By Sheer Pluck: A Tale of the Ashanti War

by G.A. Henty

Now, Hargate, what a fellow you are! I've been looking for you everywhere. Don't you know it's the House against the Town boys. It's lucky that the Town have got the first innings; they began a quarter of an hour ago." "How tiresome!" Frank Hargate said. "I was watching a most interesting thing here. Don't you see this little chaffinch nest in the bush, with a newly hatched brood. There was a small black snake threatening the nest, and the mother was defending it with quivering wings and open beak. I never saw a prettier thing. I sat quite still and neither of them seemed to notice me. Of course I should have interfered if I had seen the snake getting the best of it. When you came running up like a cart horse, the snake glided away in the grass, and the bird flew off. Oh, dear! I am sorry. I had forgotten all about the match.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Adventure

138 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1900

About the author

George Alfred Henty, better known as G.A. Henty, began his storytelling career with his own children. After dinner, he would spend and hour or two in telling them a story that would continue the next day. Some stories took weeks! A friend was present one day and watched the spell-bound reaction of his children suggesting Henty write down his stories so others could enjoy them. He did. Henty wrote approximately 144 books in addition to stories for magazines and was known as "The Prince of Story-Tellers" and "The Boy's Own Historian." One of Mr. Henty's secretaries reported that he would quickly pace back and forth in his study dictating stories as fast as the secretary could record them.

Henty's stories revolve around fictional boy heroes during fascinating periods of history. His heroes are diligent, intelligent, and dedicated to their country and cause in the face, at times, of great peril... Henty's heroes fight wars, sail the seas, discover land, conquer evil empires, prospect for gold, and a host of other exciting adventures. Along the way, they meet famous personages... In short, Henty's heroes live through tumultuous historic eras meeting leaders of that time. Understanding the culture of the time period becomes second nature as well as comparing/contrasting the society of various cultures.

Reviews

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Young lads life of excitement, and unbelievable adventure. Two years in Africa exploring nature.

Follow in his father's shoes as a taxidermist exemplary. The young well educated teen, lives a life of ups and downs. A world renowned naturalist befriend him and at sixteen, goes to Africa. He and his mentor travel through out the country, finding unknown species to document and share with their English countrymen and the world. On what I will call their adventure, they traverse numerous parts and tribes of the west coast and jungles of the continent. Taken hostage by native tribes go through untold adventures. Again G.A.Henty, tells another exciting story .

[Joey Dominguez · Rating 1 out of 5]

"They [Negroes] are just like children ... They are always either laughing or quarrelling. They are good-natured and passionate, indolent, but will work hard for a time; clever up to a certain point, densely stupid beyond. The intelligence of an average negro is about equal to that of a European child of ten years old. ... They are fluent talkers, but their ideas are borrowed. They are absolutely without originality, absolutely without inventive power. Living among white men, their imitative faculties enable them to attain a considerable amount of civilization. Left alone to their own devices they retrograde into a state little above their native savagery."
Racism at its fullest, sadly these books are promoted in Christian schools.

[Katja Labonté · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars & 3/10 hearts. This isn’t my favourite Henty book—I don’t love it, I don’t dislike it, I just like it. There’s quite a bit of discrimination against blacks, as well as a disgusting description of a torture; very few mentions of drinking & smoking. I really enjoyed the story of Sam; it was thought-provoking and humorous. I also enjoyed the beginning of the story because of the descriptions of life in 1870.

A Favourite Quote: “‘Young gentleman,’ he said, stepping up to Frank and holding out his hand, ‘I owe my child’s life to you. There are not many men who would have thrown themselves in the way of a mad dog, for the sake of a child they knew nothing of.’”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: ‘“I hab observed, sar, dat de gography ob women am bery defective.’”

[Matt Kelland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical Henty fare: part history book, part travel guide, part ethnology, part sermon on the White Man's Burden, and part schoolboy adventure. Fascinating for the historical detail, but the story's somewhat thin, and the jingoistic colonialist attitudes are occasionally obnoxious by modern standards. Still, if you're picking up this book in the 21st century, you probably know what to expect. Enjoy the ripping yarn, the description of 19thC Ghana, and the military history.

[Gr Paisley · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing book! its talks about Ned and his buds on his big adventure thru south america, the Spanish main, and many more. does not talk much about sir Frances drake, more about Ned, Gerald, Reuben, and tom. great story!

[Santiago Giraldo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Used it as background reading on a trip to Ghana, especially regarding Kumasi and the absolute absence of Ashanti architecture. An excellent read, it gives you a blow by blow account of one of the Ashanti wars and the way the British Empire dealt with Western Africa.