the Story

"If, in the New Year of 1788, the eye of God had strayed from the main games of Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa, and idled over the huge vacancy of sea to the south-east of Africa, it would have been surprised in this empty zone to see not one, but all eleven ships being driven east on the screaming band of westerlies."

Source: The Commonwealth of Thieves - Tom Keneally