Paradise in Chains: The ‘Bounty’ Mutiny and the Founding of Australia

British historian Preston (Lusitania) examines the British era of discovery in the South Pacific and the people who, willingly or not, endured severe privations during this episode. Tracking the paths of the infamous Bounty and of Mary Bryant, a convict transported to the New South Wales penal colony who later escaped, Preston colorfully evokes the claustrophobia and isolation faced by seafarers. At the tale’s center sits Tahiti, where the British sought breadfruit saplings. The island captured sailors’ attentions for a different reason; after overthrowing Vice Adm. William Bligh, Bounty mutineers risked returning to Tahiti “because they lacked women and each wanted to obtain one.” Preston explores the socioeconomic conditions in Britain that led to convict transport becoming an attractive policy, but Australia and the fledgling colony there get short shrift. The enduring legacy of colonialism is reflected in the life of Bennelong, one of a handful of Aboriginals who spent time in England and whose “experiences and treatment seem to have left him stranded between two societies.” Preston’s heart is with the oceanic adventurers, and readers will be titillated by tales of derring-do, but those seeking a more comprehensive history of Australia or the South Pacific should look elsewhere. Agent: Bill Hamilton, A.M. Heath Literary (U.K.). (Nov.)

Correction: An earlier version of this review misstated why the British sought breadfruit saplings.