Clipper Ship PP

Progeny Press Study Guide


Captain Murdock, his wife, and their children Jamie and Meg sail their clipper ship, the Rainbird, from New York Harbor to San Francisco Bay. Their ship carries passengers and a cargo of tools, stoves, weather vanes, grain, cloth and 2000 red handkerchiefs.



The Rainbird faces many dangers on the journey. One man is washed overboard and nearly drowns when a storm arises. Then, halfway through their voyage Captain Murdock becomes ill! Someone must take command of the Rainbird. ""I will sail the ship,"" says Mrs. Murdock.



Around the tip of South America, Mrs. Murdock and her crew bravely face the wintry winds, icebergs, and stormy seas of the ""Land of Fire."" They stop in Valparaiso, Chile, to repair some damage and take on food and water at an island whose inhabitants give shrunken heads as a gift of friendship. Then it's on to San Francisco.



As they sail into port, Captain Murdock, nearly recovered from his illness, comes on deck. ""I am proud of you,"" he tells his wife. The family recalls their dangerous journey and prepares for the long voyage back to New York.


Progeny Press Study Guide