The Privateersman

audiobook

The Privateersman

by Frederick Marryat

EN·~11 hours·17 chapters

Chapters

17 total
1

Chapter One. - We cruise off Hispaniola—Capture of a French Ship—Continue our Cruise—Make a Nocturnal Attack upon a Rich Planter’s Dwelling—Are repulsed with Loss.

21:05
2

Chapter Two. - We are pursued by two Schooner-Privateers, and failing to escape them a terrible Contest ensues—Three Acts of a Murderous Naval Drama—We are worsted—Captain Weatherall is killed—I am plundered and wounded.

17:48
3

Chapter Three. - We are sent in, on board the Revenge, and treated with great cruelty—Are afterwards recaptured by the Hero privateer, and retaliate on the French—I am taken to the hospital at Port Royal, where I meet the French lady—Her savage exultation at my condition—She is punished by one of my comrades.

9:31
4

Chapter Four. - Sail for Liverpool in the Sally and Kitty—Fall in with a Gale—Boy overboard—Nearly drowned in attempting to save him—See the owners at Liverpool—Embark in the Dalrymple for the Coast of Africa—Arrive off Senegal.

11:53
5

Chapter Five. - In crossing the Bar at Senegal the boat is upset by a Tornado—We escape being devoured by Sharks only to be captured by the Natives—Are taken into the interior of the country, and brought before the Negro King, from whose wrath we are saved by the intercession of his female attendants.

15:08
6

Chapter Six. - I am given as a Slave to the old King’s Favourite, Whyna—Assist my young Mistress to make her Toilet—Hold frequent Conversations with her, and become strongly attached to her—My Hatred and Dread of the old King increase—He shoots a Man with Bird-arrows.

10:35
7

Chapter Seven. - I attend the King on a hunting Expedition—Chase of wild Animals—Whyna and I in great danger from a Tiger—Barbarity of the King to my young Mistress—I try to soothe her—I and my Companions are ransomed—Sad parting with Whyna—After an Encounter with a hostile People, we reach Senegal—Return to England.

15:25
8

Chapter Eight. - The Liverpool Ladies are very civil to me—I am admitted into good Society—Introduced to Captain Levee—Again sail to Senegal—Overhear a Conspiracy to seize the Ship by the Crew of a Slaver, but am enabled to defeat it—Am thanked and rewarded by the Owner—Take a Trip to London with Captain Levee—Stopped by Highwaymen on the Road—Put up at a Tavern—Dissipated Town Life—Remove to a genteel Boarding-House—Meet with a Government Spy—Return to Liverpool.

39:04
9

Chapter Nine. - I am put in command of the Sparrow-Hawk—Am directed to take four Jacobite Gentlemen secretly on board—Run with them to Bordeaux—Land them in safety—Dine with the Governor—Meet with the Widow of the French Gentleman I had unfortunately killed—Am insulted by her second Husband—Agree to fight with him—Sail down the River and prepare for Action.

39:00
10

Chapter Ten. - Captain Levee and I engage with the French Privateer—We come off victorious—My revenge against the French Lady—We take our Prize to Liverpool.

19:33

Description

A seasoned privateer writes his own journal for a trusted confidante, promising to preserve the raw emotions of his younger days. He sets the scene off the coast of Hispaniola, aboard the well‑armed sloop Revenge, and hints at the moral lessons he hopes readers will draw from his daring exploits. The tone is intimate, as if the narrator is confiding directly to a dear friend about the fierce pride and fear that drove him.

The opening episode follows a dramatic chase of a heavily laden French ship bound for France. Despite the enemy’s superior firepower, the Revenge’s crew engages in a brutal exchange of broadsides and a desperate boarding action, where personal bravery and sacrifice come to the fore. Both captains fight hand‑to‑hand, and the clash leaves the deck slick with blood, forcing a tense retreat and a renewed resolve among the privateers.

Through vivid detail and reflective commentary, the narrative captures the perilous world of 18th‑century privateering, inviting listeners to experience the salty spray, the roar of cannon, and the inner conflict of a man torn between duty and conscience.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~11 hours (635K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

Release date

2007-05-22

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Frederick Marryat

Frederick Marryat

1792–1848

A sailor, storyteller, and sharp observer of life at sea, this early master of nautical fiction turned real naval experience into lively adventures. His books helped shape the sea story and still stand out for their action, humor, and eye for detail.

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