Mysteries, long-forgotten treasures, shipwrecks, murder, torture, madness and brutality; they all combine to ensure this collection of true tales from the seafaring past of Queensland and the South Pacific will hold the reader spellbound from start to finish.
In this book, the maritime history of Queensland is brought vividly to life as the brave and the bumbling sail through these fascinating stories from Queensland's roaring days.
- Blood-thirsty head-hunters
- Cannibals of the South Pacific
- Missionaries and Island traders
- Escaped convicts from New Caledonia
- Pirates and buried treasure
- Starving immigrants
- Shipboard massacres and murders
Nothing you have ever read could possibly prepare you for this fascinating collection of true stories based upon the author's highly popular ABC Radio programs.
Contents:
Acknowledgements
1. 'Vision' of Death
- The 'Ellida' Affair
2. The Fiery 'Fiery Star'
3. Torture Aboard the Barque 'Eaglet'
4. The Gunpowder Plot
5. Voyage of Blood
6. The 'Gotherburg' Disaster
7. The 'Papillons' from Paradise
- The Australian Count of Monte-Cristo
8. Pirates and Lost Treasures
- The 'Bosun Bird' Treasure
- The Treasure of the 'Chang Chow'
- The Gold Ship Pirates
9. The Troubles Migrants
- The Fever Ship
- The Starvation Ships 'America' and 'Star Queen'
- The Galley Light Killing
- The Unfortunate German Migrants
- The 'Alardus' Affair
- The 'Lammershagen' Whitewash
10. Blackbirding and the South Sea Islander Labour System
11. The Unreliable 'Reliance'
12. The Perilous 'Peri'
13. Massacres Aboard the 'Dancing Wave' and 'Young Dick'
14. The Ship that was Destined to Die
15. The Portuguese Pirate Ship
- The Spanish Pirate
16. White Sailors Taste Good
17. Revenge on the 'Narovo'
18. Crime and Punishment and the South Sea Islander Labour System
- Gin Gin's Robinson Crusoe
- The Recruiter who Cheated the Hangman
19. The End of the South Sea Islander Era
20. Justifiable Homicide
21. The Incredible Journey of Bernard Gilfoy
22. The 'Natal' Mutiny
23. Ship of Shame
24. That Bloody Middleton Reef
25. The Mysterious Death of Mary Tinsell Aboard the Doomed Steamer 'Dicky'
26. The Unfortunate Voyage of the 'Riversdale'
27. The Flaming Death of the 'Sarah S. Ridgway'
28. Black Thursday--The 'Pearl' Disaster
Sources and Notes
Bibliography
Index
