The Wager (Grann)
Short summary
In 1740, HMS Wager departs England as part of Commodore Anson's squadron on a secret mission to capture a Spanish treasure galleon. The ship carries about 250 men through treacherous waters around Cape Horn.
Battling storms, scurvy, and typhus, the Wager becomes separated from the squadron and wrecks on a desolate Patagonian island in May 1741. Captain Cheap struggles to maintain order among the 145 survivors as starvation, disease, and lawlessness take hold.
Tensions escalate when Cheap shoots midshipman Cozens during a confrontation. Bulkeley leads a faction demanding to sail to Brazil rather than follow Cheap's plan to reach the rendezvous point. After Cheap refuses to compromise, Bulkeley's group arrests him and abandons him on the island with nine others.
Byron initially joins Bulkeley's party but returns to Cheap. Bulkeley's group reaches Brazil after a harrowing three-month journey, losing over half their men. Cheap's party eventually reaches Chile with indigenous help and is captured by the Spanish.
Empires preserve their power with the stories that they tell, but just as critical are the stories they don’t—the dark silences they impose, the pages they tear out.
When both groups return to England in the 1740s, a court-martial convenes. Rather than prosecute the obvious mutiny or Cheap's shooting of Cozens, the Admiralty quietly absolves everyone, suppressing the scandal to protect Britain's imperial reputation during wartime.
Detailed summary by parts and chapters
Part 1. The Wooden World
Chapter 1. The First Lieutenant
In January 1740, Britain mobilized for war against Spain. At Portsmouth dockyard, amid the chaos of preparation, the first lieutenant of the Centurion worked tirelessly to ready the flagship for departure.
Cheap's prospects brightened when his captain was promoted to commodore, leading a squadron of five warships on a secret mission against Spanish holdings in the Pacific. The commodore was known for his integrity and seamanship.
Cheap had risen through the ranks to become Anson's trusted right-hand man. Despite a troubled past marked by family disputes and debt, he saw this expedition as his chance for redemption and command of his own vessel. The war, sparked by the sensational incident of a British merchant captain's severed ear, promised both glory and treasure—particularly the capture of a Spanish galleon laden with silver.
Chapter 2. A Gentleman Volunteer
A sixteen-year-old midshipman was abruptly awakened before dawn aboard the Wager. He lodged in the cramped, damp orlop deck, just above the foul-smelling bilge water. Despite his aristocratic background, he experienced the harsh realities of naval life, including limited space and rudimentary conditions.
Byron quickly learned to navigate the ship's complex hierarchy and operations. The crew comprised a diverse mix of individuals from different social strata, including a free Black seaman who faced the unique threat of being sold into slavery if captured. Byron embraced the technical language and demanding physical tasks, mastering skills like steering and celestial navigation. Life at sea offered moments of camaraderie, with Byron forming deep friendships with fellow midshipmen during shared meals and daily rum rations.
Chapter 3. The Gunner
During a drill aboard the Wager, marines beat drums for battle stations, sending men scrambling to prepare the ship's cannons. The process of loading and firing required immense effort and precision from teams of at least six men per gun. The head of the gun team was a highly capable and experienced seaman who had risen through the ranks to become the ship's gunner.
Bulkeley was responsible for all the Wager's weaponry and munitions for the entire squadron. He was also a devout Christian who viewed the voyage as a spiritual journey, carrying a religious text and maintaining a personal journal where he recorded navigational details and remarkable observations. An invisible siege began as typhus erupted among the crew, causing widespread sickness and death. The unsanitary, overcrowded conditions facilitated the rapid spread of disease. Bodies were buried at sea after solemn rituals.
Death is at all times solemn, but never so much so as at sea. The man is near you—at your side—you hear his voice, and in an instant he is gone, and nothing but a vacancy shows his loss.
