Captains Courageous

Captains Courageous: A Story of the Grand Banks

"Captains Courageous: A Story of the Grand Banks" is a novel written by Rudyard Kipling in 1897. It tells the story of Harvey Cheyne Jr., a fifteen-year-old boy. Harvey is the son of a very wealthy railroad owner and is used to getting everything he wants.

One day, Harvey falls into the ocean and almost drowns, but he is saved by an American fishing boat from the Grand Banks in the North Atlantic. Because Harvey was saved by these fishermen, they decide he must work with them to earn his keep. This changes Harvey’s life, as he learns important lessons about hard work and respect.

The book was first published as a series of stories in a magazine called McClure's in 1896, and then as a full novel in 1897. It was published in the United States by Doubleday and in the United Kingdom by Macmillan.

The title of the book comes from an old ballad called "Mary Ambree". Even Teddy Roosevelt, the future president of the United States, praised the book. This novel is special because it is the only one by Kipling that is set entirely in North America.

Plot

Harvey Cheyne Jr. is the spoiled son of a wealthy railroad magnate from California. He falls off a big steamship and is saved by the crew of a fishing schooner called We're Here near the Grand Banks of Newfoundland.

Harvey tries to convince the crew to take him home quickly, telling them about his wealth. They do not believe him at first. The captain, Disko Troop, finds Harvey’s wallet still on the ship and makes Harvey work as a cabin boy to earn his keep.

With the help of the captain’s son, Dan, Harvey learns to live like the crew and becomes good at tasks such as keeping track of the ship’s catch. The story has exciting tales of fishing and sailing.

When the We're Here returns to port, Harvey’s parents come to Boston, Massachusetts, and then to the fishing town of Gloucester to bring him home. They are surprised by how much he has grown. Harvey’s father rewards the crew member who saved him and hires Dan to work on his fancy tea clipper ships. Harvey then goes to Stanford to get ready to help run his father’s shipping business.