Sailing Alone Around the World · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum.
Chapter 1
Dedication
A brief dedication to an unnamed person who expressed faith in the Spray's return.
Chapter 2
Sailing Alone Around the World
This chapter from 'Sailing Alone Around the World' captures the essence of Captain Joshua Slocum's solo circumnavigation. It highlights his departure from Boston, the rebuilding of the Spray, and his encounters with various people and cultures. The narrative weaves together themes of self-reliance, adventure, and the profound connection between man and the sea, as Slocum navigates through both calm waters and formidable storms, reflecting on his journey and the world around him.
Chapter 3
Chapter I: The Rebuilding of the Spray
Captain Joshua Slocum recounts his early life and maritime career, leading to his decision to rebuild the old sloop Spray in Fairhaven. With the help of friends and his own craftsmanship, he transforms the derelict vessel into a sturdy ship, launching her for a trial trip.
Chapter 4
II
Captain Slocum spends time fishing off the coast, then decides to embark on a voyage around the world. He departs Boston on April 24, 1895, sails to Gloucester for supplies, and then to Nova Scotia, where he visits old friends. He refits the Spray, including a half-dory as a boat, and continues his journey.
Chapter 5
Goodbye to the American Coast
Slocum departs from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, on July 2, 1895, beginning his solo Atlantic crossing. He navigates through fog, encounters a full moon that becomes a companion, and battles loneliness. He meets the barkantine La Vaguisa, whose captain sends a bottle of wine. After eighteen days, he arrives at Fayal in the Azores, where he enjoys the hospitality of the islanders and reflects on their kindness.
Chapter 6
IV
Captain Slocum departs from Horta in the Azores, facing squally weather and a bout of illness caused by overindulging in plums and cheese. In a delirious state, he imagines the ghostly pilot of Columbus's Pinta guiding the Spray through the storm. After recovering, he enjoys a feast of turtle steak and other delicacies, then continues across the Atlantic, arriving at Gibraltar in less than twenty-nine days from Cape Sable.
Chapter 7
V
The Spray departs Gibraltar with the aid of a tug, setting course for the Atlantic and ultimately Cape Horn. Slocum narrowly escapes a Moorish pirate felucca when a squall dismasts the attacker. He sails past the Canary and Cape Verde Islands, encountering various ships and reflecting on solitude and the sea. The chapter ends as he approaches the doldrums.
Chapter 8
Chapter VI
After being stranded on the coast of Uruguay, Slocum refloats the Spray with the help of the tide and trades with locals. He sails to Montevideo, where he receives generous assistance, then to Buenos Aires with Captain Howard. In Buenos Aires, he observes the city's changes, shortens the Spray's mast and bowsprit, and enjoys the hospitality of Mr. Mulhall.
Chapter 9
VII
The Spray departs Buenos Aires, faces a treacherous storm in the River Plate, and a massive wave that nearly swamps her. She then enters the Strait of Magellan, enduring gales and navigating through dangerous waters, with encounters with natives and observations of the desolate landscape.
Chapter 10
VIII
Captain Slocum departs from Port Tamar, aiming for Cape Pillar and the Pacific, but is caught in a violent storm that drives him toward Cape Horn. After days of battling the tempest, he sights land and navigates through the Cockburn Channel back into the Strait of Magellan. He encounters savages, survives williwaws, and eventually anchors near Sandy Point before continuing westward.
Chapter 11
Repairing the Spray's Sails
After the great gale, Captain Slocum repairs the Spray's sails using his own resources. He encounters hostile Fuegian savages, narrowly escapes an ambush, and receives provisions from the steamship Colombia. He salvages a cargo of tallow from wreckage, loading the Spray with it.
Chapter 12
Chapter X: Juan Fernandez and the Fuegian Arrow
After a harrowing passage through the Strait of Magellan, Slocum sails the Spray to Juan Fernandez, the island of Robinson Crusoe. He encounters a friendly 'king' and learns of a war between Chile and Argentina. Before reaching the island, he survives a gale and a defective sheet rope, and narrowly escapes a Fuegian arrow attack.
Chapter 13
Chapter XI: The Voyage Through the Trade-Winds and the Marquesas
Captain Slocum describes his solitary voyage through the trade-winds, relying on intuition and celestial navigation. He reflects on the companionship of his books and the natural world, and details his successful lunar observations. The chapter also covers his visit to Juan Fernandez, where he explores Robinson Crusoe's cave and enjoys the hospitality of the islanders, before departing for the Marquesas.
Chapter 14
Seventy-two Days Without a Port
Captain Slocum recounts his long, solitary voyage from Juan Fernandez to Samoa, a passage of seventy-two days without touching port. He describes encounters with whales and sharks, his simple diet of potatoes, cod, and flying fish, and the loss of his potato supply to a deceptive trader. Upon arriving at Apia, he is welcomed by the Samoan people and receives a visit from Mrs. Robert Louis Stevenson, who gifts him with her late husband's sailing directories. The chapter also includes a humorous anecdote about being 'arrested' for fast riding and a delightful encounter with young women who paddle his canoe around the Spray.
