With rather striking illustrations by Alan Aldridge, Richard Adams' tale of the ship's cat follows the fortunes of a fighting ship's cat as the Alcestis sails to take on and plunder the Spanish in Queen Elizabeth I's reign.



Written in verse (there are 26 of them) the book tells of how the Alcestis met and fought two Spanish ships and how the ship's cat and the English sailors were taken and imprisoned. They were taken to Chagres and marched through the town where the ship's cat attacked the Gover

With rather striking illustrations by Alan Aldridge, Richard Adams' tale of the ship's cat follows the fortunes of a fighting ship's cat as the Alcestis sails to take on and plunder the Spanish in Queen Elizabeth I's reign.



Written in verse (there are 26 of them) the book tells of how the Alcestis met and fought two Spanish ships and how the ship's cat and the English sailors were taken and imprisoned. They were taken to Chagres and marched through the town where the ship's cat attacked the Governor's escort 'And clawed him in his swarthy face/Until the rascal bled.'



Imprisoned again the cat inveigled himself into the gaoler's favour before knocking him flat, taking the keys and freeing his shipmates. 'Hurrah for English bravery' they cried and took to a Spanish ship to escape with the ship's cat in the lead. They espied another Spanish ship , 'approaching under sail', and made haste to flee. Then they spotted Plymouth-rigged masts and cried, 'It's Frankie Drake, it's Drake is here.'



The Spanish pinnace 'sheered away' and the crew of the Pasha and the Swan discovered that the other Spanish ship was under the command of sailor's from the Alcestis. And when they learnt that it was full of pearls and gold it was sent on its way to England where the cat sent 20 sacks of pearls inscribed 'To Merrie England's Queene, Fairer than any star.'



For his valiant efforts our ship's cat was honoured as Sir Tom de Chat and he lived out his days in the 'jocund Berkshire vale'.



It is a rollicking tale, beautifully told and beautifully illustrated.