expected again to enjoy such a felicity, and even yet I am in the most painful uncertainty whether you are alive. Gracious God, grant that we may be at length blessed by your return! but, alas! the Pandora's people have been long expected, and are not even yet arrived. Should any accident have happened, after all the miseries you have already suffered, the poor gleam of hope with which we have been lately indulged will render our situation ten thousand times more insupportable than if time had inured us to your loss. I send this to the care of Mr. Hayward, of Hackney, father to the young gentleman you so often mention in your letters while you were on board the Bounty, and who went out as third lieutenant of the Pandora-a circumstance which gave us infinite satisfaction, as you would, on entering the Pandora, meet your old friend. On discovering old Mr. Hayward's residence, I wrote to him, as I hoped he could give me some information respecting the time of your arrival, and in return he sent me a most friendly letter, and has promised this shall be given to you when you reach England, as I well know how great must be your anxiety to hear of us, and how much satisfaction it will give you to have a letter immediately on your return. Let me conjure you, my dearest Peter, to write to us the very first moment-do not lose a post-'tis of no consequence how short your letter may be, if it only informs us you are well. I need not tell you that you are the first and dearest object of our affections. Think, then, my adored boy, of the anxiety we must feel on your account; for my own part, I can know no real joy or happiness independent of you, and if any misfortune should now deprive us of you, my hopes of felicity are fled for ever.

"We are at present making all possible interest with every friend and connexion we have, to ensure you a sufficient support and protection at your approaching trial; for a trial you must unavoidably

undergo, in order to convince the world of that innocence which those who know you will not for a mo ment doubt; but, alas! while circumstances are against you, the generality of mankind will judge severely. Bligh's representations to the Admiralty are, I am told, very unfavourable; and hitherto the tide of public opinion has been greatly in his favour My mamma is at present well, considering the distress she has suffered since you left us; for, my dearest brother, we have experienced a complicated scene of misery from a variety of causes, which, however, when compared with the sorrow we felt on your account, was trifling and insignificant; that misfortune made all others light, and to see you once more returned and safely restored to us will be the sum mit of all earthly happiness.

"Farewell, my most beloved brother! God grant this may soon be put into your hands! Perhaps at this moment you are arrived in England, and I may soon have the dear delight of again beholding you My mamma, brothers, and sisters join with me in every sentiment of love and tenderness. Write to Uá. immediately, my ever-loved Peter, and may the Almighty preserve you until you bless with your presence your fondly affectionate family, and particularly your unalterably faithful friend and sister, "NESSY HEYWOOD."*

(Signed)

* Previous to the writing of this letter, the following copy of sen shows how anxiously this young lady's mind was engaged co the unhappy circumstances under which her brother was placed

"On the tedious and mournful absence of a most beloved BROTHER, who was in the BOUNTY with Captain BLIGH at the time of the FATAL MUTINY which happened April 28th, 1789, in the South Seas, and who instead of returning with the boat when she left the ship, staid behind.

"Tell me, thou busy flatt'ring telltale, why

Why flow these tears-why heaves this deep-felt sigh,

Why is all joy from my sad bosom flown,

Why lost that cheerfulness I thought my own

Why seek I now in solitude for ease,

Which once was centred in a wish to please,

The gleam of joy which this unhappy family derived from the circumstance which had been related

When ev'ry hour in joy and gladness pass'd,

And each new day shone brighter than the last;
When in society I lov'd to join;

When to enjoy and give delight was mine?—
Now-sad reverse!-in sorrow wakes each day,
And grief's sad tones inspire each plaintive lay:
Alas! too plain these mournful tears can tell
The pangs of wo my lab'ring bosom swell!
Thou best of brothers-friend, companion, guide,
Joy of my youth, my honour, and my pride!
Lost is all peace-all happiness to me,
And fled all comfort, since depriv'd of thee
In vain, my Lycidas, thy loss I mourn-
In vain indulge a hope of thy return;
Still years roll on, and still I vainly sigh-
Still tears of anguish drown each gushing eye.
Ah, cruel Time! how slow thy ling'ring pace,
Which keeps me from his tender, lov'd embrace.
At home to see him, or to know him near,
How much I wish-and yet how much I fear!
Oh, fatal voyage! which robb'd my soul of peace
And wreck'd my happiness in stormy seas!
Why, my lov'd Lycidas, why didst thou stay,
Why waste thy life from friendship far away?
Though guiltless thou of mutiny or blame,

And free from aught which could disgrace thy name,
Though thy pure soul, in honour's footsteps train❜d,
Was never yet by disobedience stain'd;

Yet is thy fame expos'd to slander's wound,

And fell suspicion whispering around.

