The mutiny is only part of the story. In celebration of the 225th anniversary of the Mutiny of the Bounty, the Weinberg Memorial Library at the University of Scranton presents a special exhibition dedicated to this signal event in maritime history, its historical background and its influence on exploration, geography, literature and the arts. The exhibition showcases rare and fascinating books from the collection of University benefactor and alumnus Edward R. Leahy ’68: from William Bligh’s Narrative to the mutineer’s court martial transcripts to the spurious Fletcher Christian letters and the authentic Peter Heywood letters along with art works like Lord Byron’s The Island.
The mutiny itself is only part of the story documented in the exhibition at the Weinberg Memorial Library. William Bligh was often portrayed as a tyrant in contemporary accounts and in the diverse motion pictures. The books and historical documents on display also show Bligh as an enlightened commander who, for example, limited the use of disciplinary flogging and saved the life of his men: After the Bounty was taken by Fletcher Christian and his fellow mutineers, Bligh and 18 loyalists squeezed into a launch for a harrowing 47-day open boat voyage in bad weather. Bligh and most of his men survived one of the greatest feats of navigation in history and returned home. Here more.
