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Mutiny on the Globe
In 1824, the whaling ship Globe sailed from Martha's Vineyard. Her captain had high hopes for a successful voyage. She headed east toward the Azores, and then south all the way around the tip of South America and across the Pacific to Hawaii and Japan. But the whales were few, and the discontent growing among the men suited perfectly the diabolical plans of first mate Samuel Comstock, who had been planning mutiny all along. His plan was bigger than mutiny, however. He plotted to take over the ship, and set up a kingdom for himself on a remote Pacific island.
Through fear and coercion, Comstock succeeded. Almost. He took over the ship and sailed to the small island of Mili. Soon after landing, however, the men fell out among themselves, and in turn began fighting with the natives. Finally, six men stole the Globe and sailed back across the Pacific to South America, where their story inspired an amazing manhunt.
All is told here in full detail as it actually happened. Using the ship's logs, memoirs, and court records, EDWIN P. HOYT has uniquely reconstructed the events aboard the Globe. It was an important turning point in American maritime history, but, most of all, it was a stirring adventure of men and the sea.
Through fear and coercion, Comstock succeeded. Almost. He took over the ship and sailed to the small island of Mili. Soon after landing, however, the men fell out among themselves, and in turn began fighting with the natives. Finally, six men stole the Globe and sailed back across the Pacific to South America, where their story inspired an amazing manhunt.
All is told here in full detail as it actually happened. Using the ship's logs, memoirs, and court records, EDWIN P. HOYT has uniquely reconstructed the events aboard the Globe. It was an important turning point in American maritime history, but, most of all, it was a stirring adventure of men and the sea.
204 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2003
About the author
Edwin P. Hoyt
239 books31 followersEdwin P. Hoyt was a prolific American writer who specialized in military history. He was born in Portland, Oregon to the publisher Edwin Palmer Hoyt (1897–1979) and his wife, the former Cecile DeVore (1901–1970). A younger brother, Charles Richard, was born in 1928. Hoyt attended the University of Oregon from 1940 to 1943.
In 1943, Hoyt's father, then the editor and publisher of The Oregonian, was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as the director of the Domestic Branch, Office of War Information. The younger Hoyt served with the Office of War Information during World War II, from 1943 to 1945. In 1945 and 1946, he served as a foreign correspondent for The Denver Post (of which his father became editor and publisher in 1946) and the United Press, reporting from locations in China, Thailand, Burma, India, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and Korea.
Edwin Hoyt subsequently worked as an ABC broadcaster, covering the 1948 revolution in Czechoslovakia and the Arab-Israeli conflict. From 1949 to 1951, he was the editor of the editorial page at The Denver Post. He was the editor and publisher of the Colorado Springs Free Press from 1951 to 1955, and an associate editor of Collier's Weekly in New York from 1955 to 1956. In 1957 he was a television producer and writer-director at CBS, and in 1958 he was an assistant publisher of American Heritage magazine in New York.
Starting in 1958, Hoyt became a writer full-time, and for a few years (1976 to 1980) served as a part-time lecturer at the University of Hawaii. In the 40 years since his first publication in 1960, he produced nearly 200 published works.
While Hoyt wrote about 20 novels (many published under pseudonyms Christopher Martin and Cabot L. Forbes) the vast majority of his works are biographies and other forms of non-fiction, with a heavy emphasis on World War II military history.
Hoyt died in Tokyo, Japan on July 29, 2005, after a prolonged illness. He was survived by his wife Hiroko, of Tokyo, and three children, Diana, Helga, and Christopher, all residing in the U.S.
In 1943, Hoyt's father, then the editor and publisher of The Oregonian, was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as the director of the Domestic Branch, Office of War Information. The younger Hoyt served with the Office of War Information during World War II, from 1943 to 1945. In 1945 and 1946, he served as a foreign correspondent for The Denver Post (of which his father became editor and publisher in 1946) and the United Press, reporting from locations in China, Thailand, Burma, India, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and Korea.
