Bettie's Books

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BLURB: This shipwreck-and-survival saga occurred in 1815 in the wind-tortured territory of the modern Western Sahara and was promptly written down by American brigantine captain James Riley. So popular it appeared in six different editions, Riley's account is revived here with the benefit of author King's journey to retrace, in part, the 800-mile desert trek of Riley and his shipwrecked crew.

Unabridged and read by Michael Pritchard



Timbuktu, Mali

Napoleon's Milan Decree: issued on December 17, 1807 by Napoleon I of France to enforce the Berlin Decree of 1806 which had initiated the Continental System. This system was the basis for his plan to defeat the British by waging economic warfare. The Milan Decree stated that no European country was to trade with the United Kingdom.

The decree authorized French warships and privateers to capture neutral ships sailing from any British port or from any country that was occupied by British forces. It also declared that any ships that submitted to search by the Royal Navy on the high seas were to be considered lawful prizes if captured by the French. (wiki sourced)

Tuareg Peoples



Originally published in 1817 "Authentic Narrative of the Loss of the American Brig Commerce" by the "Late Master and Supercargo" James Riley, it was republished as Sufferings in Africa: The Incredible True Story of a Shipwreck, Enslavement, and Survival on the Sahara

King does Riley with the best part of a century between the two journeys. Right off bat one can say that King has the better bargain:

• no shipwreck trauma
• no camel urine drinking
• no slavery
• no scimitars

A cracking read.