HMS Pandora: More Information

Frequently Asked Questions

• What happened to Fletcher Christian and the Bounty?
• What were the names of the prisoners in “the box” and what was their fate?
• Was Captain Edwards really the “monster” he was made out to be?
• How many men were flogged during the Pandora’s voyage?
• How typical of 18th century voyages to the South Pacific was the Pandora’s last voyage?
• What about Thomas Hayward and Peter Heywood? And who was John Hallett?
• When is the next Pandora expedition?
• Is it possible to dive the Pandora?

What happened to Fletcher Christian and the Bounty?

The Bounty was burned and scuttled off Pitcairn Island in January 1790. Pieces of the wreck are still in Bounty Bay, off Pitcairn Island. Some items have been recovered from the wreck and were “recycled” by the Pitcairn Islanders.

As for Fletcher Christian, the eyewitness accounts report that he was murdered by one of the Tahitian men who had accompanied the Bounty to Pitcairn Island. This happened sometime in 1793 while Fletcher was tending his vegetable garden.

But some people would prefer to believe the story that Fletcher secretly left the island and returned to England, where he lived quietly, supposedly under an assumed name, protected by his one-time sweetheart Isabella Curwen. Former Bounty shipmate Peter Heywood perpetuated, or perhaps even started, this rumour by claiming he had seen someone in the street many years later who bore a striking resemblance to his old friend Fletcher Christian and who hurried away from him when Heywood called out to him!

See also After the mutiny.

What were the names of the prisoners in “the box” and what was their fate?

Drowned during the wrecking of the Pandora:

• Henry Hillbrandt
• Richard Skinner
• John Sumner
• George Stewart

Not guilty—released after their courts-martial:

• Joseph Coleman
• Charles Norman
• Thomas McIntosh
• Michael Byrne

Guilty—but pardoned after their courts-martial:

• Peter Heywood
• James Morrison

Guilty—but acquitted on a legal technicality after a court-martial:

• William Muspratt

Guilty—hanged in October 1792 on HMS Brunswick:

• Thomas Burkitt
• Jonathan Millward
• Thomas Ellison

Was Captain Edwards really the “monster” he was made out to be?

Like Bligh, it seems Edwards has been much scorned. Many historians and journalists don’t think much of him! Some have really had it in for him; so he has definitely had bad press! Supposedly he was a cruel, tyrannical commander; especially his behaviour towards the prisoners in "Pandora’s Box" has been considered excessively harsh and unfeeling. Peter Heywood’s friends gratefully made use of this interpretation to gain more public sympathy for Heywood’s claim that he had been innocently swept up in events beyond his control and had suffered unjustly at the hands of tyrants as a result!

However, another interpretation is possible. If only because historians should be cautious about applying 20th/21st century values and standards to 18th century conditions. After all, the maxim that life was “brutal, nasty and short” was then widely accepted as a simple fact of life. Instead it may be instructive to compare Captain Edwards with some of his contemporaries. For instance, it appears the famous, much celebrated and revered Captain James Cook flogged his crews more frequently than Bligh or Edwards ever did!

Perhaps Edwards should just be accused of being overly concerned about the safety of the Pandora. But even so, he had good reason to be, as he had evidence the Tahitian friends of prisoner George Stewart were plotting to free Stewart by cutting the Pandora’s mooring ropes. This is probably why Edwards forbade contact between the prisoners and their Tahitian friends.

Also, it is always forgotten that before the Pandora sank, three mutineers were let out of the “box” (to help man the pumps)—the rest may simply have been kept in the box so as not to get in the way of the regular crew, who were desperately going about the various jobs to save the ship in a disciplined manner. Not being part of the crew, the prisoners did not have assigned tasks.

Orders were given to free the prisoners after the decision had been made to abandon ship. But the ship sank very quickly, before all the prisoners could be released. By all accounts, Hodges, the armourer, was actually in the “box” working to free the prisoners from their leg irons when the ship suddenly sank!

But, Captain Edward’s behaviour towards the prisoners on the sand cay is harder to explain. As is his outburst against Morrison and Ellison on the ninth day after the wreck, when he ordered them to be tied up and lie down in the bottom of the boat for the duration of the open boat voyage to Timor.

