest that Matthew Quintal, one of the mutineers, regarded himself as Matthew ‘Quintrell’, but here deference is made to the spelling adopted by his present-day descendants. Geographical places are referred to by their names at the time, with the modern equivalent in parentheses on first mention: Coupang (Kupang), Endeavour Strait (Torres Strait).

A nautical day began and ended at noon, with the noon sighting, not at midnight as in civil time. Thus the mutiny on the Bounty occurred on the morning of 28 April 1789, in both sea and civil time; some four hours later, however, it was April 29 by nautical reckoning. There is occasional awkwardness when the two systems collide, as when a returning ship comes into port, and a running commentary begun at sea resumes on land. No attempt has been made to convert sea to civil time; dates of events recorded at sea are given as stated in the ship’s log.

All mileage figures for distances at sea are given in nautical miles. A nautical mile consisted at the time of 6,116 feet, or one degree of latitude; a statute mile consists of 5,280 feet. All temperatures cited in the ship’s log are in degrees Fahrenheit.

One pound sterling (£1) comprised twenty shillings (20s.); a guinea equalled £1 plus IS. The valuation of currency of this time can be gauged by certain standard-of-living indicators. Fletcher Christian’s mother expected to live comfortably on 40 guineas a year. A post-captain of a first-rate ship received £28 os. od. (28 pounds, o shillings, o pence) a month in pay; a lieutenant, £7 os. od. (7 pounds, o shillings, o pence); an able seaman, £1 4s. od. (1 pound, 4 shillings, o pence) – less deductions!