The Wanderer

A first-hand description of life on the 'tall ships' of the British Navy. This memoir is distinguished by NOT being the recollections of an officer or commander writing and seeing from a position of rank and privilege, but those of a common sailor. Born in 1850, Alfred Spencer went to sea at an early age. His education was the rough experience of ropes and sails, cannons, rum rations and the lash.

But after travelling the world, he went on to create a new life for himself in the England of the late 19th century, eventually becoming a journalist. His words bring to life a world now almost lost to memory, preserved mostly in sensational fiction.

Written in 1910, The Wanderer is presented now for the first time in over a hundred years, with a thorough glossary and extensive background information to help the modern reader understand and appreciate the world of Alfred Spencer - a world of adventure, memorable characters, and rapid changes in technology and global politics.