Ten accounts of events from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, when life at sea was a perilous venture. The book is presented as a series of tales told by “Uncle Thomas” (author Thomas Bingley) to a group of young boys. The first, an account of the adventures of Captain Richard Falconer (pseudonym of William Rufus Chetwood), comes from a fictional work. The other nine are stories of historical events. While the book is supposedly aimed at youngsters, adults who like tales of the sea might also enjoy hearing about these disastrous adventures. (Summary by Verla Viera)