Captain John Davis
Formerly a respected skipper, he loses command as a result of his alcoholism and spirals downward into an aimless beachcomber in the South Seas. When he finally gets another command, he gets involved in an ill-fated plot to rob pearl trade William John Attwater.
Robert Herrick
Even an education at Oxford could not save Herrick from winding up as a pathetic beachcomber. Near the point of starving, he unenthusiastically joins Captain Davies and a man named Huish on board a schooner. His collaboration comes to an end with the other two pirate the ship as part of their caper to relieve Attwater of his wealth
Mr. Huish
Whereas Davies and Herrick drift into the plan to steal from Attwater as a result of falling on hard times, the Cockney clerk Huish seems almost born to a life a crime. Utterly without morals or ethics, his only redeeming feature is that he isn’t much of a thief and even less talented in the art of murder.
William John Attwater
Aristocratic commander of a small community of natives on an obscure island in the South Seas He manages to ward off the attack upon him by Captain Davis, Robert Herrick and Huish.
Captain Tom
The Scottish sea captain who commands Davies, Herrick and Huish to get of his ship. He also informs them that they can expect to be arrested for their actions.
Captain Wiseman
The ironically named Wiseman was formerly captain of the School Farallone until drink and smallpox combined to leave with not exactly a good looking corpse. His death allows Captain Davies to take command of the ship.
