Cover

Half Title

Title

Copyright

Contents

Editorial note

Introduction

Rolling Home

1 Birth - life in St John's, New found land my first trip to sea aged eleven - I finish early with school.

2 Against my father's wishes I make two trips as 'Boy'- then begin my sea apprenticeship in the Liverpool ship, Miranda - after some adventures including drinking 'dead dog', I sail east and am arrested for stealing an idol - the captain lands a shark - but decides he'd be better throwing it back.

3 Before the mast in the Jane - race of the 'fish-boxes' - I take fever at Bahia - hospitalised I almost die of starvation but escape - the men become delirious howling and baying about the decks leaving four of us to work the ship. The steward deliberately swallows a sovereign - we finally make New York - at the quarantine station the doctor is told that one of our crew who is still bright orange with fever is 'sun-scorched'.

4 1873-1875. 1 meet Elma - first love - sail with Captain Doderidge for Greenock - Doderidge is lost overboard and I am made captain at Greenock but cannot sail because I have no certificate - I put another captain in the ship which I can do because I am captain, though I cannot sail as captain - travel home passenger.

5 Jailed in Aracaju from the Mary - we try to drown two soldiers - running out of food we live on sawdust.

6 Girls - Liverpool girls - engagement rings - marriage.

7 Fever again - am pronounced dead before appearing for breakfast next morning - locked in the ice I have recourse to my wife's 'blessed candles'.

8 I turn shopkeeper - W M Bames, groceries and provisions.

9 Like a snake walks - Corinne.

10 Breakers under the lee, Vidonia - my last sailing ship, Mystery - ashore as customs officer - my wife dies - my first steamship - passengers - mules - a negro parson's funeral.

II The Great War - I offer my services to England - five hundred floating French dead I fall in love with Mary, a German spy - torpedoed on the Saxonian - three days and nights adrift - I am credited with a U-boat kill.

12 'Reclassed'.

Notes