Sailing Alone Around the World · Characters
Character guide
Key figures in Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum.
Skim names here — open a free preview to see character cards and Character Web beside the page as you read.
Spray
major
Also known as the Spray, The Spray, Spray ahoy, the diminutive Spray
Once propped up in a Fairhaven field at the end of her natural life, the Spray is reborn when Slocum adds inches of freeboard and teaches her to hold a course with the helm lashed. Her self-steering is the quiet miracle of the voyage: a vessel that keeps sailing while her captain sleeps, eats, or reads. She matters because the book's central wager — that a small, unfashionable craft can circle the world alone — rests entirely on her hull, her lines, and her temperament.
Captain Joshua Slocum
major
Also known as Captain Slocum, Captain
Slocum arrives at the voyage with barks and ships behind him and no yachting pedigree at all, which makes him both an outsider among polished sailors and oddly free of their assumptions. He is diffident before experts, reverent before Stevenson's books, and quietly defiant when told the Spray cannot be sailed with a lashed helm. His hunger is not for profit — Mrs. Stevenson notices he never asks what the voyage will pay — but for the pure adventure, and that appetite sets the tone for everything that follows.
Alexander Hare
minor
Also known as Hare
A historical figure associated with the Cocos Islands, encountered in narrative.
Mrs. Robert Louis Stevenson
minor
Also known as Mrs. Stevenson, Stevenson
Wife of the writer, met by the narrator in Samoa.
Captain Pedro Samblich
minor
Also known as Samblich
A ship captain encountered during the voyage.
Captain Howard
minor
Also known as Howard, pilot Howard
A pilot who assists the Spray in port.
Captain John Clunis-Ross
minor
Also known as Captain Ross, Ross, Captain John
A sea captain met during the voyage.
King Malietoa
minor
Also known as the late Malietoa, the good King Malietoa
A Samoan king, mentioned in the narrative.
Governor Roberts
minor
Also known as Governor Roberts of Rodriguez, Rodriguez
Governor of Rodriguez Island, who aids the narrator.
Antonio
minor
Also known as Antonio of Pico
A resident of the Azores, encountered by the narrator.
The Fuegians
minor
Also known as the savage Fuegians, the Fuegians
Indigenous people of Tierra del Fuego encountered during the voyage.
Father Neptune
minor
Also known as Neptune
Mythological figure invoked during a ceremony.
Captain Jones
minor
Also known as Jones
A captain encountered during the voyage.
Manuel Carroza
minor
Also known as Manuel
A Portuguese trader who nearly swindled the narrator.
Columbus
minor
Historical explorer, referenced in the narrative.
Mr. Jardine
minor
A person met by the narrator in port.
Mr. Douglas
minor
A person met by the narrator in port.
Judge Chester
minor
A judge met by the narrator in port.
Mr. Krüger
minor
A person met by the narrator in port.
John Wilson
minor
Also known as Wilson
A person met by the narrator in port.
Robinson Crusoe
minor
Also known as Crusoe
Literary character, referenced in the narrative.
Mr. Trood
minor
A person met by the narrator in port.
Tom Howard
minor
Also known as Howard
A person met by the narrator in port.
Mr. Escombe
minor
Also known as The Florence, Florence Mr. Escombe
A person met by the narrator in port.
President Krüger
minor
Also known as Krüger
President of the Transvaal, met by the narrator.
Mr. Mulhall
minor
A resident encountered by the narrator in South America.
Huemel
minor
Also known as the Huemel
A Fuegian native who interacts with the narrator.
Captain Cook
minor
Historical explorer, referenced in the narrative.
Mr. Lowry
minor
Also known as Lowry
A person met by the narrator in port.
Juan Fernandez
minor
Island where Alexander Selkirk was marooned, visited by the narrator.
Mr. Stanley
minor
A person met by the narrator in port.
Black Pedro
minor
A man the narrator had met before, encountered again.
Alexander Selkirk
minor
Also known as Selkirk
Historical marooned sailor, inspiration for Robinson Crusoe.
Taloa
minor
A native encountered during the voyage.
Colonel Saunderson
minor
A person met by the narrator in port.
Dr. David Gill
minor
Also known as Dr. Gill
An astronomer met by the narrator.
Mr. Schank
minor
A person met by the narrator in port.
Mr. A. Young
minor
Also known as Mr. Young
A person met by the narrator in port.
Mamode Hajee Ayoob
minor
A person met by the narrator in port.
Captain Wilson
minor
A captain encountered during the voyage.
Pluto
minor
Mythological figure, referenced in the narrative.
Bruno
minor
A person met by the narrator in port.
Admiral Bruce
minor
A naval officer met by the narrator.
The Azopardo
minor
A ship encountered during the voyage.
Akbar
minor
A person met by the narrator in port.
Mr. Myles
minor
A person met by the narrator in port.
Aladdin
minor
Literary character, referenced in the narrative.
Captain Spradbrow
minor
Also known as Spradbrow
A captain encountered during the voyage.
Admiral Sir Harry Rawson
minor
Also known as Admiral Rawson
A naval officer met by the narrator.
Mr. Poole
minor
A person met by the narrator in port.
Captain Blaxland
minor
A captain encountered during the voyage.
