"There is no lack of adventures, and the writer has a matter-of-fact way
of telling them."--_Spectator._
"'The Doomed Ship,' by William Hurton, is a spirited tale of adventures in
the old style of sea-stories. Mr. Hurton seems to enter fully into the
manliness of sea life."--_Idler._
"It is not surprising to learn that the Arctic boom has created a great
demand for books of this class, and that the volume before us in
particular is selling rapidly. It is entitled 'The Doomed Ship, or the
Wreck in the Arctic Regions.' By William Hurton. (London: William Andrews
and Co., 5, Farringdon Avenue, E.C. Three Shillings and Sixpence). It is
of general interest, but it is written in an attractive style, nicely
printed, and handsomely bound. Brimful of adventures in the ice-bound
regions of the North, it also gives a great deal of information which the
reading public are taking a great interest in since Dr. Nansen's exploits
have been brought before the world. The story is told in the form of a
narrative by the nephew of the captain of the 'good barque Lady Emily,
chartered from Hull to Tromso, in Holland.' The vessel sailed on a
Friday--an unlucky day in the eyes of superstitious sailors, and which to
their minds accounted for the dire experiences which afterwards befell the
vessel and the crew. The vessel was laden with coals and salt, and, after
leaving Tromso, was to proceed to St. Petersburg to ship timber and deals
for the return voyage. She had twenty-two hands, and at Tromso took on
board a passenger for Copenhagen, in the person of a young Danish lady,
Oriana Neilsen by name. Chepini, an Italian lad, in revenge for being
flogged by the captain's orders, so manipulated the compass that the ship
was taken hopelessly out of her course. Chepini is hung up to the yard
arm. The vessel is at the time surrounded by icebergs, a gale springs up,
and she is forced on to one of the bergs and remains fast by the bow,
while a mutiny occurs among the crew, which is not quelled till the
mutineers are killed, as well as the captain and cook. Oriana plays a
noble part in the affair, and the nephew of the captain and she take
command of the remainder of the crew, now consisting only of "Blackbird
Jim" and an Irishman and a Scotchman. As the ship's bows were stove in,
and it was evident that whenever she cleared the iceberg she would go
down, the longboat was cleared away, and all the provisions and other
necessaries put into it. The survivors landed on an ice-bound shore, and
the story of their adventures, discoveries, and subsequent rescue does not
contain a dull page. Oriana is the heroine throughout, and the late
captain's nephew of course falls in love with her. When they return to
civilisation the couple are, of course, married, and they, also of course,
live happily ever afterwards. All the same, the development of this state
of affairs comes naturally enough in the narrative, which is, as we have
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account