The latest book by a Bermudian illustrates that if nothing else, the Island has always been a place for "characters".

Local historian, author and former editor of The Royal Gazette William S. Zuill, Sr. has released 'Footsteps in the Sand' a book of short historical dramas about Bermuda's early days, and some of its most interesting people.

"Essentially, when I became director of the Bermuda National Trust soon after it was founded, one of the things that seemed to be a good idea was for Trust members to get together at Christmas time," said Mr. Zuill.

"So we started having Christmas parties in St. George's and opening up museums and inviting people to them.

"One of the entertainments we had was to have historic readings. There are about 20 of them. They are designed to be read by three people."

In the dramas, one person is the main character and the other two voices are narrators who fill in gaps in the story.

Some of the people featured in the sketches include Governor Benjamin Bennett who was governor between 1701 and 1721, Pilot Jemmy Darrell, a black Bermudian slave who played a large role in the establishment of Bermuda as a Royal Naval base and Mary Prince, a Bermuda-born slave whose biography was printed by the British Anti-Slavery Society in 1831.

"Some of the narratives are not tied to a person in quite that way," said Mr. Zuill. "One of these is 'Horsewhips in High Places' which is the battle between St. George's Mayor John Till and Governor Sir William Lumley.

"My father wrote a book called 'Horsewhips in High Places'. I turned it into a form which is used as a reading."

"One drama is about the wife of a confederate agent, Georgiana Walker. She gives a strong sense of the confederacy," said Mr. Zuill.

A piece about Joseph Hayne Rainey, a Bermuda resident who became one of the first black Americans to be elected to the American House of Representatives gives the other viewpoint.

Mr. Zuill has been a lifelong history buff. His other books are 'The Story of Bermuda and Her People' and 'A History of St. Mark's Church'.

"I read history for pleasure," said Mr. Zuill. "This book was written for the Bermuda National Trust.

"I went to them and suggested it would make a good Bermuda National Trust publication. I suggested I would put up the money for printing, and then I would be paid back in sales."

Mr. Zuill said he produced the book with the help of Margaret Lloyd, Dace Ground, Diana Chudleigh and Nicola O'Leary of the Bermuda National Trust.

"Between them they really shaped up the book very well," said Mr. Zuill. "They checked and double checked a great many facts."

Some of the skits in the book will probably be used in this year's Bermuda National Trust Christmas Walkabout in St. George's.

The preface of the book is written by Minister of Culture and Social Rehabilitation Dale Butler.

Mr. Butler wrote: "While most stories of the past are captured in history books, and increasingly more today in documentary form, there is still room for readings which allow the individual to feel the circumstances of character, add 'good speech' to the presentation, and generally enjoy the moment of production.

"Works like this bring history alive and for this I can only sing the praises of 'Footsteps in the Sand' because it will allow us to discuss and question history, to examine various writers' interpretations of the facts, and to engage in meaningful discussion of the historic character pitted against difficult odds."

The cover of the book comes from the St. George's Historical Society. It is an illustration by Edward James of St. George's looking down from Barrack Hill in the 1860s.

"I have always found the little paddle steamer in the illustration particularly charming," said Mr. Zuill. "Edward James' goat is also in the picture. Lots of his pictures had his goat in there. The later ones have a picture of him as well in a French type desert hat. He was a magnificent artist."

Copies of 'Footsteps in the Sand' have been sent to Bermuda schools so that students can enjoy and learn from the dramas.

It will be available at Bermuda National Trust stores and should be on other bookstores quite soon.