A detailed narrative about a British warship in the 1700s might not sound like the most gripping read. However, David Grann has crafted a compelling story about the power of the sea, the determination to survive and an unexpected outcome.
Relying on journal entries from several men aboard the HMS Wager, Grann provides different perspectives of what occurred. The Wager was part of a fleet on a secret mission during the Britain’s War with Spain.
However, before the ships ever left port, a shortage of crewmen and illness delayed the ability to set sail. This foretells of an ominous outcome.
Unrelenting storms and conditions while making the passage around Cape Horn, scurvy, loss of life, a tyrannical captain and separation from the rest of the fleet are just the beginning of the misfortunes, including the shipwreck. The survivors land on a desolate, mountainous island they name after their lost vessel.
The journals bring the seamen to life and the existence of their writings address the question of who survives, so no spoiler alert is needed. What’s intriguing is how long they endured the harsh conditions, the steps taken to leave the island, the factions established by those efforts and, perhaps most captivating is what happens once the men do return to England (and not all arrive together).
The publication of several conflicting accounts of what occurred resulted in charges and countercharges thus leading to a court martial. Its outcome is as surprising as the sailors’ impressive ability to survive.
The Wager: A tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder
Four Bookmarks
Doubleday, 2023
329 pages, includes notes, bibliography, index and list of illustrations
The Blue Page Special 