In vain to those who knew thy worth and truth,
Who watch'd each opening virtue of thy youth,
When noblest principles inform'd thy mind,
Where sense and sensibility were join'd;
Love to inspire, to charm, to win each heart,
And ev'ry tender sentiment impart ;

Thy outward form adorn'd with ev'ry grace;
With beauty's softest charms thy heavenly face,
Where sweet expression beaming ever prov'd
The index of that soul by all belov'd;
Thy wit so keen, thy genius form'd to soar,
By fancy wing'd, new science to explore;
Thy temper, ever gentle, good, and kind,
Where all but guilt an advocate could find:
To those who know this character was thine
(And in this truth assenting numbers join),
How vain th' attempt to fix a crime on thee

Which thou disdain'st-from which each thought is free
No, my lov'd brother, ne'er will I believe

Thy seeming worth was meant but to deceive;

to them of young Heywood's swimming off to the Pandora, was dissipated by a letter from himself to his mother soon after his arrival in England, in which he says:-"The question, my dear mother, in one of your letters, concerning my swimming off to the Pandora, is one falsity among the too many in which I have often thought of undeceiving you and as frequently forgot. The story was this:-On the morning she arrived, accompanied by two of my friends (natives), I was going up the mountains, and having got about a hundred yards from my own house, another of my friends (for I was a universal favourite among those Indians, and perfectly conversant in their language) came running after me, and informed me there was a ship coming. I immediately ascended a rising ground, and saw, with indescribable joy, a ship laying-to off Hapiano; it was just after daylight, and thinking Coleman might not be awake, and therefore ignorant of this pleasing news, I sent one of my servants to inform him of it, upon which he immediately went off in a single

Still will I think (each circumstance though strange)
That thy firm principles could never change;
That hopes of preservation urged thy stay,

Or force, which those resistless must obey.

If this is error, let me still remain

In error wrapp'd, nor wake to truth again.

Come then, sweet Hope, with all thy train on joy,
Nor let Despair each rapt'rous thought destroy;
Indulgent Heav'n, in pity to our tears,

At length will bless a parent's sinking years;
Again shall I behold thy lovely face,

By manhood form'd, and ripen'd ev'ry grace,
Again I'll press thee to my anxious breast,
And ev'ry sorrow shall be hush'd to rest.
Thy presence only can each comfort give.
Come then, my Lycidas, and let me live;
Life without thee is but a wretched load,
Thy love alone can smooth its thorny road;
But, blest with thee, how light were every wo;
How would my soul with joy and rapture glow!
Kind Heav'n! thou hast my happiness in store,
Restore him innocent-I ask no more!

"Lale of Man, Feb. 25th, 1792."

"NESSY HEYWOOD

canoe. There was a fresh breeze, and the ship working into the bay; he no sooner got alongside than the rippling capsized the canoe, and he being obliged to let go the tow-rope to get her righted, went astern and was picked up the next tack and taken on board the Pandora, he being the first persor I, along with my messmate Stewart, was then stand ing upon the beach with a double canoe manned with twelve paddles ready for launching; and just as she made her last tack into her berth (for we did not think it requisite to go off sooner) we put off and got alongside just as they streamed the buoy; and being dressed in the country manner, tanned as brown as themselves, and I tattooed like them in the most curious manner, I do not in the least wonder at their taking us for natives. I was tattooed, not to gratify my own desire, but theirs; for it was my constant endeavour to acquiesce in any little custom which I thought would be agreeable to them, though painful in the process, provided I gained by it their friend. ship and esteem, which you may suppose is no incon siderable object in an island where the natives are so numerous. The more a man or woman there is tattooed, the more they are respected; and a person having none of these marks is looked upon as bearing an unworthy badge of disgrace, and considered as a mere outcast of society.'

Among the many anxious friends and family connexions of the Heywoods was Commodore Pasley, to whom this affectionate young lady addressed herself on the melancholy occasion; and the following is the reply she received from this officer:

"Sheerness, June 8th, 1792. "Would to God, my dearest Nessy, that I could rejoice with you on the early prospect of your brother's arrival in England. One division of the Pandora's people has arrived, and now on board the Vengeance (my ship). Captain Edwards, with the