Joshua Slocum was born in 1844. After his famous trip he became friends with Mark Twain and Theodore Roosevelt. In 1909 he sailed south from Martha's Vineyard and disappeared at sea. He was declared officially dead in 1924. Thomas Philbrick introduced the Penguin Classics edition of Richard Henry Dana's TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST.

• Sailing Alone Around The WorldList of IllustrationsIntroduction by Thomas PhilbrickSuggestions for Further ReadingA Note on the Text and IllustrationsSailing Alone around the WorldChapter IA blue-nose ancestry with Yankee proclivitiesYouthful fondness for the seaMaster of the ship Norhtern LightLoss of the AquidneckReturn home from Brazil in the canoe LiberdaleThe gift of a "ship"The rebuilding of the SprayConundrums in regard to finance and calkingThe launching of the SprayChapter IIFailure as a fishermanA voyage around the world projectedFrom Boston to GloucesterFitting out for the ocean voyageHalf of a dory for a ship's boatThe run from Gloucester to Nova ScotiaA shaking up in home watersAmong old friendsChapter IIIGood-by to the American coastOff Sable Island in a fogIn the open seaThe man in the moon takes an interest in the voyageThe first fit of lonelinessThe Spray encounters La VaguisaA bottle of wine from the SpaniardA bout of words with the captain of the JavaThe steamship Olympia spokenArrival at the AzoresChapter IVSqually weather in the AzoresHigh livingDelirious from cheese and plumsThe pilot of the PintaAt GibraltarCompliments exchanged with the British navyA picnic on the Morocco shoreChapter VSailing from Gibraltar with assistance of her Majesty's tugThe Spray's course changed from the Suez Canal to Cape HornChased by a Moorish pirateA comparison with ColumbusThe Canary IslandsThe Cape Verde IslandsSea lifeArrival at PernambucoA bill against the Brazilian governmentPreparing for the stormy weather of the capeChapter VIDeparture from Rio de JaneiroThe Spray ashore on the sands of UruguayA narrow escape from shipwreckThe boy who found a sloopThe Spray floated but somewhat damagedCourtesies from the British consul at MaldonadoA warm greeting at MontevideoAn excursion to Buenos AiresShortening the mast and bowspritChapter VIIWeighing anchor at Buenos AiresAn outburst of emotion at the mouth of the PlateSubmerged by a great waveA stormy entrance to the straitCaptain Samblich's happy gift of a bag of carpet-tacksOff Cape FrowardChased by Indians from Fortescue BayA miss-shot for "Black Pedro"Taking in supplies of wood and water at Three Island CoveAnimal lifeChapter VIIIFrom Cape Pillar into the PacificDriven by a tempest toward Cape HornCaptain Slocum's greatest sea adventureReaching the strait again by way of Cockburn ChannelSome savages find the carpet-tacksDanger from firebrandsA series of fierce williwawsAgain sailing westwardChapter IXRepairing the Spray's sailsSavages and an obstreperous anchorA spider-fightAn encounter with Black PedroA visit to the steamship ColombiaOn the defensive against a fleet of canoesA record of voyages through the straitA chance cargo of tallowChapter XRunning to Port Angosto in a snow-stormA defective sheet-rope places the Spray in perilThe Spray as a target for a Fuegian arrowThe island of Alan ErricAgain in the open PacificThe run to the island of Juan FernandezAn absentee kingAt Robinson Crusoe's anchorageChapter XIThe islanders of Juan Fernandez entertained with Yankee doughnutsThe beauties of Robinson Crusoe's realmThe mountain monument to Alexander SelkirkRobinson Crusoe's caveA stroll with the children of the islandWestward ho! with a friendly galeA month's free sailing with the Southern Cross and the sun for guidesSighting the MarquesasExperience in reckoningChapter XIISeventy-two days without a portWhales and birdsA peep into the Spray's galleyFlying-fish for breakfastA welcome at ApiaA visit from Mrs. Robert Louis StevensonAt VailimaSamoan hospitalityArrested for fast ridingAn amusing merry-go-roundTeachers and pupils of Papauta CollegeAt the mercy of sea-nymphsChapter XIIISamoan royaltyKing MalietoaGood-bye to friends at VailimaLeaving Fiji to the southArrival at Newcastle, AustraliaThe yachts of SydneyA ducking on the SprayCommodore Foy presents the sloop with a new suit of sailsOn to MelbourneA shark that proved to be valuableA change of courseThe "Rain of Blood"In TasmaniaChapter XIVA testimonial from a ladyCruising round TasmaniaThe skipper delivers his first lecture on the voyageAbundant provisionsAn inspection of the Spray for safety at DevonportAgain at SydneyNorthward bound for Torres StraitAn amateur shipwreckFriends on the Autralian coastPerils of a coral seaChapter XVArrival at Port Denison, QueenslandA lectureReminiscences of Captain CookLecturing for charity at CooktownA happy escape from a coral reefHome Island, Sunday Island, Bird IslandAn American pearl-fishermanJubilee at Thursday IslandA new ensign for the SprayBooby IslandAcross the Indian OceanChristmas IslandChapter XVIA call for careful navigationThree hours' steering in twenty-three daysArrival at the Keeling Cocos IslandsA curious chapter of social historyA welcome from the children of the islandsCleaning and painting the Spray on the beachA Mohammedan blessing for a pot of jamKeeling as a paradiseA risky adventure in a small boatAway to RodriguezTaken for AntichristThe governor calms the fears of the peopleA lectureA convent in the hillsChapter XVIIA clean bill of health at MauritiusSailing the voyage over again in the opera-houseA newly discovered plant named in honor of the Spray's skipperA party of young ladies out for a sailA bivouac on deckA warm reception at DurbanA friendly cross-examination by Henry M. StanleyThree wise Boers seek proof of the flatness of the earthLeaving South AfricaChapter XVIIIRounding the "Cape of Storms" in olden timeA rough ChristmasThe Spray ties up for a three months' rest at Cape TownA railway trip to the TransvaalPresident Kruger's odd definition of the Spray's voyageHis terse sayingsDistinguished guests on the SprayCocoanut fiber as a padlockCourtesies from the admiral of the Queen's navyOff for St. HelenaLand in sightChapter XIXIn the isle of Napoleon's exileTwo lecturesA guest in the ghost-room at Plantation HouseAn excursion to historic LongwoodCoffee in the husk, and a goat to shell itThe Spray's ill luck with animalsA prejudice against small dogsA rat, the Boston spider, and the cannibal cricketAscension IslandChapter XXIn the favoring current of Cape St. Roque, BrazilAll at sea regarding the Spanish-American warAn exchange of signals with the battle-ship OregonOff Dreyfus's prison on Devil's IslandReappearance to the Spray of the north starThe light on TrinidadA charming introduction to GrenadaTalks to friendly auditorsChapter XXIClearing for homeIn the calm beltA sea covered with sargassoThe jibstay parts in a galeWelcomed by a tornado off Fire IslandA change of planArrival at NewportEnd of a cruise of over forty-six thousand milesThe Spray again at FairhavenAppendixLines and Sail-Plan of the "Spray"Her pedigree so far as knownThe lines of the SprayHer self-steering qualitiesSail-plan and steering-gearAn unprecedented featA cheer to would-be navigatorsNotes