Scarce 1998 maritime history documenting the extraordinary surviving letters of sailing-ship captain Thomas Messenger, edited and introduced by Graham Hindle.

Written to Messenger's daughter during his voyages of the 1890s, the letters provide a first-hand account of life aboard the final generation of commercial sailing ships, including voyages around Cape Horn and across the Pacific and Southern Oceans.

Messenger sailed aboard the Dunboyne and later commanded the barques Ladas and Midas. The voyages represented include Australia, Chile, Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle, San Diego, Valparaiso and Nagasaki. His final voyage ended tragically: the Midas departed Nagasaki for Portland, Oregon and was lost with all hands in 1898.

Illustrated throughout with historical photographs and documentary material.

Published by the small Lancashire publisher John Gray Books in 1998. ISBN 0-9534609-0-8.

An uncommon title in the current secondary market, with very few copies presently offered online. Particularly appealing to collectors of maritime history, square-riggers, Cape Horn sailing, merchant shipping and first-hand Victorian-era seafaring accounts.