20. Further acts of disobedience to orders occurred in the final leg of the journey
The launch continued to the west, stopping at islands which Bligh deemed safe to obtain what food they offered, as well as badly needed rest. During the brief stopovers, members of the crew acted contrary to Bligh’s orders, endangering all. Several of the men obtained food on the various islands, including oysters, clams, wild beans, fruits and berries, wild birds, and eggs. Some of the men ate what they found on the spot, rather than returning with it to share with their shipmates. In the first week of June Peckover’s watch stopped, and Bligh was reduced to estimating the time based on his celestial measurement of noon, with the sun at its zenith.
By June 10, several of the men were weakened to the point of being near death, including Lawrence Lebogue, an able seaman and sailmaker, and Thomas Ledyard, a surgeon’s mate. Bligh administered the remaining wine to them in teaspoonfuls, hoping to ease their sufferings. On June 12, the island of Timor was sighted from the boat, though the men were too weakened to cheer. A party landed on the island, to explore for signs of where the Dutch settlement of Coupang could be found. Natives were found, one of whom was brought into the boat to guide them. On June 14 Bounty‘s launch arrived at Coupang, having completed a voyage of 4,163 miles. Other than John Norton, killed by the natives at Tofua, not a single man was lost during the voyage.