Double Ghosts: Oceanian Voyagers on Euroamerican Ships

This compelling narrative recounts the eighteenth and nineteenth century "shipping out" of Pacific Islanders aboard European and American vessels, a kind of "counter-exploring", that echoed the ancient voyages of settlement of their island ancestors. The author weaves numerous local, regional and national accounts into a single narrative that builds to a history of cross-cultural contact. Based on an exhaustive search and summary of primary source material, the work shows that non-Europeans played a dynamic role in the integration of the world economy and the many forms of acculturation that ensued. Chappell explains the significance of "shipping out" as a world history phenomenon and demonstrates that European expansion was a two-sided process involving a variety of participants.