"Tragedies and terrors plagued the perilous sea trading route between Portugal and India in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Among the narratives that chronicled the voyages, those written by the Portuguese are unequaled in their suspense and drama: existence and survival are pushed to human limits in these accounts of harrowing storms and castaways in exotic lands.

They describe disastrous turns of fate and miraculous rescues, as well as heroism and cowardice, and offer readers the exhilaration and sheer emotional appeal of adventure tales well told.".

"This new edition of C. R. Boxer's translations of famous Portuguese shipwreck stories also includes a new translation of the tragic tale of Captain Manuel de Sousa Sepulveda, who was shipwrecked with his family and crew near the Cape of Good Hope in 1552.

After enduring treacherous storms that completely destroyed their ship and its cargo, a few hundred passengers and slaves were forced to go ashore, where they struggled for several weeks with starvation and thirst, treks through rugged terrain, attacks and manipulation by African tribes, and conflicts within their own group. Only a handful of survivors reached Mozambique in 1553 after their dreadful and extreme ordeal."--BOOK JACKET.