Edwin Hoyt subsequently worked as an ABC broadcaster, covering the 1948 revolution in Czechoslovakia and the Arab-Israeli conflict. From 1949 to 1951, he was the editor of the editorial page at The Denver Post. He was the editor and publisher of the Colorado Springs Free Press from 1951 to 1955, and an associate editor of Collier's Weekly in New York from 1955 to 1956. In 1957 he was a television producer and writer-director at CBS, and in 1958 he was an assistant publisher of American Heritage magazine in New York.
Starting in 1958, Hoyt became a writer full-time, and for a few years (1976 to 1980) served as a part-time lecturer at the University of Hawaii. In the 40 years since his first publication in 1960, he produced nearly 200 published works.
While Hoyt wrote about 20 novels (many published under pseudonyms Christopher Martin and Cabot L. Forbes) the vast majority of his works are biographies and other forms of non-fiction, with a heavy emphasis on World War II military history.
Hoyt died in Tokyo, Japan on July 29, 2005, after a prolonged illness. He was survived by his wife Hiroko, of Tokyo, and three children, Diana, Helga, and Christopher, all residing in the U.S.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 7, 2010
Samuel Comstock was an unstable man who dreamed of mutiny long before he set off on the Globe, a whaling ship from Nantucket. In some ways, Comstock was an unlikely mutineer. He was an educated man from a prosperous Quaker family with connections in the whaling business, and he was a favorite of the ship's easygoing captain. But Comstock also had a history of unruly behavior, a hatred of authority, and a fierce desire to set up his own island kingdom in the Pacific.
This book covers some background information, the voyage, the mutiny, and its aftermath in a basic, straightforward style. I wouldn't call it dry, because I thought it was an entertaining, easy read. My only real problem with the writing style what with what facts the author chose to (or in some cases not to) emphasize.
At the start of the book, we were told mostly about Comstock and Worth, the ship's captain. The other men who set out with the ship were introduced, but some played larger roles than others during later events and I found myself having to look back to make sense of who was who.
This mostly bothered me during the last chapters of the book, where the author made several references to things and people that I didn't always remember - probably because their earlier mentions were so cursory. As another example of odd levels of emphasis, it had been brought up again and again that Captain Worth married right before the ship left port, so I was surprised to see no mention of the fate of his wife.
I'd still suggest this to anyone who's into sailing stories and would like a "just the facts" presentation of the mutiny. I'd certainly recommend it over Demon of the Waters: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Whaleship Globe. That one's more recent, but it has an odd structure and a muddy focus. Here's my review of it.
This book covers some background information, the voyage, the mutiny, and its aftermath in a basic, straightforward style. I wouldn't call it dry, because I thought it was an entertaining, easy read. My only real problem with the writing style what with what facts the author chose to (or in some cases not to) emphasize.
At the start of the book, we were told mostly about Comstock and Worth, the ship's captain. The other men who set out with the ship were introduced, but some played larger roles than others during later events and I found myself having to look back to make sense of who was who.
This mostly bothered me during the last chapters of the book, where the author made several references to things and people that I didn't always remember - probably because their earlier mentions were so cursory. As another example of odd levels of emphasis, it had been brought up again and again that Captain Worth married right before the ship left port, so I was surprised to see no mention of the fate of his wife.
I'd still suggest this to anyone who's into sailing stories and would like a "just the facts" presentation of the mutiny. I'd certainly recommend it over Demon of the Waters: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Whaleship Globe. That one's more recent, but it has an odd structure and a muddy focus. Here's my review of it.
May 20, 2026
Very engaging tale. At times it was a bit of a dense read because of all the names and dates, but overall not bad. Two chapters in and all I could think was "Why did they even let that guy on the ship?!" (Finished the book, and I'm still thinking that. But I guess the sailors didn't.) Enjoyable read and the descriptions of navigation + whaling are easy to follow!
July 12, 2007
i read this book on the tails of 'in the heart of the sea' and several books on shackelton. i think the best way to describe this book is that it blows its wad right at the beginning and then just sort of drones on sometime around the middle. i didn't even finish it...but samuel comstock...one hell of a dude.
October 9, 2007
A decently told story, but a bit bland.
April 12, 2013
A good popular review of the terrible happenings on the Globe. A kind of nautical "Animal Farm." Dictators/Emperors must be stopped before they gain power!
Want to Read
May 1, 2007Looking forward to reading this. Avast ye swabs!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews