The Swallows, Amazons and Ds are united again for the twelfth and final story in the series. Dick makes a remarkable discovery: two rare birds, never before seen in the British Isles. Captain Flint and his crew decide to consult an expert to confirm the discovery. But when the man they ask turns out to have his collector’s eye on the birds’ eggs, not to mention skins, an enjoyable voyage around the Outer Hebrides becomes a desperate race to save the birds, and themselves…

“On a hill above the cliff a boy in Highland dress turned from watching the deer in the valley to look out over the sea. He saw a sail far away.”

Arthur Ransome “Great Northern?”. First published in 1947. This edition was published in 1948 by Jonathan Cape. Donated to the library by architect Matthew Maier ❤️

Photos by Anna Iltnere / Sea Library