Here is the true story of a boy who left home at fourteen to go on a whaling voyage—and found more adventure and danger on his trip than most people see in a lifetime.

Daniel Hall set sail in 1856 on the Candor, a whaling ship bound for Arctic waters. He expected the hardships of bad weather, worse food, and the perils and gore of whale hunting. But he was horrified to discover that he had fallen under the power of a moody and violent captain. After two years of harsh and unfair punishment, Daniel deserted the ship on the desolate coast of Siberia—where life became a struggle against hunger, wild animals, and the bitterly cold Siberian winter.

Daniel's dramatic experiences and remarkable rescue seem incredible to us today. Yet they really happened, and renowned author-illustrator Diane Stanley recreates them with complete authenticity and fascinating detail. From a bustling New Bedford port to the bleak beauty of the Siberian wilderness, she traces the amazing path of a young adventurer in a vanished world.

From the dust jacket