The Commerce was a Connecticut-based American merchant sailing ship that ran aground in 1815 at Cape Bojador, off the coast of what is now Western Sahara. This is the story of one of the crew who survived the shipwreck and who went on to become a slave in one of the local tribes who captured them. Captain James Riley and crew were attacked and ransacked on shore by Sahrawi natives. The crew escaped by rowboat but when their supplies ran low they again went to shore. They were taken captive by nomads of the Oulad Bou Sbaa ...
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The Commerce was a Connecticut-based American merchant sailing ship that ran aground in 1815 at Cape Bojador, off the coast of what is now Western Sahara. This is the story of one of the crew who survived the shipwreck and who went on to become a slave in one of the local tribes who captured them. Captain James Riley and crew were attacked and ransacked on shore by Sahrawi natives. The crew escaped by rowboat but when their supplies ran low they again went to shore. They were taken captive by nomads of the Oulad Bou Sbaa tribe. They spent months dehydrated, starved and suffering brutality. This is an account of that time.
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Seller's Description:
Good. No dust jacket. Covers, spine scuffed; front cover a bit warped; spine ends chipped; 1" tear at the top of the front hinge; foxed throughout; text block lightly shaded; rfep has small tear; page block shaken; Africa map torn at front edge; 12mo. 275 p. Full calf boards and spine, with red title block and gilt lettering on spine; signature of 1st owner on ffep dated October 22, 1818; This is one of the original accounts of the shipwreck and subsequent experiences of the crew described by Dean Riley in his 2004 book "Skeletons of the Zahara: A Story of True Survival. "
