The Life, Adventures, and Pyracies, Of the Famous Captain Singleton: Containing an Account of his being set on Shore in the Island of Madagascar, his Settlement there, with a Description of the Place and Inhabitants: Of his Passage from thence, in a Paraguay, to the main Land of Africa, with an Account of the Customs and Manners of the People: His great Deliverances from the barbarous Natives and wild Beasts: Of his meeting with an Englishman, a Citizen of London, among the Indians, the great Riches he acquired, and his Voyage Home to England: As also Captain Singleton's Return to Sea, with an Account of his many Adventures and Pyracies with the famous Captain Avery and others.

DEFOE, Daniel.

Published by London: Printed for J. Brotherton, J. Graves, A. Dodd, and T. Warner, 1720

About this Item

First edition of this lesser-known novel, an African travelogue and pirate adventure with parallels to Robinson Crusoe and Conrad's Heart of Darkness. After being marooned on Madagascar for his part in a mutiny, the young Singleton embarks on a journey across the spine of Africa to the Gulf of Guinea. Along the way, he acquires enormous quantities of gold and ivory, returning with this treasure to England. In the second half of the novel, Singleton uses his fortune to become a privateer, enjoying a series of piratical adventures in the East Indies. Michael Seidel has observed that, in Defoe's narrative, Singleton encounters a European ivory trader in the depths of the African interior, having passed close by the inland Congo region. The trader has cornered the local market in ivory, amassed great local power, and enjoys the protection of armed native tribesmen. ESTC T69688; Furbank & Owens 209; Moore 435; Sabin 19281 (third edition). Michael Seidel, "Defoe in Conrad's Africa", Conradiana, vol. 17, no. 2, 1985. Octavo (188 x 120 mm), pp. [ii], 344 (= 360, pp. 209-24 repeated). Wood-engraved head- and tailpiece and initial. Late 19th-century crushed red morocco, spine ruled and decorated in gilt and with twin dark green morocco labels, covers panelled and with cornerpieces in gilt, turn-ins in gilt, marbled endpapers, edges marbled and gilt. Light sunning to spine, minor browning and foxing to contents: a very good copy indeed.

Seller Inventory # 179911

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Life, Adventures, and Pyracies, Of the Famous Captain Singleton: Containing an Account of his being set on Shore in the Island of Madagascar, his Settlement there, with a Description of the Place and Inhabitants: Of his Passage from thence, in a Paraguay, to the main Land of Africa, with an Account of the Customs and Manners of the People: His great Deliverances from the barbarous Natives and wild Beasts: Of his meeting with an Englishman, a Citizen of London, among the Indians, the great ...
• Publisher: London: Printed for J. Brotherton, J. Graves, A. Dodd, and T. Warner, 1720
• Edition: 1st Edition