内容简介
WilliamDampier,(1651-1715),wasanEnglishadventurerandpiratewhopreyedonshipsontheSpanishMain.Poorandill-educatedanddeterminedtomakehisfortune,henonethelesshadapassionforexplorationandscientificresearch.Dampierwasthefirsttomapthewindsandcurrentsoftheworld'soceans;ledthefirstrecordedpartyofEnglishmentosetfootonAustralia-80yearsbeforeCook;wroteaboutGalapagoswildlife150yearsbeforeDarwin,whodrewonDampier'snotesinhisownwork;wasthefirsttravelwriter:ANEWVOYAGEAROUNDTHEWORLDwasinstantbestsellerwhenitwaspublishedin1697-saidtohaveinfluencedthenovelsofSwiftandDefoe.Amanfullofcontradictions:hewhoachievedsomuch'blewit'laterinlife,decliningintoscandal,failureandevenfarce.Auniquemanaheadofhistime,helivedalargepartofhislifeamongpiratesyetmanagedtopreservewhatColeridgecalledhis'exquisiterefinementofmind'.Aclassicexampleofthebestnarrativehistory.