The Cruise of the Theseus — Brian Smith

The fifty gun frigate Theseus is lying in Bombay Harbour and about to go on a slave-cruising expedition on the coast of Arabia with its crew of British and Kroo sailors, a mischievous monkey and an Arab interpreter. Engaging murderous slave traders, active service on land and the danger of war with both Russia and France make for an action packed story that has plenty of interesting and humorous episodes to delight and engage.With author biography, glossary and notes on the text and historical background.Arthur Lee Knight (1852 - 7 Jul 1944) was a popular author of adventure books in the late 19th and early 20th century. Around 1868 he joined the Royal Navy at the age of sixteen as a junior midshipman, where he served on the 51-gun screw frigate HMS Forte.Having been a midshipman in the navy he was familiar with life in the navy and many of the episodes in his novels - such as hunting Arab slave traders - are clearly events he experienced himself and give unique insight into the world and people in the Victorian age. His readable and often racy stories are characterized by authentic navy language of the time and evocative descriptions of seascapes, distant countries and unusual people.