Part 2. Into the Storm
Chapter 4. Dead Reckoning
Cheap assumed command of the HMS Wager, facing immediate challenges and the expectations of his crew. His first official act was to recite the Articles of War, emphasizing the punishment for mutiny. The primary objective was to navigate the perilous passage around Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of the Americas. This region was infamous for colossal waves, hurricane-force winds, and treacherous conditions that had claimed countless ships. Navigation was complicated by the inability to accurately determine longitude, forcing reliance on dead reckoning—a method of informed guesswork that often led to fatal errors.
Chapter 5. The Storm Within the Storm
The ships endured relentless storms during March 1741. Byron observed massive waves breaking over the vessel. Water inundated the lower decks, forcing men to abandon their berths. As temperatures dropped, rain turned to sleet and snow, causing frostbite among the crew. Soon after, a debilitating sickness began to spread. Men's skin turned blue then black, their ankles swelled, and the disease progressed through their bodies.
Their ankles swelled hideously, and whatever was consuming them progressed up their bodies, into their thighs and their hips and their shoulders, like some corrosive poison.
This widespread affliction was scurvy, which killed more mariners than all other threats combined. The true cause—vitamin C deficiency—was unknown. Nearly 300 of the Centurion's 500 men were discharged dead, and three-quarters of the Gloucester's 400 perished. The Wager's company dwindled from 250 to fewer than 200.
Chapter 6. Alone
The squadron faced a relentless series of storms. Bulkeley frequently worked consecutive watches, enduring eight hours of battering winds and waves. One night, a massive wave struck the Centurion, nearly drowning the crew on deck. The brutal conditions led to numerous injuries. The ships themselves began to fail structurally. On April 19, 1741, the Centurion vanished, followed by the other ships, leaving the Wager completely alone at sea.
Chapter 7. The Gulf of Pain
Cheap relentlessly sailed towards the rendezvous with Anson, despite his crew's deteriorating health and the ship's severe damage. His body was ravaged by scurvy. After three weeks of battling storms, Cheap guided the Wager along the Pacific off the Chilean coast. However, Bulkeley believed their course was reckless, fearing they were too close to a lee shore. On May 13th, land was spotted, and the Wager was being driven towards enormous craggy hills. Cheap ordered a jibe to turn the ship, but they were trapped in the Gulf of Sorrows. At 4:30 a.m. on May 14th, Byron felt the Wager judder—they had struck a sunken rock. The ship began to roll and fill with water. Miraculously, the Wager became wedged between two large rocks, preventing it from sinking completely.
Part 3. Castaways
Chapter 8. Wreckage
Cheap, injured and confined to his cabin, realized his ship was lost. He feared a court-martial for negligence. Midshipmen arrived, describing a barren, storm-swept island nearby. Cheap ordered the deployment of transport vessels, prioritizing the evacuation of the sick. Despite pleas, Cheap refused to leave, upholding the captain's code. A faction broke into liquor casks for a drunken revelry. Byron and others returned for Cheap, who reluctantly left. On the beach, 145 survivors out of 250 huddled in the cold rain. Three men near Byron died from exposure by morning.
Chapter 9. The Beast
Byron and his companions found themselves starving on an inhospitable island. They had gone without food for days. Their first meal, a seagull, was shared among the famished men. However, contaminated flour led to widespread sickness. The island's climate was relentlessly harsh. Bulkeley devised a plan to create shelter by dragging the ship's cutter ashore and flipping it over. Discontent began to brew among the crew regarding Cheap. During exploration, Byron had a frightening encounter when he heard a loud, unfamiliar growling and spotted what appeared to be a very large beast.
Chapter 10. Our New Town
Cheap faced growing mistrust after less than a week on the island. He understood that unity was essential for survival. Despite his own illness, he dominated, eschewing consultation with other officers, and began to formulate a plan to establish an outpost. He appointed Bulkeley to lead the hazardous excavation team to salvage supplies from the wreck. The excavation efforts yielded casks of wine, brandy, rum, flour, beef, pork, and valuable tools. Cheap established a store tent, secured all weapons, and enforced a strict hierarchy. The men's scurvy began to cure due to the island's wild celery. Byron and others built rafts for hunting. Bulkeley constructed a large dwelling divided into cabins. The encampment transformed into a village with eighteen houses. However, shellfish dwindled, and the wreck offered fewer provisions, bringing back gnawing hunger.
