The Dark Frigate

If you liked Treasure Island, you will like The Dark Frigate written by Charles B. Hawes. The Dark Frigate was first published in 1923 and was awarded the Newbery Medal. This twenty-four chapter book takes you through the young life of Philip Marsham.

Philip was a boy who always knew he would be a man of the sea. Early in his life, his mother died and his father was out on the sea for long periods of time. During his time away, Philip stayed at a local inn. His father, Tom Marsham, did not come back it was believed he was lost at sea.

Phil's stay at the inn was no boy's camp. It was hard and filled with little love. He left the inn and struckout on his own. Instead of going out to sea, eventhough he was street smart (or I should say sea smart) Phil headed inland. He came upon several land travelors and journeyed with some. At times these journeys lead to mishaps with the law and he would have to leave in haste. During one of these excursions, Phil met a young girl who caught his fancy. They kissed and he made a solom promise to return for her.

Phil and one of his companions on the journey attempted to run from the law by signing onto a ship. Phil clearly had the necessary sea knowledge eventhough he had never been on the sea. He was smart and knowledgable when it came to things of the sea. The captain took a liking to Phil and signed him on. The ship was called The Rose of Devon.

On their voyage, The Rose of Devon encountered a crippled ship. Captain Candle gave out the order to recover the men on the broken ship. This good will was repaid by their taking over the ship and killing all who would not follow their new captain, The Old One. The Old One was none other than Tom Jordan one of the unstable crooked men Phil met on his journeys inland.

Tom Jordan used greed and fear to intice (sp) the men to follow his way. They were pirates insearch of wealth. Time passed, ships overtaken, and life's ended. Phil could take this life no more. He left the ship without permission and sought out a new life. He came across another ship in a hidden cove. It happened to be a war ship, stationed their to protect the small village from pirates. Phil tried to warn the captain but he took him as a lookout for the oncoming pirate ship, The Rose of Devon. Tom Jordan was not ready for the fire power nor the shear strength of the war ship. They were quickly taken over and placed in irons in the bowels of the ship.

They all went to court and everyone was sentenced to death except.......

MY TWO CENTS WORTH

Once I got past all the "pirate" and "old" ways of talking, I was able to get into the story. The language was a barrior but I managed to muddle through it. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed "Treasure Island" or books of that nature. Philip Marshall was a character you can easily identify with and understand why he makes the decisions he makes. He was a boy who was experienced well beyond his years, yet he was young and did what our young do. I admired his committment, his dinasity (sp), his fire, and his determination. I was crushed when the girled he promised to return to had already committed herself to someone else. My heart sank even deeper when she laughed in his face and wrote it off as something foolish. On the flipside, she wasn't as pretty as he remembered, she was heavier, and it appeared that she enjoyed the company of men, many men. In the long run, I think Phil got the better deal.