Naval mutineers, seated and standing at a long table, glare ferociously at admiral buckner, who stands (left) calmly, hat in hand, in profile to the right at the foot of the table. The man at the head of the table, seated in a chair which is higher than the others, holds a blunderbuss and wears a hat. He must be richard parker, but does not resemble him. At his elbow and on the extreme right stands thelwall filling a glass from a 'grog' can; he says "tell him we intend to be masters, i'll read him a lecture"; from his pocket hangs a paper: 'thellwals lecture' (see bmsat 8685). One man only is seated on the president's left and on the near side of the table. He places a fist on a long paper headed 'resolutions'. Under the table in the foreground, lifting up the tablecloth, five secret instigators are (left to right): lauderdale, holding a paper: 'letter from sheerness to ld l------le'; horne tooke, stanhope, grey, fox, the most prominent, saying, "aye, aye, we are at the bottom of it", and sheridan. All have satisfied smiles. Four ruffians are seated at the farther side of the table, others stand behind them; one aims a pistol over the admiral's head, one man smokes, another chews tobacco, taking a quid from his box. Weapons lie on the table. On the wall behind them are a print of britannia head downwards, and two torn ballads: 'true blue an old song' and 'hearts of oak are our ships jolly tars are our men we alway are ready', the last word scored through. On the right the slanting window of the captain's cabin is indicated. 9 june 1797
hand-coloured etching. Date: 1797. Dimensions: Height: 247 mm (printed image); Width: 351 mm (printed image). Medium: paper. Depicted People: Admiral Charles Buckner. Collection: British Museum. The delegates in council or beggars on horseback. (BM 1868,0808.6641)
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