Devil on the Deep Blue Sea: The Notorious Career of Captain Samuel Hill of Boston

by Mary Malloy

Had he not been a madman, Captain Samuel Hill would likely be remembered as one of the great maritime adventurers of the early nineteenth century. He was the first American to live in Japan, and was in the Columbia River basin at the same time as Lewis & Clark. He rescued men held captive by Indians and pirates, met King Kamehameha of Hawaii and the missionaries who arrived soon after the King's death, was captured as a privateer during the War of 1812, witnessed firsthand the events of the Chilean Revolution, and wrote about all this persuasively. He was also a rapist and murderer. In all his contradictions and complexities, Samuel Hill represented the fledgling United States during its first wave of expansion. At home he appeared civilized and sensible, but as he sailed into the Pacific Ocean the mask slipped away to reveal the recklessness, ambition, and violence that propelled the United States from coast to coast and around the world.

314 pages, Paperback

First published December 11, 2006

Reviews

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samuel Hill was the first American to live in Japan. He sailed most of his life on merchant ships carrying cargo from the Pacific Northwest/Alaska to Hawaii and Canton. He witnessed parts of the Chilean revolution. He was also insane, a madman who kidnapped a girl and held her for 2 years aboard his ship, a man who neglected his ship and blamed others for disasters. He lived during interesting times and wrote extensively about them in his journals.

Mary Malloy is an excellent writer. I couldn't put the book down even though it isn't anything like what I usually read.