On Wilder Seas: The Woman on the Golden Hind
Most people have heard of Francis Drake’s circumnavigation of the globe aboard the Golden Hind. It is less well-known that for nine months in 1579, he was accompanied by a black female slave called Maria. The original records are short and brutally dismissive: “Drake took out of this ship… a negro wench called Maria which was afterward gotten with child between the captain and his men pirates and set on a small island to take her adventures”.
On Wilder Seas adds flesh to these bare bones. Told in first person, this is very much Maria’s story as she endures the deprivations of a tiny ship, at the mercy of eighty men and devoid of female companionship. The author paints an evocative picture of this regimented, claustrophobic world: the hourly bells; men sleeping where they could; the smell of bitter saltpetre on the gun deck; the manger of scratching, pecking hens. All in sharp contrast to Drake’s own tranquil cabin: fine furniture bolted down; pictures on the walls; books everywhere.
Through a series of vivid flashbacks, we learn about Maria’s early life in West Africa, followed by the horrors of the slaving ship that transported her to the New World. Maria is an immensely likeable character; compassionate, intelligent, resilient and courageous. Drake, on the other hand, grows less admirable as the novel progresses: searching for the elusive “Northwest Passage”, he makes camp at Nova Albion, (long supposed to be California, although Marmery places it further north at the Canadian/USA border). Drake and his men treat the native population as savages – with tragic consequences – whereas Maria befriends them and earns their trust. On Wilder Seas is a beautifully written and thought-provoking novel. Highly recommended.
