On 2 November 1698 a fleet landed in the Isthmus of Darien to create a colony and launch a new Scottish trading empire. The venture failed dramatically, with a catastrophic loss of life and money, and led to the eventual end of Scottish independence and the beginning of the UK.
Nat Edwards' erratic odyssey to find the graves of the Scots settlers is a reflection of the story of the Scots Company itself, interweaving pirates, street riots, treasure hunters, indigenous peoples and killer bees with the astonishing historical facts of Darien. Panama is the real-life setting for an almost unbelievable 17th century expedition of Scottish hope and adventure, and Nat Edwards' discoveries are often frustrating, occasionally freakish, but always fascinating.