Sold by Adam Weinberger Rare Books, New York, NY, U.S.A.
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AbeBooks Seller since April 15, 2014
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SMITH, Aaron. The Atrocities of the Pirates; or, A Faithful Narrative of the Unparalleled Sufferings Endured by the Author During His Captivity Among the Pirates of the Island of Cuba, with an Account of the Excesses and Barbarities of Those Inhuman Freebooters. New York: Published by Robert Lowry, 135 Cherry-Street, 1824. First American edition, issued from the London edition of the same year. Small 8vo (6½ x 4 inches). 158 pp. Original printed paper-covered boards, rear board sympathetically replaced, spine unsympathetically renewed in beige cloth, retaining the original endpapers. Page 19 with an old repaired tear without loss. General spotting and toning as expected. A sound survival of a book seldom encountered in its original format. An exceptionally scarce early American pirate narrative and among the most dramatic first-hand accounts of Caribbean piracy published in the nineteenth century. Aaron Smith, first mate of the brig Zephyr, was captured in 1822 by pirates operating from Cuba and compelled, under threats of torture and death, to serve as navigator and interpreter during a series of maritime depredations. After a daring escape, he was arrested in Havana, accused of piracy himself, transported in irons, and ultimately tried in England, where a jury swiftly acquitted him after hearing the extraordinary circumstances of his captivity. The work quickly achieved notoriety on both sides of the Atlantic and remains one of the classic pirate narratives of the age. Rich in detail concerning pirate tactics, Caribbean seafaring, colonial prisons, violence at sea, and the legal aftermath of piracy, it occupies an important place in the literature of maritime adventure. Although portions were likely embellished by an editor or sympathetic associate, the narrative's historical value and enduring popularity have long been recognized. The New York edition is considerably more elusive than the London printing and is rarely encountered on the market, particularly in boards. Copies were heavily read, frequently rebound, and often discarded, making original-format survivors notably difficult to locate today. Pirate narratives enjoy a broad collecting appeal, attracting buyers of maritime history, Americana, Caribbean history, travel, crime, and adventure literature. A genuinely rare early American pirate narrative, preserving one of the most famous and compelling captivity stories of the age of sail.
Seller Inventory # 95
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