Publisher's Synopsis
William Dampier and Lionel Wafer despised Captain Bartholomew Sharp as a coward and entirely unfit for command. Basil (Baz) Ringrose thought Sharp a bold commander of excellent conduct.
He was twice voted out of his Captaincy and only regained it when his replacements were killed. He thwarted a crew's plan to murder him by having them drink the ship's store of wine before executing their plans to murder him on Christmas day, 1680, denying them the alcohol they needed to get their courage up. He pillaged and plundered Spanish towns and ships up and down the Western coast of the Americas. Problem was, England and Spain were at peace. The Spaniards pressed King Charles II to prosecute Sharp for piracy. Instead, Sharp presented King Charles II with a rare book of Spanish maps, outlining unknown lands for the English. Instead of dangling at the end of a rope Sharp received a royal pardon. No matter how bold Sharp was, he never made his fortune raiding the Spanish. He was destined to die in a Dutch debtors prison on St. Thomas Island in the Caribbean.
Sharp took over two dozen prize ships in his life, but failed to secure any significant booty. He was bold, daring and unlucky. It may not have been a charmed life, but Sharp did indeed live a life well-worth the reading - for entertainment and historical insight into the golden age of piracy.
Search Amazon for "tomes maritime dampier" and discover: THE DAMPIER COLLECTION
Vol. 1. A New Voyage Round the World by William Dampier
Vol. 2. Supplement of the Voyage Round the World by William Dampier
Vol. 3. Two Voyages to Campeachy by William Dampier
Vol. 4. A Discourse of Winds by William Dampier
Vol. 5. A Voyage to New Holland by William Dampier
Vol. 6. A Continuation of a Voyage to New Holland by William Dampier
Vol. 7. The Adventures of William Dampier: Being William Dampier's Unpublished Journal (Sloan MS. 3236) by William Dampier
Vol. 8. William Dampier's Atlas &c. A Collection of Maps. A Glossary. A Catalog of Old and New Place Names. Dampier's Who's Who. A Brisk Biography.
Vol. 9. A Booty of Words. A Dictionary Devoted to the Linguistic Treasure Contributed to the English Language by the Pirate William Dampier
Vol. 10. Wafer's New Voyage and Description of the Isthmus of Darien by Lionel Wafer
Vol. 11. Cowley's Voyage Round the Globe by William Ambrosia Cowley
Vol. 12. Baz Ringrose's Journal Into the South Seas by Basil Ringrose
Vol. 13 William Dick's South Sea Voyage by William Dick (aka William Williams)
Vol. 14. Captain Sharp's Journey Over the Isthmus of Darien and Expedition Into the South Seas by Bartholomew Sharp
Vol. 15. The Voyage and Adventures of Bartholomew Sharp and Others in the South Seas by Anonymous
Vol. 16. Funnell's A Voyage Round the World. Containing an Account of Captain Dampier's Expedition Into the South-Seas in the Ship St George, In the Years 1703 and 1704 by William Funnell. Includes: William Dampier's Vindication by William Dampier
Vol. 17. Woodes Rogers' Cruising Voyage Round the World by Woodes Rogers
Vol. 18. Woodes Rogers' Life Aboard a British Privateer by Woodes Rogers
Vol. 19. Edward Cooke's A Voyage to the South Seas and Round the World by Captain Edward Cooke
