"The Call of the South" by Louis Becke is a story set amidst the vibrant backdrop of the South Pacific, where daring individuals are immersed in the alluring, yet dangerous, pearling trade. We meet Paul Fremont, a diver grappling with illness and complex relationships, as he shares gripping stories with the narrator from his ship. His past includes tense moments with native people from a diving trip in New Ireland, offering glimpses into themes of survival, friendship, and the clash between settlers and islanders. The story creates a sense of exciting adventures mixed with a look into island cultures. The book pulls readers into a remarkable time in maritime existence during the late 1800s.

The Call of the South 1908
By Louis Becke
A feverish diver recounts his perilous adventures in the South Pacific, where he battles hostile natives and navigates the treacherous world of the pearling trade.
Summary
About the AuthorGeorge Lewis Becke was at the turn of the nineteenth century, the most prolific, significant, and internationally renowned Australian-born writer of the South Pacific region. Having lived and worked among Pacific Islands and Islanders as a trader, ship's supercargo, and villager for some two decades, learning languages and observing natural and cultural life, Becke was prompted by J F Archibald of The Bulletin to write down his experiences, eventually becoming a popular and respected author of short stories, novellas, novels, as well as historic and ethnographic works.
George Lewis Becke was at the turn of the nineteenth century, the most prolific, significant, and internationally renowned Australian-born writer of the South Pacific region. Having lived and worked among Pacific Islands and Islanders as a trader, ship's supercargo, and villager for some two decades, learning languages and observing natural and cultural life, Becke was prompted by J F Archibald of The Bulletin to write down his experiences, eventually becoming a popular and respected author of short stories, novellas, novels, as well as historic and ethnographic works.