Owen Hartley; or, Ups and Downs: A Tale of Land and Sea

"Owen Hartley; or, Ups and Downs: A Tale of Land and Sea" by William Henry Giles Kingston is a 19th-century tale that follows young Owen Hartley's life after becoming an orphan. We witness his transformation from a boy shouldering adult responsibilities to a young man employed in a London shipping business and, eventually, a seaman facing treacherous conditions aboard the "Druid," where he struggles with a cruel first mate and finds companionship with a fellow ship's boy named Nat. It's a story of resilience, the importance of friendship in tough times, and the search for a place to call home amidst life's ups and downs.