White Gold

The story of white slavery in the 18th century generally, but following specifically the story of Thomas Pellow, an eleven year old cabin boy, who was captured by the Moroccan Corsairs in 1716. North Africa - Morocco and Algeria mainly, but making use of markets in Tunisia and Libya also, engaged in piracy, and ravaged the coasts of Spain, Portugal, France and Britain, taking prisoners from land and capturing ships seemingly at will. It seems amazing the Barbary Corsairs were so much more dominant than what is made to sound a feeble British and French Navy.
Twenty three years Thomas Pellow remained captive in Morocco. First as a slave, then tortured into renouncing Christianity and taking up Islam, he is considered a renegade, but in reality is no less free. His intelligence and guile, some remarkable luck and an ability to recover from his injuries keep him alive long enough to serve the Sultan as a labourer, a personal servant, and interpreter and then as a soldier.
Rewarded with a wife, a child follows, and this family restrains his ambition to return home, while he tries to plan their escape from Morocco. Outliving the Sultan, and surviving the turmoil of another three Sultans (in quick succession) he makes two unsuccessful escape attempts before a third, and makes his return to his home on the Cornish coast.
Well paced, well written, readable and enjoyable.