Preface [iii-iv]
[iii] Prefaces are not usually read, therefore we will make this as brief as possible; it shall serve the purpose of an index to point out the contents of the volume. We have given the book no startling or sensational title, yet still we trust it will find favour and acceptance with very many readers. We have gathered into one volume a series of narratives, real experiences, personal adventures, which otherwise can only be gleaned from many books. The volume opens with stories of poor prisoners, and their desperate and persevering attempts to escape from the cells and dungeons where a cruel and despotic power had immured them. The sea with its episodes of storm and shipwreck never wearies; the interest is perpetually kept alive: incessantly our sea-girt island sends forth its armies of sailors to see ‘wonders of the Lord in the great deep,’ to do valiant battle with its tempests, and to brave its perils of shipwreck and death; and ever and again there floats to our shore the news of some terrible disaster, to shed its gloom over happy homes and hearts. Thus, even while the last pages of this work were passing through the press, the news spread rapidly through the length and breadth of the land, of the founding of the La Plata and the [iv] burning of the Cospatrick, and the subsequent privations, sufferings, and horrors through which the miserable remnants of their crews passed. We have therefore devoted a space to the narratives of calamitous shipwrecks, of perilous voyages in open boats, and of men left upon desolate islands. Here, too, the reader will find interesting narrations of perils encountered in savage warfare among North American Indians, in which they are not always proved to be as chivalrous as Cooper has drawn them with his able pen; and lastly will be found the exploits of the hunter in the forest and the field, in his warfare with their savage denizens, – the whole forming a piquant and attractive bill of fare. We have to thank those gentlemen – Sir Samuel Baker, Sir George L’Estrange, and others – who have kindly allowed us to use material from their works. In conclusion, we have only this word to add, to boys and all, Read the book, thereby slightly altering the famous and laconic preface by which Dr. Abernethy introduced one of his works to the public – ‘Read my book.’
Contents
Book IChapter I
The story of a poor Huguenot galley-slave 1
Chapter II
The escape of the Earl of Nithsdale from the Tower 23
Chapter III
Prison exploits of Baron Trenck 34
Chapter IV
Casanova’s escape from the state prison of Venice 73
Chapter V
Narrative of the adventure of two brothers during the American War of Independence 98
Chapter VI
The story of Latude, and his wonderful escape from the Bastile [sic] 110
Chapter VII
How Captain Wilson became a prisoner of Hyder Ali; his wonderful adventures and sufferings 148
Chapter VIII
How Lieutenant L’Estrange said good-bye to the fortress of Bitche, and also to France 158
Chapter IX
How Count Lavalette escaped from the Conciergerie 173
Chapter X
The Empress Eugenie’s escape from Paris and from France 188
Chapter XI
Story of Communistic prisoners 193
Book II
Chapter I
The wintering of Jacob Hemskirk and William Barentz with their crew in Nova Zembla, and how they left in an open boat 201
Chapter II
God’s power and providence shown in the miraculous reservation and deliverance of eight Englishmen, left by mischance in Greenland, anno 1630, nine months and twelve days; with a true relation of all their miseries, the shifts and hardships they were put to, their food, such as neither heathen nor Christian ever before endured. Faithfully reported by Edward Pelham, one of the eight men aforesaid 212
Chapter III
The adventures of seven poor sailors, who wintered on the island of Maurice in Greenland, where they died in the year 1634 233
Chapter IV
A small monument of great mercy, in the miraculous deliverance of five persons from slavery at Algiers, in a canvas boat; with an account of the great distress and extremities which they endured at sea: by William Oakely, 1644 239
Chapter V
How Sieur de Montauban’s vessel blew up 252
Chapter VI
Adventures of nine men in an open boat in the Arctic Sea 265
Chapter VII
How Philip Ashton escaped from the pirates, and resided for sixteen months in solitude on a desolate island 270
Chapter VIII
A true narrative of the sufferings of four Russian sailors who were left on a desert island off East Spitzbergen 288
Chapter IX
Remarkable boat voyage – The frozen ship 295
Chapter X
Captain Inglefield’s narrative of the loss of H.M.S. Centaur, and the perilous voyage in an open boat of himself and eleven companions 304
Chapter XI
The mutiny of the Bounty, and voyage of Captain Bligh and seventeen of his crew in an open boat 315
Chapter XII
The sufferings of six deserters – The schooner’s men and the sharks – A wonderful preservation 360
Chapter XIII
A supercargo’s narrative of the loss of a Russian ship on the north-west coast of America, and the subsequent adventures of the crew 370
Chapter XIV
Life on the Medusa raft 382
Chapter XV
Alone on an island in the Pacific 405
Chapter XVI
The fever ship 413
Chapter XVII
The burning of the Earl of Eldon 419
Book III
Chapter I
The captivity and adventures of Alexander Henry among the Chippeway Indians 425
Chapter II
Capture of Quintin Stockwell by Indians, and perilous journey made in their company 456
Chapter III
Captain Carver’s adventures at the massacre of Fort William Henry 464
Chapter IV
How Peter Williamson was captured by the Indians, what terrible scenes he witnessed, and the manner in which he effected his escape 469
Chapter V
The story of my uncle’s adventures among the North American Indians 477
Chapter VI
The story of John Glover, and how he escaped from a terrible death 482
Chapter VII
The soldier and the Indian – Colonel Boone’s escape – Harrod’s wolfskin cap – Bartle’s adventure 490
Chapter VIII
A lonely log-hut – Colter’s adventure – Brady’s leap 499
Chapter IX
Three remarkable incidents in the life of Audubon the naturalist 510
Book IV
Chapter I
How Mr. Waterton captured his snakes 520
Chapter II
Adventures with the cobra de capello – A battle between two snakes 526
Chapter III
Crocodile-shooting in Ceylon – How Abbe Domeneck caught his crocodile 533
Chapter IV
A ride on the back of a cayman – The alligator and the bear 539
Chapter V
Elephant-hunting in Ceylon, by Sir Samuel Baker 547
Chapter VI
Adventure with a buffalo 558
Chapter VII
Between a tiger’s jaws – Underneath a tiger – A fine specimen of courage – Tiger-shooting at night 567
Chapter VIII
How the Arabs attack a lion – Gerard’s second lion – Moffat’s lion adventures – A sentry seized by a lion – A lion encounter – Death of Hendrich 578