A Modern Buccaneer

by Rolf Boldrewood

"A Modern Buccaneer" by Rolf Boldrewood is a novel published in 1894. Set in the South Pacific, it follows seventeen-year-old Hilary Telfer who leaves Sydney to pursue a life at sea. Written as an autobiography, the story chronicles his adventures aboard the ship of the notorious Bully Hayes, an American captain and the "Buccaneer" of the title. The novel explores island trading and the controversial practice of "blackbirding" that dominated the era, offering readers a vivid portrait of South Sea island life.