About this book
Concerning "Bully" Hayes from The Strange Adventure of James Shervinton and Other Stories by Louis Becke plunges listeners into the wild, lawless Pacific of the 1860s and 1870s. Becke’s vivid short fiction — equal parts sea story and literary portrait — follows the notorious Captain William "Bully" Hayes through island ports, schooners laden with copra, and the shadowy business of blackbirding that marked an era of brisk trade and moral compromise.
Drawing on firsthand experience among South Sea island communities, Becke evokes the heat, salt spray, and clinking rigging of a vanished maritime world while probing themes of adventure, colonialism, and human greed. The narrative balances brisk action with atmospheric description and character study, offering historical context about the Pacific trading routes, the rivalry between island and colonial powers, and the rough justice of seafaring life.
Ideal for listeners who love nautical fiction, classic literature, and historical adventure, this audiobook delivers authentic sea lore and morally complex storytelling. Tune in for a gripping, immersive voyage into a perilous chapter of Pacific history told by one of the era’s keenest observers.
