This is a part of Australian history which I had never known about. I had known that the Dutch had landed and found Australia, but I never knew that they had visited the West coast so frequently a navigational point for the trip to the lucrative Spice Islands now in Indonesia.
The Batavian story is an amazing story, as the forward says of
The Shipwreck of the Batavia combines in just the one tale the birth of the world's first corporation, the brutality of colonisation, the battle of good vs evil, the derring-do of sea-faring adventure, mutiny, ship-wreck, love, lust, blood-lust, petty fascist dictatorship, criminality, a reign of terror, murders most foul, sexual slavery, natural nobility, survival, retribution, rescue, first contact with native peoples and so much more
Yes it is all of these things the Batavia, FitzSimons account is a very readable re-telling. It should be more well known the story as opposed to how we hear about the British discovery of Australia, and Captain Cook. I just wonder when the book is coming out....
4/5
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