Chapter 11. Nomads of the Sea
Three slender canoes appeared from the mist, carrying indigenous people with bare chests and long black hair. These were Kawésqar, nomadic people who had settled in Patagonia thousands of years prior. They possessed extensive mental maps of the coast and were skilled navigators. The Kawésqar were initially hesitant but eventually came ashore. Cheap greeted them ceremoniously, presenting them with sailors' hats and red coats. The Kawésqar departed but returned with food, including three sheep and mussels. They returned again with their families, totaling around fifty people, and constructed dwellings. The Kawésqar regularly provided nourishment for the helpless castaways. However, some castaways began to steal liquor and weapons, and attempted to seduce the Kawésqar women. One morning, the Kawésqar were gone, having vanished in their canoes.
Chapter 12. The Lord of Mount Misery
Byron discovered a dog in the woods, likely left behind by the Kawésqar. The dog became his loyal companion. Cheap drastically reduced the men's rations, deeply angering the seamen. One day, desperate seamen demanded Byron's dog, intending to eat it. Despite Byron's pleas, they slaughtered the dog. Byron eventually joined the ravenous men, eating his portion. The discovery of a brutally murdered seaman's body on Mount Misery intensified fears. Rifts grew within the settlement, with many openly expressing disdain for Cheap. Bulkeley seemed to thrive, maintaining his shelter and hoarding valuable items. Thieves repeatedly raided the store tent. Cheap proclaimed that thieves deserved death, and a public trial was arranged. The guilty men were sentenced to six hundred lashes and banishment to a rocky islet. The robberies continued, and beatings escalated.
Chapter 13. Extremities
Cheap discovered a trail of gunpowder leading to his dwelling, raising suspicions of a plot. Byron relayed a rumor of a planned attack. Cheap found himself in a volatile environment where facts were scarce and rumors rampant. A month after the Wager ran aground, Cheap ordered a midshipman to move a cask of peas.
Cozens, appearing intoxicated, refused. Cheap struck him with his cane and had him confined. That evening, Cozens unleashed insults, and Cheap attempted to beat him again but was stopped. Cheap then released Cozens. A few days later, Cozens heard a rumor that Cheap intended to cut his wine ration. In a fit of anger, Cozens advanced on the purser, who drew his pistol and fired, narrowly missing Cozens. Hearing the gunshot, Cheap rushed out, convinced Cozens had fired. Upon finding him, Cheap pressed the barrel of his pistol against Cozens's cheek and proceeded to extremities.
Chapter 14. Affections of the People
Byron witnessed Cheap shoot Cozens in the head. Cozens lay bleeding and struggling to breathe. The onlookers expressed deep concern as the crowd became increasingly agitated. Cheap ordered the men to assemble, asserting his continued command. Ultimately, Bulkeley and the others retreated. The surgeon's mate performed an operation to extract the bullet. Despite the successful extraction, Cozens remained in critical condition. Cheap denied Cozens's request to be moved for comfort. On June 24, Henry Cozens died after suffering for fourteen days. The castaways were deeply affected by his death.
Chapter 15. The Ark
Following Cozens's death, the men found renewed hope through the carpenter, who proposed salvaging and remodeling the submerged longboat into an ark capable of carrying them off the island.
Cheap became frenetically dedicated to the project. Cummins took charge of the engineering, detailing extensive modifications. By mid-July, the company eagerly worked on the ark. Despite severe malnourishment, the men continued to toil, driven by hope. Meanwhile, Cheap developed a secret plan to sail north to a Spanish settlement, attack a trading ship, and find Anson to continue their quest. Bulkeley, however, envisioned taking the longboat through the Strait of Magellan to Brazil, a journey of nearly three thousand miles. Bulkeley's plan was reviewed and approved by other navigators. The outpost split into two rival forces. Bulkeley presented Cheap with a petition advocating passage through the Strait of Magellan. Cheap requested more time to consider. The two factions armed themselves. On August 25, a powerful earthquake shook the island.
