A sharply written tale of adventure on the seas, The Phantom Ship will grip the reader from the outset, drawing one into the vibrant world of Captain Marryat's imagination. It is the story of one Phillip Vanderdecken, and his search for a piece of the "one true cross." From the writer who inspired Herman Melville to take to the seas, this is an exciting work which combines the thrill of the narrative chase with an examination of the theme of religious tolerance, which has possibly a greater resonance today.