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Index
Cover
Half Title
Title
Copyright
Contents
Editorial note
Introduction
Rolling Home
1 Birth – life in St John’s, Newfoundland – 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. I 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 – WM Barnes, 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.
11 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
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