The Pirate Slaver: A Story of the West African Coast

The Pirate Slaver: A Story of the West African Coast by Harry Collingwood (1895) This is a very well-written book, especially from the nautical point of view. It is written as by a midshipman in a British warship patrolling the west coast of Africa, especially the Congo area, to try to prevent the slave traders, especially the Portuguese, from succeeding in their efforts to get the poor captured Africans over the Atlantic to Cuba in the most miserable conditions. The hero, Harry Dugdale, is captured in an action, and would have been killed but for the interest taken in him by the slaver-captain's son. From this there sprang a deal with the slaver that Harry would assist with navigation and watch-keeping, but must go below decks when there is an action in progress. We won't tell you much more than that but cannot refrain from commenting that the book is at least as good as the best by Kingston, though the action is almost entirely at sea, or at least on board a sea-going vessel.