The Ship Thieves

Cover Type: Softcover
Book Condition: Good
Jacket Condition: None Issued
Publisher: Hodder
Publisher Place: Sydney
Publisher Year: 2005
Edition: Reprint

Description: 231 pages. Book is in general good condition. There is some light reading wear present, but still a presentable copy. James Porter Had Spent Most Of His Days Since Transportation Planning How He Would Escape.

Publishers Description: As dusk came down on the evening of 13 January 1834, James Porter and nine other convicts, transported at His Majestys Pleasure to Van Diemens Land, captured the newly launched barque the Frederick from their British masters. James Porter had spent the majority of his days since transportation planning how he would escape. Though he had mastered the art of fleeing his captors, he had never managed to stay free for long. He hoped he and his fellow ship thieves would fare better on this occasion. Rather than aim for a new life on the harsh islands of Bass Strait or the the isolated coasts of New Zealand, the men decided to make their way to Valdivia, on the coast of Chile. Six thousand miles away on the other side of the Pacific, surely they could evade the British and assume new identities as shipwrecked mariners The amazing tale and unfortunate life of James Porter - Australian convict, pirate and master mariner. Through detailed research and James Porters own memoirs, Rees uncovers the amazing true story of a likeable rogue with an indomitable spirit. Following on from her bestselling book The Floating Brothel, Sian Rees has again used her talent for shedding light on fascinating characters in our history with this account of the tenacity and resilience of James Porter, Australian convict, ship thief and rogue.

ISBN: 9780733619144