Chapter 16. My Mutineers
After three weeks of Cheap's inaction, Bulkeley secretly convened with his confidants, concluding that Cheap had no intention of agreeing to the Brazil plan.
Bulkeley argued... that as castaways, 'the rules of the Navy are not sufficient to direct us.' In this state of nature, there was no written code... to survive, they needed to establish their own rules.
Bulkeley meticulously documented events in his journal, aiming to construct an unassailable narrative. His first step was to secure the backing of the next in command to nominally assume the role of captain.
Baynes eventually agreed to oust Cheap under one condition: they would draft a formal document. If Cheap refused, they planned to overthrow him. The next day, Bulkeley and Baynes confronted Cheap, who furiously refused to sign. Bulkeley then sought support from the marine captain, who declared his support for the people. However, when Cheap emerged and challenged them, Baynes abandoned the plot, causing Bulkeley and his men to retreat. Days later, Bulkeley and his co-conspirators regrouped and assembled a ragtag army. On October 9, they stormed Cheap's dwelling at dawn, apprehending him. Cheap was confined in a makeshift prison. Bulkeley made final preparations for the voyage. A final pressing issue was Cheap's fate. Bulkeley's account stated that Cheap preferred to be shot than be a prisoner and asked to be left on the island. They provided Cheap with the smallest boat, minimal supplies, and a Bible. On October 14, 1741, Bulkeley's party boarded their vessels. Cheap watched them board. Bulkeley approached Cheap, who offered his hand and wished him safe passage. At eleven in the morning, the boats launched, and Cheap realized he and his story might be lost forever on the island.
Part 4. Deliverance
Chapter 17. Byrons Choice
As boats departed, Byron observed Cheap left behind on shore. Byron had believed Cheap would accompany them but was shocked by their abandonment. Soon after, a squall struck, forcing the party to seek refuge barely a mile from the island. The next day, Bulkeley requested volunteers to retrieve a canvas tent. Byron volunteered along with another midshipman.
Campbell, sharing Byron's misgivings, conspired with Byron to retrieve Cheap. They made it back to the island safely. Cheap was astonished by their arrival and invigorated by their resolve. Byron confronted a grim reality: he was nearly naked, barefoot, and had no food. Byron decided to return to the mutineers to claim his party's owed food. Byron and Campbell trekked to Bulkeley's party. When Byron and Campbell requested their food share, Bulkeley and Baynes demanded the barge's location. A mutineer warned them: no barge, no food. Byron appealed to the other men, but they threatened pursuit if the barge wasn't returned. Distraught, Byron walked away. As he left, his hat blew off. A seaman generously gave Byron his own hat, but Byron, moved by the kindness, insisted he couldn't leave the man hatless and returned it.
Chapter 18. Port of Gods Mercy
As the winds subsided, Bulkeley and the crew on the two remaining boats embarked. Their journey proved arduous. The longboat was overloaded with fifty-nine men, making movement impossible. The smaller boat's crew faced even harsher conditions. Two weeks into the voyage, Bulkeley successfully guided the boat into a sheltered harbor. On November 3, the smaller boat broke its mainsail and disappeared. Bulkeley searched extensively but, assuming it had sunk, reluctantly sought refuge. The next morning, a miraculous sight: the boat's sail reappeared, and all twelve men were alive. Later that night, the rope snapped, and the boat was lost again, this time permanently. With no way to gather sustenance, eleven men requested to be put ashore. On November 10, Bulkeley confirmed they had reached the Strait of Magellan. They encountered a terrifying confluence of the Pacific and Atlantic, enduring a typhoon-strength storm. Miraculously, the boat righted itself, and they found refuge in a cove they named Port of God's Mercy.
