Morning of fire
Subtitle: John Kendrick's daring American odyssey in the Pacific
By: Scott Ridley
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: William Morrow
Published: 2010
Place of publication: New York, NY
Language: eng
Number of pages: 452
ISBN-13: 9780061700125; 9780061700194
Subjects: International relations; Description and travel; Fur trade; Travel; Relations; Voyages to the Pacific coast; Explorers; Biography; History
Other titles: John Kendrick's daring American odyssey in the Pacific
Description: Four years after the Revolutionary War, America's independence was still in doubt. The new nation needed money and a vital surge in trade. In 1787, a group of Boston merchants decided to send two ships on a desperate mission around Cape Horn and into the Pacific Ocean, to establish new trade with China, settle an outpost on territory claimed by the Spanish, and find the legendary Northwest Passage. The seven-year adventure, known as the Columbia Expedition, would bring the world to the brink of war. The man chosen to lead the expedition was John Kendrick--a master navigator and a charismatic captain of privateers during the Revolution. On the far side of the world, Kendrick would have to rely on his bravery, his charm, and his remarkable resolve to navigate unknown waters, negotiate with cutthroat imperialists from England and Spain, and form alliances with natives hit hard by early encounters with Europeans.--From publisher description.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 427-444) and index.
Table of contents: title: Prologue:; title: Morning of fire -- -- pt. I.; title: The journey outward. Out of a time of great peril --; title: Passage to the underworld --; title: Spain's frontier --; title: Refuge --; title: Halting the incursion -- pt. II. Infinite wilderness. Nootka --; title: Seizure --; title: The golden fleece --; title: Divided dreams --; title: A place of skulls -- -- pt. III.; title: Odyssey. Volatile paradise --; title: House of cards --; title: Columbia's homecoming --; title: An American presence --; title: Long-awaited return -- -- pt. IV.; title: Edge of empire. A soft war --; title: Survival and seduction --; title: A rising tide --; title: Possession --; title: Last season --; title: The fire's reach -- -- Epilogue:; title: Legacy for a new nation.