A Tahitian double canoe, drawn by George Tobin in 1792

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Dinesh ^club

. . . . James Morrison, ( ‘ Bounty’ Mutineer ) who spent the better part of two years in Tahiti before being captured and taken back to England. Although his imprisonment – first on the voyage home and then in England – was no doubt miserable and the prospect of the death penalty terrifying. It’s fortunate for posterity that he was taken into custody. Th he prepared an insightful early report of Polynesia life, as well as detailed account of his experience of the voyage and mutiny, which helped him with a pardon. With respect to Islanders customary travel by sea, he wrote that:

It may seem strange to European Navigators how these people find their Way to such a distance without the Help or knowledge of letters Figures or instruments of any kind, but their Judgment and their knowledge of the Motion of Heavenly bodys at which they are more expert and can give a better account of Stars which rise and set in their Horizon than a European Astronomer would be willing to believe which Is nevertheless a Fact and they can with amazing sagacity fore tell by the Appearance of the Heavens with Great precision when a Change of the Weather will take place and prepare for it accordingly when they Go to Sea they steer by the Sun Moor and Stars and shape their Course with some degree of exactness. Page 4 (Introduction)

7 months ago. Edited 7 months ago.

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A Tahitian double canoe, drawn by George Tobin in 1792

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