French Castaways at Old Cape Canaveral

[signumops]

I'm pleased to announce that Doug Armstrong's original text, "French Castaways at Old Cape Canaveral" is now available once again in complete book form. This book was originally published by Doug (Douglas R. Armstrong) years back, and for some time he released it on CD in .doc format. I got a copy directly from him some years ago and printed it up, ring bound it, and had it on the shelf as a reference. Recently, I asked if he would let me reprint it for distribution via Amazon, et al and he agreed.

It is a terrific piece of work, complete with photos, footnotes, bibliography, and, I indexed it. It should be available at Amazon online in a day or two, and I will release it to some of the distributors here in Florida. I will definitely have some copies at the Sunken Treasure Literature Club meeting this January at the FUN show in Orlando. I should have some autographed copies at the show.

For those of you who have been following the threads regarding the French in Florida: Doug, Bill Sauerwalt and others, including your's truly, spent time in the wilds of the Cape and adjoining coastal areas of the Mosquito Lagoon, way back in the sixties, coinshooting and tromping around in the jungle. These areas are now tightly controlled by the Feds, but, the stuff you could find there is simply amazing. Doug found what must have surely been the Indian village where some of the Matanzas survivors managed to live among the Surruques. He made his case very scientifically and found lots of interesting stuff... in fact, there are two display cases at the McClarty Museum today that still hold cobs and other items he has recovered along the coast.

Anyway, here's the blurb for the book from Amazon;

Wrecked on a foreign shore, hunted like animals by the Spanish and hostile Indians alike, a small group of French Huguenots managed to exist for an undetermined period in the wilds of present-day Cape Canaveral. 'French Castaways at Old Cape Canaveral' is a candid and very plausible account of those long lost adventurers, who would otherwise remain unknown in Florida's documented history. This book is a brief recollection of the events leading up to the heinous Matanzas massacre, followed by the investigative report of what may have happened to the few Frenchmen who escaped the Spanish death trap.

More than four hundred years later, the author, in cooperation with the N.P.S. and S.E.A.C. , revisits the 'Armstrong' site. A controlled excavation reveals evidence of a Surruque Indian settlement where these castaways lived with the native people.

Fully indexed with bibliography, the book contains detailed photos of coins and artifacts recovered during the investigation along with scanned reproductions of the manifests for a number of the French vessels involved in the wreck disaster along the Florida coast in 1565.

[GatorFrog]

Sounds like a very interesting book.
Definitely going to get it.

[Bum Luck]

Great! Thanks.

[divewrecks]

Just ordered a copy. Thanks!

Stan

[mad4wrecks]

Monica got me the book for Christmas. Fantastic read. Very well researched, well written and some great photos and illustrations. I highly recommend it.

Tom

[signumops]

Hey Mad4Wrecks:
Glad you liked it! I pass this along to Doug. He'll be pleased. I am doing some more reprinting of some of his other work later in 2012, including the mongraph on the English salvor camp near Wabasso.

[Diver_Down]

...
It is a terrific piece of work, complete with photos, footnotes, bibliography, and, I indexed it. It should be available at Amazon online in a day or two, and I will release it to some of the distributors here in Florida. I will definitely have some copies at the Sunken Treasure Literature Club meeting this January at the FUN show in Orlando. I should have some autographed copies at the show.
...

I was hoping to get my copy (signed) at the upcoming FUN show, but I may not be able to coordinate my schedule with STLC meeting. Will you be offering autographed copies or the opportunity to get a purchased copy autographed another time?

[signumops]

I gave all my copies, but one to Doug last week, so I don't think I will have any at the show either. However, I will order some more next year (3 weeks or so) and will get Doug to sign them when I see him next. Trouble is, he is not in town much anymore, and I don't know for sure when I will see him to get signatures. But, I will get some signed copies in the next several months, I am fairly certain. I have tp pay shipment and handling twice for signed copies, so they will be a little more than the price quoted directly from Amazon.

[divewrecks]

I am doing some more reprinting of some of his other work later in 2012, including the mongraph on the English salvor camp near Wabasso.

Terry, do you know anything about a little book that Doug wrote some years back on Marine Conservation (or possibly coin cleaning)?

Thanks,
Stan Dilcher

[signumops]

Hey DiveWrecks:

Yes, there is such a book. He did one spiral bound years back and then released it on CD. I have one. I've spoken to him about reprinting it, but he is concerned about liability in view of the fact that there is reference to the spook science that comes with corrosives, electro-processing, ect. I'll let him know that you mentioned it, because it should be a standard reference, I think.

He came up with his own methods, and in the venue of coin cleaning, his methods produce superior results.

[Diver_Down]

Terry, count me as interested in the marine conservation publication. Trez brought up the fact over on ColonialCobs.

I'll be buying the French Castaways direct from Amazon as I won't be able to make the STLC meeting at FUN. I'll be going on the first day along with my good friend Marc as he is looking to procure and replenish his treasure inventory.