BLIGH, William (1754-1817). A Voyage to the South Sea, Undertaken by Command of His Majesty, for the Purpose of Conveying the Bread-Fruit Tree to the West Indies, in His Majesty's Ship The Bounty, Commanded by Lieutenant William Bligh… London: George Nicol, 1792. 4to. With the rare frontispiece portrait of Bligh plus 7 engraved plates (5 of which are folding). [x], [1]-264 pp. Approximately 11 ½ x 9". Bound to style in modern full mottled calf boards double-ruled in gilt, spine ruled and tooled in gilt in compartments, five raised bands, red gilt morocco lettering label, new endleaves (frontispiece and title-page are mounted onto another leaf, some occasional toning, foxing to text, a few plates with repairs, some small marginal tears repaired in text). THE SCARCE FIRST EDITION OF BLIGH'S OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE BOUNTY'S VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC AND THE INFAMOUS MUTINY ON HIS VESSEL, AND THE INCREDIBLE VOYAGE OF THE LOYAL CREW, SET ADRIFT IN AN OPEN BOAT. "ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE INCIDENTS IN THE WHOLE OF MARITIME HISTORY" (Hill). Housed in custom-built quarter green morocco clamshell case. The most famous mutiny in history, this is Captain Bligh's important testimony of that event, edited from his personal log and diaries. This mutiny has been adapted into several film versions (1935, 1962, 1984), all of which portrayed Bligh as a ruthless martinet (and mutiny leader Fletcher Christian as a daring hero), but many believe him to be no more of a tyrant than any other British commanding officer. After this mutiny, Bligh went on to a distinguished career in the Royal Navy and as Governor of New South Wales. Hill 135. Sabin 5910.