Halfhyde and the Chain Gangs

Murder and chicanery involving a consignment of gold bullion stalk St Vincent Halfhyde as he takes the square-rigged ship Glen Hallandale on govenment service from Devonport dockyard to Cape Town. His "cargo" consists of a large draft of convicts from Dartmoor Prison, volunteers for the fight against the Boers in South Africa—volunteers who travel in chain gangs and under strong escort or armed warders in Halfhyde's hastily converted holds.The voyage proves a turbulent one through bad weather and the temper-inflaming heat and stickiness of the Doldrums. Vicious fighting develops when a party from a mysterious steam yacht attempts to board the Glen Hallandale and seeks to make contact with a gentleman convict. Conditions in the hold are appalling and the chain gangs are stirred to riot by their murderous ringleaders."Halfhyde fans will savor the late-Victorian details."—Publishers Weekly