“This is an entertaining pot pourri.”
+ Outlook. 81: 524. O. 28, ’05. 60w.
“Some of these are light and agreeable, but we doubt whether they are worth republishing in book form.”
+ – Sat. R. 101: 117. Ja. 27, ’06. 80w.
Masefield, John. [On the Spanish main; or, Some English forays on the Isthmus of Darien], with a description of the buccaneers and a short account of oldtime ships and sailors. $3.50. Macmillan.
“Beginning with the story of Drake’s voyage to the West Indies, Mr. Masefield describes the attack on Nombre de Dios, the conflict of Cartagena, the death of John Drake, Drake’s voyage to the Gatives, Spanish rule in Hispaniola, the adventures of John Oxenham, Morgan, Capt. Dampier, and others. He has chapters, too, on ships and rigs, guns and gunners, the officers and crews of ships, etc.”—N. Y. Times.
“A smoothly running style, with just enough of quotation from the original narratives to give a quaint flavor without making it hard reading.”
+ Ind. 61: 521. Ag. 30, ’06. 360w.
“The history preserved in Mr. Masefield’s pages, and in the books from which he has drawn it, is chiefly valuable as being the only account we have of the actual life and customs of a community making a business of piracy.”