This remarkable and well-researched book finally puts to rest
the unanswered questions and unlikely myths concerning the wreck
of the East India Company vessel Grosvenor, in 1782, off the
wild coast of Africa, where one hundred forty survivors found
themselves surrounded by local natives, but with few provisions.
Taylor's account of the Grosvenor is compellingly drawn from a
variety of sources, especially since the tragedy occurred while
journalism was subject to conjecture and common gossip and any
outrageous rumor could find its way into print. The paucity of
written documentation led Taylor to sift through a century of
supposition and lurid tales from India to England, dissecting
rumor from fact, including the fate of women assimilated into
the native culture. On their way home to London from Calcutta,
the passengers paid top-dollar for their presence on the ship;
the Grosvenor was provisioned with more than adequate supplies
for the voyage, as well as a huge cargo of valuable goods. In
good spirits, men,