Excerpt: "A ship tempest-tossed, labouring amid the surges of an angry sea; her crew on the alert, doing their utmost to keep her off a lee-shore. And such a shore! None more dangerous on all ocean's edge; for it is the west coast of Tierra del Fuego, abreast the Fury Isles and that long belt of seething breakers known to mariners as the "Milky Way," the same of which the great naturalist, Darwin, has said: "One sight of such a coast is enough to make a landsman dream for a week about shipwreck, peril, and death." There is no landsman in the ship now exposed to its dangers. All on board are familiar with the sea—have spent years upon it. Yet is there fear in their hearts and pallor on their cheeks, as their eyes turn to that belt of white frothy water between them and the land, trending north and south beyond the range of vision. Technically speaking, the endangered vessel is not a ship, but a barque, as betokened by the fore-and-aft rig of her mizenmast. Nor is she of large dimensions; only some six or seven hundred tons. But the reader knows this already, or will, after learning her name. As her stern swings up on the billow, there can be read upon it the Calypso; and she is that Calypso in which Henry Chester sailed out of Portsmouth Harbour to make his first acquaintance with a sea life."

The War-Trail Or The Hunt Of The Wild A Romance Of The Prairie is a thrilling novel by Mayne Reid that takes readers on a journey through the American West during the mid-19th century. The story follows the adventures of a young man named Maurice Gerald, who sets out on a quest to capture a wild horse known as the ""Black Mustang"". Along the way, he encounters a group of Native Americans, including a beautiful young woman named Mona, who becomes his ally in his quest.As the story unfolds, Maurice and Mona find themselves caught up in a dangerous conflict between two rival tribes, the Sioux and the Pawnee. They must navigate treacherous terrain, battle fierce enemies, and overcome countless obstacles in order to achieve their goals.""The War-Trail Or The Hunt Of The Wild Horse"" is a classic adventure novel that captures the spirit of the American West. It is a thrilling tale of love, courage, and perseverance, and is sure to captivate readers of all ages. With vivid descriptions of the landscape and the people who inhabit it, this book offers a fascinating glimpse into a bygone era of American history. (goodreads)

Thomas Mayne Reid (April 4, 1818 - October 22, 1883), was an Irish-American novelist. "Captain" Reid wrote many adventure novels akin to those written by Frederick Marryat and Robert Louis Stevenson. He was a great admirer of Lord Byron. These novels contain action that takes place primarily in untamed settings: the American West, Mexico, South Africa, the Himalayas, and Jamaica. (wikipedia.org)

Excerpt: "Unroll the world's map, and look upon the great northern continent of America. Away to the wild west, away toward the setting sun, away beyond many a far meridian, let your eyes wander. Rest them where golden rivers rise among peaks that carry the eternal snow. Rest them there. You are looking upon a land whose features are un-furrowed by human hands, still bearing the marks of the Almighty mould, as upon the morning of creation; a region whose every object wears the impress of God's image. His ambient spirit lives in the silent grandeur of its mountains, and speaks in the roar of its mighty rivers: a region redolent of romance, rich in the reality of adventure. Follow me, with the eye of your mind, through scenes of wild beauty, of savage sublimity."

The Wild Huntress: Love in the Wilderness is a captivating novel by Mayne Reid that takes readers on a thrilling journey through the untamed wilderness. Set against the backdrop of the American frontier, the story follows a courageous and independent huntress who roams the rugged landscapes, skilled in survival and intimately connected with nature. Amidst the challenges of the wilderness, she unexpectedly finds love, leading to a passionate and tumultuous romance. Reid's descriptive prose brings the wilderness to life, immersing readers in the beauty and danger of the untamed frontier. The novel explores themes of adventure, self-discovery, and the power of love amidst adversity. It delves into the complexities of human relationships and the clash between civilization and the wild "The Wild Huntress" offers a compelling blend of adventure, romance, and exploration, with well-developed characters and a vividly portrayed setting. It paints a vivid picture of the vast and unforgiving wilderness, where love and survival intertwine in unexpected ways. (amazon)

The Rifle Rangers or Adventures in South Mexico (1850) is a novel by Captain Mayne Reid, set in Vera Cruz, Mexico, during the Mexican War (1846–1848) The novel depicts the plight of American soldiers stationed in Mexico during the war and their effect on the native population. It follows the life of protagonist Captain Jack Haller as he helms the newly formed American battalion, dubbed the "Rifle Rangers". Accompanying Haller is a small band of fellow soldiers whom he leads on several missions through the Tierra Caliente portion of Mexico. The Rifle Rangers was Reid's first novel and is reflective of the author's wartime duty as a lieutenant in the First New York Volunteer Infantry, with which he traveled to the parts of Mexico described in the novel.

The White Chief: A Legend of Northern Mexico is a Western novel set in Mexico. It is a tale of the Mexican ranchers' way of life, replete with vivid descriptions of bullfights and cockfights, and daring feats of horsemanship. Having embarrassed his competitors in a horsemanship exhibition, Carlos the 'cibolero' is coerced into one last feat. The dare consisted in riding at full gallop to the edge of a deep canal, and stopping just in time to avoid falling into the muddy water of the canyon below. Carlos had previously eschewed this competition, but this time he has no choice but to compete...

Reid reverses reality in a book about white slaves in Africa. Amazingly, the whole thing is credible. Reid intimately knew how the slavery business worked, as he married a manumitted one in Louisiana. Reid points out that worthy people can be enslaved, and it saps their industriousness through removing any hope or motive of self improvement, The whole subject is dark and cruel, but worthwhile to think on. (amazon)

Excerpt: "On the western bank of the Mississippi, twelve miles below the embouchure of the Missouri, stands the large town of Saint Louis, poetically known as the "Mound City." Although there are many other large towns throughout the Mississippi Valley, Saint Louis is the true metropolis of the "far west"—of that semi-civilised, ever-changing belt of territory known as the "Frontier."

This novel from 1858 is surprisingly good. The story takes place in Louisiana where a young Englishman is wounded in the rescue of Eugenie, a planter's daughter, from a burning steamboat. While recuperating on Eugenie's plantation, he first sees Aurore, a beautiful mixed-race slave. The two fall in love. When an unscrupulous steward of Eugenie's property forces her into bankruptcy, Aurore and the other slaves are sold at auction. The ensuing efforts of the protagonist to save Aurore from a terrible fate are full of nail-biting suspense, non- stop action, and difficulties of every kind. Gives a sense of the horror of slavery in the American South, yet ends with a positive note. (amazon)