Ocean Bound Women: Sisters Sailing Around The World In The 1880s - The Adventures-the Ship-the People

Book excerpt: Ocean Bound Women is an intriguing first-hand narrative of circumnavigating the globe in the 1880s. Based on family documents stored in a seaman's chest, this book provides a scholarly account of the history of the Swedish sailing-ship Atlantic (1876-1911) and her crew.Part of the book is based upon a diary written by a Scandinavian woman, which stands as the uniting text for the years 1885-1887, connecting the reader to all events in the chronicle. Other sources consist of manuscripts, documents and accounts collected from family descendants along with oral traditions and personal memories—all hitherto unpublished.This is a touching life story of two motherless sisters who took on a ship in their teens: a book about life on the oceans and meeting with people of many different nations.