In Ship And Prison

Young Arthur Dunn has been raised by the sea, but when his mother dies she leaves him a final blessing and a clear path: seek out Captain Samuel Tucker in Marblehead and make his fortune afloat. He arrives eager and hopeful, only to find Tucker already sailed, and must fight off disappointment as he searches the harbor and then presses on to Salem for another chance. His fortunes change when Captain Ebenezer Weston offers him a berth as second mate aboard the brig Young Phoenix bound for Portugal, a tempting opening that seems to promise advancement. At first, Arthur believes he has found the perfect beginning to a naval career, especially aboard a fine vessel with respectable officers like Thomas Marshall. But the illusion quickly fades as he learns the crew was gathered in haste by strangers, and that Weston is drinking heavily, growing abusive, and turning the voyage into a trial of starvation, punishment, and fear. Arthur and Marshall are forced into uneasy alliance as they confront a captain whose cruelty threatens every man aboard. The story then shifts to the frigate Boston, sent on a secret mission to carry John Adams to France while British warships lie in wait. After a daring escape from pursuit and a punishing storm, the Boston captures the armed merchantman Martha, a prize laden with cargo and passengers, and the narrator is left to manage prisoners and secure the victory at sea. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.