Too often books on maritime piracy focus on the
pirates,
rather than the men who combat them. Thomas’ latest book does just that
as he
relates the history of the British Royal Navy’s (RN) fight to curb
these
villains. From the seventeenth century to today, he examines how the RN
was
instrumental in going after these rogues regardless of whether they
frequented
the north, east, or west coasts of Africa. Primary coverage is given to
Madagascar, Bartholomew Roberts’ crew, the Algerian corsairs, and the
Reef
(Riff) pirates of Morocco. He introduces readers to men like
Vice-Admiral Sir
Thomas Allin, Sir Edward Spragge, Sir John Narbrough, Admiral Arthur
Herbert, Captain
Challoner Ogle, Admiral Sir Charles Napier, Admiral Lord Exmouth (Sir
Thomas
Pellew), and the men who served under these officers.
Six appendices supplement the narrative: Survey of the Reef
Coast; Reef Pirate Activity and the Navy’s Response; Conversation
between
British Consul at Tangier and Reefian Pirates; Letter from Seaman John
Foster;
Pirates Executed at Cape Coast Castle by Admiralty Court; and
Chronology
Leading up to the Battle of Algiers. The book also contains chapter
notes, a
recommended reading list, and an index.
Pirate Killers is
an enlightening account of piracy around a single continent and how the
men and
officers of the British Royal Navy played a vital role in curbing these
sea
robbers of the past, as well as how they continue to risk their lives
to
protect seamen and ships off Somalia today. Much of the material will
be new to
readers interested in piracy; those books that have covered some of
these
topics rarely go into the depth as Thomas does. This isn’t an academic
study,
but one lay readers interested in piracy around Africa will find
fascinating.
Review Copyrighted ©2011
Cindy Vallar
Pirate Hunter: The Life of Captain Woodes Rogers
By Graham A. Thomas
Pen
& Sword, 2009,
ISBN 978-1-84415-808-9, £19.99
While
most books on Caribbean piracy focus attention on
pirates, Pirate Hunter is like a
breath of fresh air. It focuses not on the villains, but on a hero – a
man who
defeated the pirates. During the fifty plus years that he lived, Woodes
Rogers
circumnavigated the seas, captured a treasure galleon, became Governor
of the
Bahamas, and turned the pirate haven of New Providence into a place
where the
sea rogues weren’t welcome. He believed so much in what he did that he
ended up
in a debtor’s prison because he used his own funds to make the Bahamas
a place
where honest citizens were welcome when royal funds failed to
materialize.
The book opens with a look at the Rogers family and what
little is known about this privateer’s personal life before he sets out
on his
voyage around the world. Half of the chapters explore this trip in
greater
detail and include episodes such as the rescue of Alexander Selkirk
(whose
marooning became the basis for Daniel Defoe’s Robinson
Crusoe), the sacking of Guayaquil, and the capture of one
of the Manila galleons laden with treasure. Among the personages who
appear
here are Dr. Thomas Dover and William Dampier. The second half of the
book
focuses on Rogers’ two stints as governor and how he managed to wrest
New
Providence from the pirates.
Three appendices accompany the book: an account of William
Whaling’s trial, one of Rogers’ letters to the king, and a short piece
about
navigational aids. The book concludes with notes, a list of books to
read, and
an index. Black-and-white photographs are also included.
This
man’s amazing
story unfolds through Thomas’ deftly worded narrative and Rogers’ own
journals
and letters. This is an absorbing and compelling account of a man often
mentioned, but rarely examined in any detail. No study on the Golden
Age of
Piracy is complete without this title.
Review
Copyrighted ©2009
Cindy Vallar
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