Becke, Louis — Ridan the Devil: And Other Stories. Colonial Library

T Fisher Unwin George Lewis Becke (1848-1913) was an Australian short-story writer and novelist. In 1869, Becke travelled to San Francisco with his brother Vernon and was away for nineteen months. At 16 years of age, Becke was a stowaway on a ship bound for Samoa. In Apia he took a job as a book-keeper. When Becke was 18, he met William "Bully" Hayes who later became a central character in Becke's writings. After being shipwrecked in 1874, Becke was later arrested for piracy, but was acquitted in Brisbane. Becke was in the Ellice Islands by April 1880 working as a trader. In February 1881 he opened his own store in Nukufetau, later in 1881 a shipwreck caused him to lose all he had; for the next few years worked in New Britain and at Majuro. The twenty-two seafaring stories in this collection are set in Australia, Polynesia, and other South Sea islands. CONDITION Colonial Library Edition, which were printed first to be able to distributed in time for release date. Green vertical ribbed cloth, mildly rubbed to edges with slight soil spots, pp vii 330. Internally very bright and crisp, eps foxed, gift inscription to half title dated 1902. Very scarce collectable title. H First Edition No Jacket London, United Kingdom Very Good 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall