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BLIGH, William (1754-1817). A Narrative of the Mutiny, on board His Majesty's Ship Bounty. London: for George Nicol, 1790.
BLIGH, William (1754-1817). A Narrative of the Mutiny, on board His Majesty's Ship Bounty. London: for George Nicol, 1790. 4 o (318 x 246 mm). 3 engraved charts (2 folding) after William Harrison, engraved by J. Walker and one engraved plan of the Bounty 's launch. (Some light offsetting.) Contemporary boards, modern gilt-lettered cloth spine. Provenance : G.B. Villiers (contemporary ownership entry). FIRST EDITION OF THIS FAMOUS MUTINY AND VOYAGE. "The most famous voyage in recent history was that made by Lietenant William Bligh in HMS Bounty. Everyone knows that the Bounty's crew, led by Fletcher Christian, mutinied and set Bligh and eighteen loyal crewman adrift in a 23-foot launch shortly after the ship had left Tahiti in April 1789" (Wantrup). While the mutiny is the best-known incident of the voyage, the more remarkable is Bligh's account of the voyage of the Bounty 's launch. Successfully navigating this open vessel with eighteen men over a distance of four thousand miles, Bligh's achievement ranks among the most dangerous and most notable in martime history. "In the course of this hazardous journey Bligh took the opportunity to chart and name parts of the unknown north-east coast of New Holland as he passed along it" (Wantrup, p.128). The chart of the "NE Coast of New Holland" was first published in this edition. Ferguson 71; Hill 132; Kroepelien 87; Wantrup 61. A LARGE UNCUT COPY.