How many men were flogged during the Pandora’s voyage?

Name	Date	# of Lashes	Infringement
William Moulter	28 Oct 1790	Unknown	Striking an Officer
Christopher Bell	8 Dec 1790	12	Insolence, quarrelling with superior officer
Moses Mitchell	29 Dec 1790	12	Disobedience
James Good	10 Apr 1791	12	Theft
Roger Swiney	10 Apr 1791	12	Theft, drunkenness
William Taylor	5 Jul 1791	12	Theft, drunkenness
Alexander Arbuthnott	5 Jul 1791	12	Theft
John Andrews	5 Jul 1791	12	Theft
Thomas Sprackley	12 Aug 1791	12	Disobedience

How typical of 18th century voyages to the South Pacific was the Pandora’s last voyage?

There are differences.

The Pandora’s voyage was for punitive reasons — to capture the Bounty — not for discovery as, for instance, Cook’s and Vancouver’s voyages! So in the Pandora there were:

• rearrangements of space inside the ship, required to accommodate extra stores for the Bounty and extra officers and men carried to crew the Bounty upon her recapture
• different composition of crew (more petty officers and midshipmen and able seamen onboard the Pandora), prisoners in "Pandora’s Box"
• no scientists onboard.

But, there are also similarities:

• the crew’s attitudes and behavior towards indigenous peoples
• the crew’s collecting activities
• the preparations for the voyage
• the Royal Navy was the main organising agency
• the crews faced the same problems related to being at sea for a long period.

What about Thomas Hayward and Peter Heywood? And who was John Hallett?

There’s considerable potential for confusion here, because their names sound similar. Both Hayward and Heywood were midshipmen on the Bounty, so was Hallett. Hayward and Hallett went with Bligh in the launch. Heywood stayed on the Bounty and ended up in Tahiti. According to Bligh, he had sided with the mutineers - but he immediately surrendered to Captain Edwards when the Pandora arrived in Tahiti.

Hallett is often mistakenly assigned to the Pandora, but only Hayward actually was, as the 3rd lieutenant. Apparently Hayward acted in a haughty and disapproving manner towards Heywood upon meeting again; especially about the fact that Heywood appeared to have “gone native” (had tattoos, etc.). Heywood later described Hayward as a “worldling” (an upstart, someone with pretensions). Evidently, they did not like each other.

Although found guilty of mutiny, Heywood was pardoned by Royal decree. Some have said this was because he had a good lawyer, as well as rich and influential family friends! But that may be a somewhat cynical assessment. William Muspratt and James Morrison also had effective legal council, though neither was as rich, nor as well-connected as Peter Heywood’s family.

Heywood stayed in the Navy and was eventually promoted to the rank of post-captain. He had a distinguished 25 year career as a seagoing officer. He retired in 1817 and died in 1831.

Hayward’s naval career was cut short; he drowned at sea in 1797 when HMS Swift, the sloop he commanded, foundered during a typhoon in the South China Sea—it was lost with all hands.

Hallett’s naval career has not yet been traced.

When is the next Pandora expedition?

There are no immediate plans to continue excavation. But that’s not to say that the Museum’s archaeologists are no longer interested in the wreck, or that the archaeological potential or cultural significance have diminished. Quite simply, it’s a matter of finances.

One full-blown expedition, similar to the 1998 or 1999 expeditions, would now (2005 prices) cost about $600,000; also, more resources would have to be available so the Museum could contract temporary staff to help carry out the so-called “back-of-house” work (conservation and collection management) on another large artefact collection in a timely manner.

Inspection dives are organised annually to monitor the condition of the site. Please contact us if you would like to receive information about these expeditions.

Is it possible to dive the Pandora?

Yes it is possible, but please realise that the Pandora wreck is not a diver’s dream like the Yongala, for instance.

For a start, it’s very remote. And it’s a very difficult and challenging environment.

What’s more, the wreck itself isn’t visible or accessible — it’s all buried. And the area is protected under the Historic Shipwrecks Act, so you’ll need a permit.

Basically, you’ll see more at the Museum of Tropical Queensland. And the Yongala is a much easier and more rewarding dive in terms of setting and marine life.

But, if you’re still keen, see the Legislation & dive permits page or contact us for more information