Thomas Wilson

Driftwood Thomas Wilson

This book brings some realism to the idea of the "Jolly Jack Tars" who were supposed to have lived worry-free lives of adventure on the waves in those oh-so-romantic sailing ships that we see in those romantic paintings and movies. Here is the true story of a man who went "through the mill", under all conditions, in every ocean, and describes his experience in a dozen or more deep water sailing vessels during the period from 1880 to 1910. The reader will find that the life was far from "jolly", and was generally a tough, sometimes violent, sometimes boring, but often dangerous existence, all sustained by poor pay and inadequate, often rotten food. But it's not all doom and gloom. For the sailing enthusiast, he/she will be treated to an accurate account of how these old ships were sailed and handled in all kinds of weather.