The Gallant, Good Riou, and Jack Renton
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About this book
Provisions, livestock and a deck full of plants are bound for New South Wales when Lieutenant Riou's Guardian strikes an iceberg. Louis Becke draws on a boatswain's letter and newspaper accounts to describe the leaking ship, the exhausting work at the pumps and the effort to prepare escape boats. Riou's decision to remain aboard gives this account its focus on responsibility under extreme pressure.
Alongside Riou's ordeal comes the story of John Renton, a young sailor from Stromness in the Orkneys. After a voyage to Sydney, Renton wakes aboard a vessel setting out for the Pacific guano islands. Becke presents these sea adventures as true events and includes details of cargoes, shipboard work and the routes that connected distant ports. The collection offers maritime history through individual experiences, with practical descriptions that show how quickly an ordinary voyage could become a struggle for survival.
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Book facts
- Author
- Louis Becke
- Pages
- 15
- Language
- English
- Formats
- PDF, EPUB, Read online