Chapter 19. The Haunting
Cheap, along with 18 other survivors, remained on the island two months after the main group had departed. They subsisted on seaweed and occasional sea fowl. Cheap, revitalized by the absence of the unruly crew, became energetic. The men repaired a splintered boat and reinforced a battered barge. On December 15, Cheap and others ascended a mountain, hoping for a clear view. The men were further motivated by a superstitious fear that the unburied spirit of a murdered seaman was haunting them. Cheap gave the signal to depart the island, embarking on a daunting journey north. Soon after setting off, heavy rains and strong winds caused waves to swamp the boats. Cheap made the difficult decision to jettison almost all their supplies. Nine days after their departure, they reached the end of the Gulf of Pain. A few days later, they reached a critical cape where fierce currents and colossal waves churned. Despite Cheap's urging, they were repeatedly driven back. Without one boat, there was insufficient room for everyone. Four marines were chosen to be left behind. Six weeks later, Cheap's group reached the cape for a third time but failed again. They decided to return to the island. However, only a musket remained on the beach; the marines had vanished. The disastrous two-month foray exhausted all their food. Ultimately, they chose not to resort to drawing lots. Instead, they buried the seaman they believed had haunted them and returned to the outpost.
Chapter 20. The Day of Our Deliverance
Bulkeley and the fifty-eight other castaways continued their perilous journey through the Strait of Magellan towards the Atlantic. Bulkeley meticulously cross-referenced his observations with historical accounts to plot their course. On December 11, Bulkeley recognized the cape signaling their entry into the Atlantic after a remarkable thirty-one-day passage. Despite reaching the Atlantic, their destination was over sixteen hundred miles north, and they were critically low on food. They decided to risk a hunting expedition. On December 16, they successfully located an island teeming with seals. However, sudden intake of food after prolonged starvation led to refeeding syndrome, and at least two castaways perished. As they continued northward, their seal meat supply dwindled. They attempted another hunting landing, but a squall drove the boat out to sea, stranding eight men ashore. The boat's rudder broke that night. Bulkeley decided they had no choice but to continue. Days later, with food and water nearly depleted, most men were incapacitated. On January 28, 1742, after three and a half months and nearly three thousand miles, Bulkeley spotted what he thought were houses. It was Rio Grande in Brazil. The boat drifted into port, where astonished townspeople observed the emaciated survivors. The party was reduced from eighty-one to twenty-nine. Bulkeley attributed their survival to God, calling their arrival the day of our deliverance.
Part 5. Judgment
Chapter 21. A Literary Rebellion
Following their escape, Bulkeley and a companion experienced a harrowing incident in the Brazilian countryside. Upon returning to their lodging, they discovered broken locks and ransacked belongings. Two intruders attacked them; Bulkeley recognized one as a castaway loyal to the boatswain who had previously assaulted Cheap during the mutiny.
Feeling unsafe, Bulkeley relocated. A few nights later, a gang besieged their new dwelling, demanding Bulkeley's journal. Bulkeley's journal was the only contemporaneous record of events on the island, and King and his allies feared its contents. As the threat deepened, Bulkeley recorded King's vow to either seize the journal or take their lives. Baynes grew particularly anxious and began whispering to Brazilian officials, blaming Bulkeley and Cummins. In March 1742, Baynes fled to England. Bulkeley and Cummins secured passage months later. Upon their arrival in Portsmouth on January 1, 1743, they were prevented from disembarking. Baynes had submitted a statement alleging that Bulkeley and Cummins led mutineers who deserted Cheap. Both men were detained, awaiting court-martial. Bulkeley defended his journal as a more accurate contemporaneous account. The Admiralty postponed the investigation. Bulkeley and Cummins were released after two weeks but remained in purgatory. This precarious situation prompted Bulkeley to initiate a literary rebellion by plotting to publish his journal. Published six months after their return, the book sold well and swayed public opinion in his favor. However, reports emerged of Anson blazing a trail across the Pacific.
