A Voyage to the South Sea | 1792, First edition of Bligh's account of the voyage which led to the famous Mutiny on the Bounty.

First edition of Captain William Bligh’s detailed account of his infamous voyage aboard HMS Bounty, published in 1792 by George Nicol in London. This narrative documents the ill-fated journey that culminated in the most famous mutiny in maritime history. The expedition, commissioned by the British government, aimed to transport breadfruit and other plants from Tahiti to the West Indies as part of a larger scheme to support large-scale cotton cultivation by providing cheaper food for enslaved persons on plantations. Bligh's account offers a comprehensive look at the voyage, from its departure in mid-1787 to the events leading up to the mutiny.

The Bounty successfully reached Tahiti and collected breadfruit, but as it set sail in April 1789, tensions among the crew led to a mutiny. On 28 April 1789, near the island of Tonga, the mutineer Fletcher Christian took control of the ship, forcing Bligh and 18 loyal crew members into the ship’s small 23-foot launch. Despite minimal provisions and navigational equipment, Bligh demonstrated remarkable leadership, guiding the group on an extraordinary 3,500-mile journey to Kupang, Timor, in just two months, losing only one man.

Bligh had previously published a brief Narrative of the Mutiny in 1790, but this full-length work provides a more detailed account of the entire voyage. In the Advertisement, Bligh explains that the initial narrative was hastily written to provide the public with early information, and that this new work underwent considerable revision to offer a more accurate and complete account.

Included with this copy is an original map of Pitcairn Island taken from James Cook’s first voyage aboard HMS Endeavour (1768–1771), providing a fascinating historical connection. The mutineers, led by Christian, would eventually settle on Pitcairn Island, using navigational references from Cook’s earlier chart during their flight from justice.

The volume is richly illustrated with a stipple-engraved frontispiece portrait of Bligh by Condé after John Russell, a folding plan of the Bounty, a folding plan of the launch, a plate of a breadfruit tree, and four plans and charts (three of which are folding). This particular copy is housed in a custom-made leather solander box, preserving the volume in excellent condition.

Condition:
A very good copy. The book retains its original stipple-engraved oval frontispiece of Bligh and is complete with all plates and charts, including the folding plans of the Bounty and the launch, as well as the folding map of Pitcairn Island taken from Cook’s first voyage. The custom-made leather solander box is designed to match the binding, ensuring the volume is well-protected. The pages show minimal wear, with some light toning and occasional spotting. The plates are crisp and clean, with no significant tears or defects. Overall, this is a highly desirable copy of an important historical narrative, encapsulating one of the most dramatic and enduring stories in the history of seafaring.

Publisher: George Nicol, London, 1792.

References: Cook’s Voyage (HMS Endeavour, 1768–1771); Narrative of the Mutiny (Bligh, 1790).