Author
Henry Keppel
1809-1904
Henry Keppel (1809-1904) is a public-domain author available on Rivro. Read free books, explore subjects, and discover related classics.
WikipediaSubjects
Books by Henry Keppel
The Expedition to Borneo of H.M.S. Dido For the Suppression of Piracy
"The Expedition to Borneo of H.M.S. Dido" by Captain the Hon. Henry Keppel is a historical account written in the mid-19th century. The text chronicles Keppel’s time commanding the British warship Dido as it investigates the piracy rampant in Borneo, detailing interactions with local leaders, especially James Brooke, the Rajah of Sarawak. The narrative delves into the socio-political landscape of Borneo, including the customs of its people, particularly the Dyaks, against the backdrop of European colonial interests. The opening of the book sets the stage for Keppel's mission after the Chinese War, highlighting his chance meeting with James Brooke, a man who plans to improve the lives of Borneo's populace. Keppel recalls his preparations for the expedition, the challenges he anticipates, and an earnest desire to help foster European curiosity and trade in the region. The careful orchestration of relationships between the British and local leaders, such as Rajah Muda Hassim, offers insights into the complexities of colonial interactions, revealing early attempts at diplomacy and respect for local customs amidst the overarching theme of imperial ambition.
A sailor's life under four sovereigns, Volume 3 (of 3)
"A sailor''s life under four sovereigns, Volume 3 (of 3)" by Sir Henry Keppel is a naval memoir written in the late 19th century. This concluding volume follows Keppel’s later career across Asia and Africa—combat on China’s rivers, visits to Sarawak, anti-slavery patrols off East Africa, big-game interludes, and service at Court—told in brisk, anecdotal entries that blend operations, travel, and high society. The opening of the volume plunges into Keppel’s firsthand account of the Fatshan Creek action, where his boat is sunk under heavy fire before a renewed assault scatters and captures most of a Chinese junk fleet; he includes a captured proclamation from Admiral Yeh and memorializes fallen and wounded comrades. The narrative then shifts into journal-like notes: a court-martial after the loss of Raleigh, reassignment and movements on the Canton River, a detour to Sarawak with Brooke’s circle and jungle excursions, and onward travel through Singapore and India amid news of honors. Returning to England, Keppel records a whirl of hunting and society, a deft recovery of a stolen officer’s watch, and his first turns as Groom-in-Waiting at Osborne and Windsor with lively court vignettes. He next takes the Cape command in HMS Forte, carries Sir George Grey via Madeira and Rio, shifts to HMS Brisk for an East African cruise that includes edging into Delagoa Bay, a moonlit turtle foray at Europa Island, the seizure of the slaver Manuela, hippopotamus shooting near Zanzibar, and a return to Mauritius to rehoist his flag and stage a mock landing operation.
A sailor's life under four sovereigns, Volume 2 (of 3)
"A sailor''s life under four sovereigns, Volume 2 (of 3)" by Sir Henry Keppel is a naval memoir written in the late 19th century. It presents first-hand campaigning, travel, and diary-like observations from a senior Royal Navy officer, with a strong focus on anti-piracy operations in Borneo and later postings across the globe. Expect riverine warfare, alliances with local leaders such as Rajah Brooke, vivid shipboard life, and social vignettes from ports and drawing rooms alike. The opening of the volume plunges into Keppel’s 1844 Sarawak campaigns with HMS Dido and the steamer Phlegethon: a swift assault on Patusen’s forts, the destruction of pirate strongholds, and a pursuit upriver that topples Seriff Muller’s base. A rash encounter near a Dyak hill-village costs the life of the energetic First Lieutenant Wade, and a brutal mêlée at Karangan brings heavy losses, including the renowned Patingi Ali and Mr. Steward, before the position is carried; throughout, civilians are spared and fugitives aided, while Seriff Sahib is driven into flight. The narrative then shifts to the homeward voyage—storm drama off the Cape, a comic ruse to visit his wife before orders, and paying off the Dido—before settling into dated diary entries of peacetime: publishing the Borneo expedition, levees, hunting and races, studying steam at Woolwich, and lobbying for British footholds such as Labuan.
A sailor's life under four sovereigns, Volume 1 (of 3)
"A sailor''s life under four sovereigns, Volume 1 (of 3)" by Sir Henry Keppel is a naval memoir written in the late 19th century. It recounts the author’s early life and long Royal Navy career, blending lively anecdote with first-hand glimpses of global cruising, naval culture, and political events. Expect portraits of ships, shipmates, and admirals; scenes from Madeira to Rio, the West Indies, Mexico, and back; and encounters with figures like Lord Cochrane amid Brazilian independence. The tone is brisk, humorous, and observant, with an eye for both seamanship and society. The opening of the memoir traces Keppel from a perilous infancy and mischievous schooldays in Norfolk to the Royal Naval College and his first commission. He sketches a Whig-tinged family circle at Holkham, processions for Sir Francis Burdett, a tour to Newstead with the Duke of Sussex, Nelson connections, and the rituals and rough fun of cadet life before joining HMS Tweed. The narrative then shifts to sea: voyages to Madeira, Rio, Bahia, and Pernambuco during Brazil’s upheavals, a meeting with Lord Cochrane, and the dramatic refuge of a fleeing Pernambuco leader on board. Further chapters cover River Plate calls and light-hearted midshipmen exploits, a winter run to Halifax with a bishop, West India cruising, Tampico and Vera Cruz (including an alligator episode), Havana, Port Royal, a captured slaver, and an inland visit to Xalapa. It closes this opening stretch with the Tweed’s 1827 recommission under Lord John Churchill, a near-miss with the Navarino campaign, and a fresh outward passage via Madeira and the Cape Verdes.