Chapter 22. The Prize
In April 1743, Anson reflected on the two years since losing the Wager. Three other ships from his squadron had initially survived but were eventually lost. Despite immense losses, Anson was resolute in continuing the circumnavigation with his sole remaining ship. A severe scurvy outbreak caused widespread suffering and death. Anson's forces dwindled from 2,000 to a mere 227 men. Despite their agonies, the crew remained loyal to Anson. Now, in the South China Sea, Anson announced they would not return to England. He had gathered intelligence on the Spanish galleon's route and planned an interception. On June 20, a lookout spotted the galleon approaching alone. Anson ordered decks cleared for action. Both commanders prepared for battle. At 1 p.m., Anson gave the command to fire. Anson's cannons unleashed a continuous barrage. After ninety minutes of relentless fire, the galleon was crippled. A Spanish sailor lowered the flag, signaling surrender. A boarding party discovered the immense treasure: gold dust, hundreds of thousands of silver coins, and tons of virgin silver. This was the largest treasure ever seized by a British naval commander. A year later, on June 15, 1744, Anson and his men returned to England, circling the globe with the treasure. Their victory was a much-needed morale boost. The scandalous Wager affair faded into the background until March 1746, when Cheap, a lieutenant, and Byron arrived in Dover, having been long-lost.
Chapter 23. Grub Street Hacks
Five and a half years after disappearing, three presumed-dead men reappeared, beginning to recount their ordeal. Days after their return to the island, a group of native Patagonians offered to guide the remaining eleven castaways to the nearest Spanish settlement in exchange for their barge. They set out on March 6, 1742. Soon after, six castaways absconded with the barge. The Chono continued to guide the reduced party. The surgeon eventually succumbed on a barren shoreline. The remaining four castaways continued their journey. Reaching the cape they had previously failed to round, the Chono surprised them by breaking apart their canoes for an eight-mile overland portage. After reassembling the canoes, the party navigated northward for weeks. In June 1742, they reached the island's southern tip. They trudged through heavy snow to an indigenous village where inhabitants provided food and shelter. Their journey was cut short when Spanish soldiers apprehended them. They were thrown into a dark, flea-infested prison. Seven months later, they were moved to Santiago, where the governor granted them parole. Two and a half years after capture, they were informed of an agreement to exchange prisoners. Cheap, Byron, and a lieutenant embarked for home. Campbell stayed behind, accused of converting to Catholicism. Upon reaching Dover, Byron raced to London and reunited with his sister. Cheap arrived in London and discovered Bulkeley had published a book accusing him of incompetence and murder. The public was captivated by the expedition's story. Numerous accounts proliferated. Days after Cheap's return, the Admiralty summoned all surviving officers and seamen for a court-martial in Portsmouth.
Chapter 24. The Docket
After learning of a court-martial summons, Bulkeley was informed the Admiralty had issued a warrant for his arrest. Bulkeley confronted the marshal tasked with his detention. The marshal grimly responded that they would be hanged. Bulkeley revealed his true identity. The marshal declared he had no choice but to take Bulkeley into custody. Bulkeley was subsequently confined until other key officers were apprehended. All were then transported to Portsmouth. At Portsmouth, the prisoners were rowed out to a formidable man-of-war, where they were once again imprisoned. Byron was also summoned. Cheap voluntarily boarded the ship. This marked the first reunion of these men since their time on the island. Eighteenth-century British naval law often exhibited flexibility. However, the case against the men appeared overwhelming. Bulkeley and his party faced numerous charges, including mutinous assemblies and desertion. Cheap faced the most serious charge: homicide, for shooting Cozens. A naval court-martial served to uphold and reinforce discipline within the service. While awaiting trial, the men attended a religious service. The chaplain warned them against expecting reprieve. The survivors had every reason to anticipate being hanged.
