Title: Dido's Prize
Author: Eugenia O'Neal
Publisher: Parker Publishing
Reviewer: Barbara Nelson

Dido's Prize is an entertaining historical romance novel about a young female slave on a plantation in Jamaica in the 17th century. She runs away from the plantation and, disguised as a young man, joins Henry Morgan's fleet.

The tale begins with high drama. Dido, the young woman, is assaulted by a group of men, two whites and a black, as she walks down an alley off King Street. Dido, with the fine, smooth skin of the Yoruba and eyes big like a child's, holds herself "like a finely cracked vessel afraid of breaking." She was "closed to men" because she had been abused by the slave-owner from the time she was eight years old.

El Negro

But just when the men would have their way with her, she is rescued by the elegantly attired pirate captain, El Negro. He is a handsome man who is as black as coal and who sails the seas as a free man in the 17th century seeking treasure with the Brethren of the Coast.

Dido's desire is to buy her own freedom and find a way to buy her family's freedom as well. With this in mind she has been saving her money to pay Missus Sarah, her owner, an agreed price. But Missus Sarah goes back on her word and confiscates the money Dido has been saving.

Dido is upset and shortly after the incident she learns that Old Philippa, an elderly slave beloved by the other slaves on the Beeston's Estate property, had been taken from the estate and left in Port Royal to live off the streets. Two young children of another female slave, Duchess, had also been taken from their mother. The new information upsets her even more and she impulsively decides to run away from Beeston's Estate.

Dido escapes from the plantation and, disguised as a boy, enrolls herself as Domingo Freeman on the ship Fortune's Gift.

At this point, the drama begins to unfold, because the captain of the ship is none other than El Negro, the pirate who had rescued her some months earlier.

How will Dido manage on a ship where there are 60 or so men on-board? Will anyone realise that she is female? One man, the homosexual Richard, a capable quarter master, thinking she is a boy, tries to molest her. He pays a terrible price for the act.

It is El Negro, the captain, who realises who she is. "I know who you are Missy-boy," he tells her. "Have known it almost from the first, though you've disguised yourself well." To protect her and guard her secret he assigns her to be his cabin boy.

Mix of action and romance

Throughout Dido's various experiences, she often prays to her goddess Oshun, the Yoruba goddess of love, whenever she is in difficulty or danger.

The story is laden with the exploits of the pirates in places like El Puerto del Principe in the interior of Cuba and the rich city of Porto Bello in what is now Panama. Then the tale shifts back to land when Dido, with her share of treasure, decides to find her mother and siblings and purchase their freedom. But this exploit comes with a heavy price and El Negro, who comes to her aid once again, is seriously - almost fatally - wounded in the situation.

The mix of action and romance, suffering and joy, bravery and cowardice, pain and happiness makes Dido's Prize an interesting read. Eugenia O'Neal lives in Tortola in the Virgin Islands. She is the author of Just an Affair, and From the Field to the Legislature: a History of Women in the Virgin Islands.