In A High Wind in Jamaica, the action takes place on several different ships, all of which are sailing through the Caribbean Sea. When their parents send them to school in England, the Bas-Thornton children travel aboard the Clorinda. Early in their journey, the ship docks at the Cayman Islands to take on cargo, which includes a large number of live turtles. In a letter to her parents, Emily describes the turtles that she uses as footrests and the strange noises they make at night (p. 56). Her fascination with the turtles is indicative of her general love of animals, which contrasts with her general disregard for people.
This is one of the last letters the Bas-Thortons receive from their children, as the Clorinda is soon boarded by pirates intent on stealing the ship's cargo. The children are accidentally left aboard the pirate ship, and while the captain of the Clorinda claims that they have been murdered, the children's adventures have just begun.
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