Captain Marryat (1792 1848) was a contemporary of Charles Dickens noted for his sea stories. Marryat began writing after a distinguished career in the British Navy. His time and personal experience in the Navy enhance his stories. During his career he wrote over 20 books some of which have remained in print since their publication. The Privateersman was published in 1848 and tells the story of Privateering which is legalized piracy at sea. The Privateersman is written in the first person narrative. The hero of the story serves as a sailor on a Letter of Marque, a privately owned warship given government permission to commit piracy against enemy nations. Like many of Marryats books there is a young hero, a beautiful girl he wants to marry, a future inheritance and great odds to overcome.