Born in Dennis Port, Massachusetts in 1839, Joshua Eldredge Howes wrote this memoir in the last years of his life. His lucid recollections begin with a queasy introduction to the sea as a young boy, describe primary education in the town's one-room schoolhouse, continue through a period of teenage carousing, and culminate in an ocean voyage to Peru, Holland, England and Canada. As he recounts stealing sheep from a miserly priest in Nova Scotia, attending a bullfight in Peru, and setting fire to a brothel in Liverpool, Joshua spins a gripping yarn that remains compelling and appealing. 

Originally transcribed and annotated by Burt Derick in 2010 this book was published by Brian J. Cook, his great-great-great grandson, with the support of The Dennis Historical Society.