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Synopsis

Being 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, by aaron smith, together with a copious and explicit report of his subsequent trial at the old bailey. decorated throughout with engravings by eric ravilious. this book was printed by robert gibbings at the golden cockerel press, waltham saint lawrence, berkshire. the text is that of the original edition of 1824. 500 copies have been printed, of which this is no. 440.

Item Description

8vo. 7.75 x 5.25 inches. [8] + 156 pp.+ [1] pp. colophon.(Selborne, British Wood-Engraved Book Illustration 1904-40, p.361). Bound in original quarter dark brown cloth, gilt, over red boards. Deckled edges. Flyleaves browned and occasional foxing of page edges, preliminaries and margins; otherwise a very good copy. Illustrated by wood engraved frontispiece and by text figures. Decorated by head and tailpiece vignettes. Aaron Smith had been a mariner in the West Indies when he his ship was plundered by pirates in 1822. Smith was taken and forced to assist them. He escaped to Havana and arrested as a pirate and later turned over to the British commander-in chief at Jamaica and returned to England in chains. He was tried for his life at the Old Bailey, but found not guilty and acquitted. It is considered that this published account may have been embellished and romanticised with an added love interest. Limited edition reprint, illustrated by the artist, Eric Ravilious (1903-42), (Selborne, British Wood-Engraved Book Illustration 1904-40, p.281) Published by The Golden Cockerel private press (1920-61) during the period it was owned by Robert Gibbings, (1889-1968) Irish born author and wood engraver. (Selborne, p.140-42).