A Cape Horn Christmas by John Arthur Barry
The story takes place on a ship sailing around Cape Horn during the holiday season. The crew is struggling with harsh weather conditions and personal conflicts. A young woman joins the ship, bringing some warmth and light to the crew's lives. As Christmas approaches, the crew's dynamics change, and they begin to confront their pasts and futures.
By John Arthur Barry · First published 1947 · Genre: Adventure, Drama, Historical Fiction · 6,447 words
First lines
All hands in Yamba hut had turned in, except a couple at the end of the long rough table.
These late birds were playing euchre by the flickering light of an evil-smelling slush lamp. The cook had banked up the fire for the night, but the myall ashes still glowed redly and cast heat around. On the stone hearth stewed a bucket of tea. But for the snores of the men in the double tier of bunks ranged ship-fashion along both sides of the big hut, the frizzling of the grease in the lamp, and the muttered exclamations of the players, everything was very quiet.
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Genres
- Adventure — The plot revolves around a sailor's experiences at sea, including themes of danger, exploration, and the challenges of maritime life.
- Drama — The narrative explores intense emotional conflicts, particularly the protagonist's internal struggle with his past and the consequences of his actions.
- Historical Fiction — Set in a specific historical context of maritime culture and the era of sailing ships, reflecting the realities of life at sea during that time.
- Psychological Thriller — The protagonist's dreams and the tension surrounding them create a suspenseful atmosphere, leading to a climactic confrontation.
Tags
Historical Fiction · Christmas Story · Nautical Adventure · Maritime History · South American Setting · 19th Century Novel · Male Protagonist · Coming of Age · Self-Discovery · Friendship · Romance · Adventure
What this Textopian page supports
A Cape Horn Christmas is listed on Textopian as a short story by John Arthur Barry, dated 1947 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: John Arthur Barry
- Date: 1947 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure, Drama, Historical Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Literary Fiction
- Length: 6,447 words
- Structure: 1 section, 145 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Cape Horn Christmas by John Arthur Barry
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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More by John Arthur Barry
- The League of Ancient Mariners (1906)
- The Passage of the Palmetto (1899)
- The Ship and Her Master (1904)
- H.M.S. Pylades, The Last of Her Class (1904)
- The Pilot Service of Port Jackson (1902)
- With Young Germany on Shipboard (1905)
- How They Came Out in the Fifties (1904)
- Norfolk Island (1905)
- All works by John Arthur Barry