The Wager audiobook cover - A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder

The Wager

A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder

David Grann

★ 4.4 / 5(138 ratings)
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History

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The Wager
The Mission & Context+
The Voyage & Disasters+
Shipwreck & Survival+
Mutiny & Fracture+
The Two Journeys Home+
Aftermath & Legacy+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
Why was the British squadron, including the Wager, sailing toward the Pacific in 1740?
  • A. To establish a new penal colony on the coast of South America.
  • B. To disrupt Spanish colonies and intercept a treasure-filled galleon during the War of Jenkins’ Ear.
  • C. To map the dangerous and uncharted waters of the Drake Passage for future merchant routes.
  • D. To hunt down a notorious fleet of Spanish pirates led by Admiral Don Jose Pizarro.
Question 2 of 7
According to the text, what was the primary, unrecognized cause of the devastating typhoid fever outbreak among the crew?
  • A. Contaminated drinking water collected during their stop in Madeira.
  • B. Spoiled rations of salted meat that had been improperly stored.
  • C. The freezing, hurricane-level winds experienced in the 'roaring forties.'
  • D. Lice carried by conscripted men taken from dockyards and prisons.
Question 3 of 7
What extreme action did Captain Cheap take that severely damaged his relationship with the survivors and escalated the mutiny on Wager Island?
  • A. He hoarded the remaining rations of wild celery for himself and his officers.
  • B. He ordered the destruction of the repaired longboat so the men could not abandon him.
  • C. He shot a crew member named Henry Cozens in the head during a dispute.
  • D. He secretly attempted to negotiate an escape with a Patagonian guide, leaving the crew behind.
Question 4 of 7
How did John Bulkeley and his followers ultimately decide to escape Wager Island?
  • A. They built a makeshift sailboat from the wrecked longboat and traveled back around Cape Horn toward Brazil.
  • B. They followed a Patagonian guide over land to the nearest Spanish settlement on Chiloé Island.
  • C. They repaired the Wager's hull and sailed north to reunite with Commodore Anson's squadron.
  • D. They waited on the island until a Portuguese merchant ship spotted their signal fires.
Question 5 of 7
What was the ultimate fate of Captain Cheap and his remaining loyalists after Bulkeley's group departed?
  • A. They died of starvation after failing to navigate the rough waters in their small boats.
  • B. They successfully sailed north and reunited with the Centurion to help capture the Spanish galleon.
  • C. They were rescued by a British scouting vessel and immediately led a search party for Bulkeley.
  • D. They failed to sail north, were guided to a Spanish settlement by a local Patagonian, and became prisoners.
Question 6 of 7
How did the British naval court-martial handle the accusations of mutiny and murder upon the survivors' return to England?
  • A. They sentenced John Bulkeley to hang for orchestrating the mutiny against his captain.
  • B. They ignored the events on the island entirely and only investigated whether Cheap was responsible for the shipwreck.
  • C. They stripped Captain Cheap of his rank and imprisoned him for the murder of Henry Cozens.
  • D. They convicted both men but granted them pardons due to the extreme circumstances of their survival.
Question 7 of 7
Why does the text suggest the mutiny on the Wager is less famous than the mutiny on the HMS Bounty?
  • A. The Wager mutiny left no survivors to tell the tale, leaving only fragmented journals behind.
  • B. The Wager was a much smaller, insignificant merchant vessel, whereas the Bounty was a famous warship.
  • C. The events of the Wager were so scandalous, complicated, and uncomfortable that the Royal Navy preferred to sweep them under the rug.
  • D. The Wager mutineers immediately surrendered to the Spanish, making it a matter of treason rather than a traditional mutiny.

The Wager — Full Chapter Overview

The Wager Summary & Overview

The Wager (2023) recounts the unbelievable-but-true story of the doomed adventure taken by those aboard the HMS Wager. This Royal Navy ship was meant to sail the world and plunder Spanish treasure, but in 1741 it was shipwrecked while trying to sail around Cape Horn. This is the story of how a crew of hundreds dwindled to just a handful of survivors.

Who Should Listen to The Wager?

  • Fans of classic seafaring tales like Moby Dick and Mutiny on the Bounty
  • People who love death-defying stories of heroic endurance
  • Those interested in historical mysteries and conspiracies

About the Author: David Grann

David Grann is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in such publications as the New Yorker, the Atlantic, and the Washington Post. He’s also the author of the best-selling books The Lost City of Z and Killers of the Flower Moon.

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