Chapter 25. The Court-Martial
On April 15, 1746, the court-martial commenced with formal pomp. Thirteen high-ranking officers presided, with a vice-admiral acting as president. These judges were seen as peers to Cheap. Anson, though absent, held a powerful position and had a vested interest in the outcome. Cheap had written to Anson seeking his protection. Each defendant had submitted a statement of facts beforehand. When questioning began, Cheap's testimony focused solely on the wreck, acquitting all other officers. Bulkeley was questioned only about the shipwreck. Despite having published a journal blaming Cheap, he told the court he could lay nothing to the charge of any officer. Similarly, Cummins denied having anything to charge against the captain. Even Byron was only asked technical questions. The court returned with a unanimous verdict: Cheap had fulfilled his duty. All other officers and crew were absolved, except for Baynes, who received a mere reprimand. The proceedings deliberately avoided addressing deeper issues like murder, mutiny, or desertion. The British authorities seemed to avoid either side's full story prevailing. The true reasons for the Admiralty's desire to suppress the full story are speculative, but fully exposing the mutiny's dark facts would have undermined Britain's imperial narrative. The official inquiry into the Wager affair was permanently closed, Cheap's allegations vanished, and the upheaval became the mutiny that never was.
Chapter 26. The Version That Won
Three months after the court-martial, three long-lost crew members from Bulkeley's party unexpectedly arrived in Portsmouth. These men had been left behind in Patagonia over four years prior. One later described this abandonment as the greatest act of cruelty. Initially numbering ten, four perished, but the remaining men survived by hunting and foraging. After eight months alone, they were encountered by native Patagonians who treated them with great humanity. In May 1744, three reached the capital, only to be taken as prisoners by the Spanish. They were confined for over a year before being granted permission to return home. Aboard the ship were also eleven indigenous men who had been enslaved. One day, one of them refused an order and was severely beaten. On the third night of the voyage, a mutiny erupted. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the indigenous men took control of the quarterdeck. However, they had no way to maneuver the ship. The officers regrouped and fired, killing the leader. His remaining men leapt overboard to their deaths. Upon returning to England, one of the castaways published a narrative. Meanwhile, a competition to publish the definitive narrative of Anson's expedition was underway. In 1748, a detailed account was published. However, historians later discovered the book was ghostwritten and heavily influenced by Anson himself, who sought to burnish his own reputation and that of the British Empire. Anson's version became a bestseller, translated worldwide, influencing prominent figures. The author concludes by noting how nations tailor stories to serve their interests, turning the grim disaster into a mythic tale that bolstered the empire's narrative.
Epilogue
Following the sordid affair, the surviving men attempted to resume their lives in England. Cheap, with Anson's backing, became captain of a man-of-war. In December 1746, he successfully captured a Spanish vessel, discovering over a hundred chests of silver onboard. This victory allowed him to retire, purchase a large estate, and marry. However, the stain of the Wager remained, as an obituary noted his shooting of a man after the shipwreck, even after his death in 1752. Bulkeley, seeking a fresh start, moved to Pennsylvania in America, where he published an American edition of his book in 1757. After this publication, Bulkeley seemingly vanished from history. Byron, who married and had six children, continued his naval career for over two decades, eventually rising to vice-admiral. In 1764, he was tasked with a circumnavigation expedition, with orders to look for any surviving Wager castaways. Despite being hounded by storms, he completed the voyage without losing a ship. Bound by naval tradition, Byron initially kept silent about the Wager. Two decades after the court-martial, and after Cheap's death, Byron finally published his version of events. His book received critical acclaim for its simplicity and affecting nature. It profoundly influenced his grandson, the poet, who never met him. Anson achieved further naval victories and reformed the Navy as an administrator for two decades. His reforms professionalized the service and established a permanent marine corps. However, Anson's fame eventually waned. The saga of the Wager occasionally drew the attention of great storytellers. Despite these sporadic reminders, the Wager affair has largely been forgotten by the public. The indigenous people of the region suffered greatly; one group was wiped out by European contact, and only a few dozen of another remained by the early twentieth century. The island itself remains a desolate and forbidding place. Partially buried in an icy stream, rotted wooden planks are the last physical remnants of HMS Wager, symbolizing the end of a fierce struggle and the fading dreams of empires.