Chapter 15
Chapter XIII: Australia and Tasmania
Captain Slocum arrives in Melbourne, Australia, where he exhibits a shark to pay port charges. He then sails to Tasmania, where he rests and explores while the Spray is cared for by local children. After visiting Sydney, he decides to sail via the Great Barrier Reef instead of Cape Leeuwin due to unfavorable winds and ice. He encounters various people and experiences, including a 'rain of blood' storm and a visit from a yacht club member who falls into a barrel.
Chapter 16
XIV
Captain Slocum receives a generous gift from an anonymous lady, cruises around Tasmania, delivers his first lecture, and then sails northward along the Australian coast. He encounters a distressed yacht, the Akbar, whose crew refuses his help, and later learns of its wreck. He continues through the Coral Sea, passing various islands and lights, and enters the Great Barrier Reef region.
Chapter 17
Chapter XV: The Arafura Sea and the Voyage to Keeling Cocos
Captain Slocum departs from Booby Island, crossing the Arafura Sea with its phosphorescent displays, and reflects on his past and the changing times. He stops at Thursday Island for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, witnessing a corroboree, then sails on toward Keeling Cocos, with a brief call at Cooktown where he helps raise funds for destitute miners.
Chapter 18
Chapter XVI: Rodriguez and the Keeling Cocos
Captain Slocum arrives at Rodriguez, where he is initially mistaken for the Antichrist due to a local prophecy. He is warmly received by Governor Roberts and his family, and enjoys hospitality on the island. Later, he visits the Keeling Cocos Islands, where he experiences the local culture, including a dance with the judge, and narrowly escapes a dangerous boating accident. He loads the Spray with tridacna shells and departs for Rodriguez, facing heavy seas and a log discrepancy caused by a shark.
Chapter 19
XVII
Captain Slocum arrives at Mauritius, where he is given a clean bill of health and enjoys the hospitality of the island. He gives a talk at the opera-house, meets various officials, and has the Spray refitted. He then sails to Reunion and Madagascar, enduring gales in the Mozambique Channel before arriving at Port Natal (Durban), South Africa. In Durban, he is warmly received, meets Henry M. Stanley, and sails on the yacht Florence with the premier, Mr. Escombe.
Chapter 20
XVIII
The Spray departs from South Africa, reflecting on the voyage and the Cape of Good Hope. After a pleasant stay at Cape Town, including a railway trip to the Transvaal and visits from Admiral Sir Harry Rawson, the Spray sets sail for St. Helena. The chapter describes the challenges of rounding the Cape, encounters with gales, and the joy of reading Stevenson's 'An Inland Voyage' while at sea. The chapter ends with the sighting of St. Helena.
Chapter 21
XIX
The Spray arrives at St. Helena, where Captain Slocum is welcomed by Governor Sterndale. He gives lectures, stays in a haunted room at Plantation House, and visits Longwood, Napoleon's exile home. After leaving St. Helena, he stops at Ascension Island, where he is entertained by Captain Blaxland and visits the summit with Mr. Schank. The chapter concludes with a formal inspection proving the Spray sailed with only one person aboard.
Chapter 22
Chapter XX
Captain Slocum navigates the Spray through the Caribbean, facing a terrifying false alarm of a coral reef that turns out to be the lighthouse on Trinidad. He visits several islands, including Grenada and Antigua, where he is warmly received by governors and gives talks about his voyage. The chapter highlights his reliance on memory and the kindness of strangers, as he continues his journey homeward.
Chapter 23
XXI: Clearing for Home
Captain Slocum clears from the U.S. consulate and sets sail for home, crossing the calm belt of the horse latitudes and enduring a series of gales. The jibstay breaks in a storm, but he manages to repair it. Off Fire Island, he encounters a violent tornado, after which he decides to make for Newport instead of New York. He navigates the mined harbor at Newport and finally anchors there on June 27, 1898, completing a voyage of over forty-six thousand miles. He then sails the Spray to Fairhaven, her birthplace, where he moors her safely.
Chapter 24
Appendix
In this appendix, Captain Joshua Slocum provides detailed technical specifications of the Spray, including her lines, sail-plan, and steering gear. He explains how the vessel was rebuilt from an old sloop, her dimensions, and the modifications made to improve her seaworthiness. Slocum also describes the self-steering qualities of the Spray, the rigging changes from sloop to yawl, and the practical lessons learned during his voyage. He offers encouragement to would-be navigators, emphasizing the value of experience and mother-wit over mathematical calculations.
Chapter 25
Endnotes
This chapter consists of endnotes providing additional context and corrections to the main narrative. It clarifies historical details, such as the date of Alexander Selkirk's death, and offers supplementary observations from other sources, including a report on the Spray's arrival at Keeling Cocos Islands. The notes also touch on the advice given to President Krüger and the Bishop of Melbourne's practical approach to drought.
Chapter 26
List of Illustrations
This chapter is a list of illustrations and charts that document the Spray's circumnavigation, including maps of her course, plans of her cabin and deck, and diagrams of her rigging and steering gear.
