The Pearl Divers and Crusoes of the Sargasso Sea
The story follows young Barclay Stuart, a fourteen-year-old boy living in the quaint village of Fisherton on the south coast of Devon. Barclay is a spirited and adventurous lad, known for his love of the sea and his daring fishing exploits among the rocks. Despite his family's modest means, Barclay is well-liked in the village, often helping the local doctor and parson. One evening, Barclay encounters a mysterious old man in an abandoned windmill, whom he initially mistakes for a ghost. The man, Antonio, is a peculiar character with a glass eye and a penchant for the sea. He befriends Barclay and offers him the chance to live in the windmill and learn the ways of the sea, promising adventures and the prospect of wealth from pearl diving. Antonio is revealed to be a seasoned sailor with a mysterious past, possessing knowledge of the sea and a plan to embark on a pearl-diving expedition. He enlists Barclay and his friend Davie Drake, along with a small crew, to join him on this venture aboard the barque _Zingara_. The narrative unfolds with the crew's journey across the seas, facing storms, mutiny, and encounters with cannibalistic islanders. Antonio's leadership and the crew's camaraderie are tested as they navigate the challenges of the ocean and the dangers of the islands they visit. Throughout the story, themes of adventure, friendship, and the pursuit of dreams are explored, with Barclay's character growing from a village boy to a seasoned sailor under Antonio's mentorship. The tale is rich with descriptions of the sea, the thrill of exploration, and the bonds formed between the characters as they face the unknown together.
By Gordon Stables · First published 1912 · Genre: Maritime Adventure, Historical Fiction, Adventure Fiction · 33 chapters · 86,379 words
First lines
"Build me straight, O worthy master! / Staunch and strong a goodly vessel / That shall laugh at all disaster, / And with wave and whirlwind wrestle. " / -- LONGFELLOW.
There was a dreary sough in the wind that night, as it blew cold and damp over the dull grey sea.
What this Textopian page supports
The Pearl Divers and Crusoes of the Sargasso Sea is listed on Textopian as a novel by Gordon Stables, dated 1912 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Gordon Stables
- Date: 1912 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Maritime Adventure, Historical Fiction, Adventure Fiction, Survival Fiction
- Length: 86,379 words
- Structure: 33 chapters, 2,701 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Pearl Divers and Crusoes of the Sargasso Sea by Gordon Stables
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Genres
- Maritime Adventure — The narrative emphasizes life and peril at sea, featuring pearl divers and the challenges of the Sargasso Sea.
- Historical Fiction — The inclusion of classic archetypes such as Crusoes suggests a historical setting that influences the story's context.
- Adventure Fiction — The tale's focus on daring quests and exploration aligns with the core elements of adventure fiction.
- Survival Fiction — The narrative centers on overcoming the harsh and unpredictable nature of the Sargasso Sea, reflecting themes of survival.
Tags
adventure · nautical · maritime history · exploration · ocean voyage · treasure hunting · historical narrative · sea legends · underwater adventure · survival · seafaring · piracy
Contents
- "was it an Apparition?"
- At the Old Windmill
- Captain Antonio's Glass Eye
- The Transformation Scene
- A Wonderful Evening
- "the Twilight is Sad and Cloudy, and the Wind Blows Wild and Free"
- "Yes, Yes," she Wept, "on a Fearful Night Like this they were all Drowned"
- At the Mercy of the Waves
- "the Morn was Fair, the Sky was Clear, no Breath Came o'Er the Sea"
- The Stowaway
- At Sea
- Wild Life on the Ocean Wave
- Strange Story of a Stolen Diamond
- Ashore on a Cannibal Island
- The Koh-I-Noor Pearl
- Leona and the Islanders
- Invasion by Savages -- Fearful Fighting
- A Fleet of the Dead
- Afloat on Summer Seas
- Mutiny and Death
- The Doom of the Mutineers
- The Dread Stillness Broken by a Wailing Shriek
- What a World of Life was Everywhere Around Them
- A Long Lost Derelict
- The Crunching Noise Added to the Horror of the Situation
- The Balloon had Burst in Mid Air
- Strange Adventures -- Secrets of the Sea
- At the Derelict Again
- "Says Grannie, ‘Johnnie,' she Says, ‘you're Goin' Home"
- "where can Men Die Better than in Facing Fearful Odds?"
- "no Help! no Hope! and Day after Day Flew by"
- So Passed the Long, Bright Hours Away
- Brother José's Story, and Davie Drake's Little Joke