"The westwards rounding of Cape Horn in winter is the toughest regular voyaging man has ever made as part of his workaday life. Alan Villiers here tells the story of the great square rigged ships which were still carrying on their private war with Cape Horn well into the twentieth century, going about the ordinary business of their fantastic voyages. It is a story of amazing bravery, incredible endurance -- and sometimes almost criminal neglect. "Lime-juice" ships -- Britishers -- had the worst reputation: the big owners had switched more profitably to steam, leaving their ships in the hands of on-ship companies and "managing owners", somehow trying to squeeze a profit from them, mainly in the South American nitrates and guano trades, and in the Australian and Californian grain, coal out and nitrates back, tough, heavy cargoes. And these trades meant taking on Cape Horn, the last impediment to the conquering steam tramp ..." -- Jacket.