Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England John Deane of Nottingham--Historic Adventures by Land and Sea, By W.H.G. Kingston. ________________________________________________________________________ According to the author in his preface, John Deane really existed and had an interesting and successful life in a variety of roles. He was born in 1679, of well-to-do parents, but started his working life as a drover, that is to say a person who drove great herds of cattle from the countryside to the great cities like London, for consumption there. He then joined the Navy and rose to become a ship's captain. After a spell as a Merchant Adventurer, he commanded a vessel in the Russian navy of Alexander the Great. Later he became British Consul at Ostend, on the coast of Belgium, quite close to south-east England. Finally he came back home to live in a village near Nottingham, receiving civic honours in that city. He died in 1760. This book could therefore be called a historical novel, but written with the style and genius of Kingston it becomes far more than that. You will enjoy it. ________________________________________________________________________ JOHN DEANE OF NOTTINGHAM--HISTORIC ADVENTURES BY LAND AND SEA, BY W.H.G. KINGSTON. PREFACE. John Deane was a real person, and I hope that the readers of this my book about him will be as much pleased with it as I was with the history of his adventures, placed in my hands by a friend who long resided at Nottingham. He was born at that town A.D. 1679. Though of gentle parentage, in his early days he followed the occupation of a drover. He then went to sea, and became a Captain in the Navy; after that he was a Merchant Adventurer. He next took service under Peter the Great, and commanded a Russian ship-of-war. On leaving Russia, he obtained the post of British Consul at Ostend, held by him for many years. Returning home, he was made a Burgess of his native town, and took up his abode at the neighbouring village of Wilford, where, in 1760, he died. In the quiet churchyard of that sweet spot, his tomb and that of his beloved wife Elizabeth are to be seen:-- "His age, fourscore years and one." "After life's fitful fever, he sleeps well." The Author. CHAPTER ONE. MR HARWOOD AND ALETHEA IN SHERWOOD FOREST, AND JACK DEANE'S FIRST ADVENTURE.