Since 1622 British, Dutch, Portuguese, American and many other ships have run foul of the treacherous waters along Australia’s west coast. These shipwrecks include tales of murder and mutiny, gold and pieces of eight, heroic rescues and lonely strandings, wartime tragedy, and the earliest interactions between Aboriginal people and Europeans. Equally fascinating are the stories of search and discovery, piecing together clues to reveal the locations and identities of wrecks, and the meticulous processes of conserving wreck sites and artefacts — all important in the recovery of a major aspect of Australian history. 304 p. : col. ill., maps ; 24 cm. #0617/0518/0918/0820/200122 SCARCE First Edition