WILLIAM BLIGH (1754-1817) A Narrative of the Mutiny, on board His Majesty's Ship 'Bounty'; and the subsequent voyage of part of the crew, in the ship's boat, From Tofua, one of the Friendly Islands, to Timor, a Dutch Settlement in the East Indies. London: George Nicol, 1790. 4° (288 x 225mm). 3 folding engraved plates, the two maps printed on blue paper, and one single-page chart. (Slight offsetting.) Contemporary German half sprinkled calf over sprinkled boards, spine gilt in compartments, gilt card lettering-piece (splitting on hinges), modern cloth box. Provenance : Reichsgraf von Veltheim (small inkstamp on verso of title). FINE COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION of Bligh's own account of the mutiny, written, published and presented to the Lords of the Admiralty and other influential people in the hope that he might thereby be absolved from any blame over the mutiny. When Fletcher Christian and twenty-four crew mutinied near Tonga on the Bounty 's homeward voyage, Bligh and eighteen of his men were forced into the ship's launch and cast off. Armed only with a compass, a quadrant, and a chronometer, Bligh navigated over 4,000 miles of open water through Fiji, up the Australian coast and through the Torres Straits to Timor in 45 days, all the while charting and naming parts of the unknown N.E. coast of New Holland. Bligh had first proved himself a great navigator when he sailed on Cook's third voyage as Sailing Master aboard Resolution . Court-martial proceedings were held against Bligh and eleven of his men on their return to England in 1790. All were acquitted and that same year Bligh published this Narrative , was promoted to Commander, and made a second attempt to transport bread-fruit trees from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Hill 132; Ferguson 71; Kroepelien 87.
WILLIAM BLIGH (1754-1817) A Narrative of the Mutiny, on board His Majesty's Ship 'Bounty'; and the subsequent voyage of part of the crew, in the ship's boat, From Tofua, one of the Friendly Islands, to Timor, a Dutch Settlement in the East Indies. London: George Nicol, 1790. 4° (288 x 225mm). 3 folding engraved plates, the two maps printed on blue paper, and one single-page chart. (Slight offsetting.) Contemporary German half sprinkled calf over sprinkled boards, spine gilt in compartments, gilt card lettering-piece (splitting on hinges), modern cloth box. Provenance : Reichsgraf von Veltheim (small inkstamp on verso of title). FINE COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION of Bligh's own account of the mutiny, written, published and presented to the Lords of the Admiralty and other influential people in the hope that he might thereby be absolved from any blame over the mutiny. When Fletcher Christian and twenty-four crew mutinied near Tonga on the Bounty 's homeward voyage, Bligh and eighteen of his men were forced into the ship's launch and cast off. Armed only with a compass, a quadrant, and a chronometer, Bligh navigated over 4,000 miles of open water through Fiji, up the Australian coast and through the Torres Straits to Timor in 45 days, all the while charting and naming parts of the unknown N.E. coast of New Holland. Bligh had first proved himself a great navigator when he sailed on Cook's third voyage as Sailing Master aboard Resolution . Court-martial proceedings were held against Bligh and eleven of his men on their return to England in 1790. All were acquitted and that same year Bligh published this Narrative , was promoted to Commander, and made a second attempt to transport bread-fruit trees from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Hill 132; Ferguson 71; Kroepelien 87.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
