Ben Peach and the Pirates

Marc Portelance is a graduate business student and researcher at
Laurentian University.

Set in 1840, this is a story about pirates and a highjacking on the high
seas. It is narrated by Ben Peach, who, at the age of 15, signs on with
the brigantine Vernon, bound for the West Indies. The story is
purportedly the chronicle of a true occurrence supported by newspaper
accounts and an official letter from the British Consul in Havana, Cuba.

The reader follows Ben as he makes his first long voyage as a deckhand,
savoring with him the sights and sounds of the world as he experiences
it, from the moment the ship sets sail from Halifax to his experience
with the pirates and his return to a haven. The background details serve
to enrich, enliven, and lend credibility to the tale. The story is
tightly woven and recounted in rich detail. It has the power to capture
the attention of the reader, and propel him or her with its particular
rhythms. A glossary of nautical terms is provided for readers who may
not be familiar with maritime expressions. Highly recommended.