[Gutenberg 29829] • Hair Breadth Escapes / Perilous incidents in the lives of sailors and travelers in Japan, Cuba, East Indies, etc., etc.

A fantastic look at narrow escapes from the perils of the historical high seas, such as icebergs, sickness and pirates.

Excerpt:

I served as assistant pilot on board the merchant vessel Dolphin, bound from Jamaica for London, which had already doubled the southern point of the Island of Cuba, favored by the wind, when one afternoon, I suddenly observed a very suspicious-looking schooner bearing down upon us from the coast. I climbed the mast, with my spy glass, and became convinced that it was a pirate. I directed the captain, who was taking his siesta, to be awaked instantly, showed him the craft, and advised him to alter our course, that we might avoid her. The captain, a man of unfortunate temper, whose principal traits of character were arrogance, avarice, and obstinacy, scorned my counsel, and insisted that we had nothing to fear, as we were perfectly well protected by the English flag.