Book Description

This is an historical fantasy set in 1555 on the Island of St Thomas in the USVI. A privateer named the Red Grouse, captained by a Captain Douglas Murphy intercepted a Portuguese merchant ship. They sunk the vessel and took on board two hostages, which consisted of an Arabian merchant and his daughter. Later they entered, what is now known as the American Virgin Islands. As they past Secret Harbor they become the victims of a surprise attack by a French galleon, captained by a Captain Jacques de-Sores and the Grouse sank. Despite this, twelve year old Tom, the captains cabin boy and one of the hostages, named Mayya the Arabian merchant's daughter, also twelve, managed to escape being drowned. They were marooned on the Island, now known as St Thomas. Their journey through this Island introduced them to both the good and the bad elements of the island. Their human weaknesses and frailties were tested and they learnt life's cruel lesson about pain and separation. On their journey they became embroiled in a struggle between good and evil, the dominance of evil and the advantages of the collective good. In the story, the manifestation of evil was Mowang, the king of devils and his pet Weiju. The good were materialized in the Tutus fairy-like beings, the Black Witch Lisa, the Ceboney girl Arawa and others. Mowang lived in a cave overlooking Brewer's beach, where it still is to this day. Many places are named after the heroes and heroines in this book. This story is a mythological story about the Island of St Thomas in the USVI. Ironically the loss of the great evil resulted in the disappearance of the great good. The Ceboney and Arawa people no longer live there, they are all gone now. Gone too, are the ancient mystical creatures, only their names exist, like some epitaph to those who lived in those long lost forgotten times.