five o'clock
Before that the greater part of the ship 's company had been gained over and armed ; yet all this was done so quietly and with such firmness that the remainder of the crew were ignorant of what was going on . No doubt a few who might have given the alarm were afraid to do so . Among those who were asleep was one deserving of special notice , namely , Peter Heywood , a midshipman who was true as steel at heart , but whose extreme youth and inexperience , coupled with the surprise and alarm of being awakened to witness scenes of violence , produced a condition of inaction which resulted in his being left , and afterwards classed , with the mutineers . Shortly after five o'clock the armed men streamed quietly up the fore-hatch and took possession of the deck . Sentinels were placed below at the doors of the officers ' berths , and above at the hatchways . Then Fletcher Christian , John Adams , Matthew Quintal , William McCoy , Isaac Martin , and several others went aft , armed with muskets , bayonets , and cutlasses . Leaving Martin in charge of the quarter-deck , they descended to Captain Bligh 's cabin .