Captain Joseph Smith Speer was an English mariner who spent many years in Central America and the Caribbean. He created detailed maps and guides based on his personal experiences. In 1766, he published The West-India Pilot, containing 13 maps and detailed navigational instructions for passage between Caribbean ports. An expanded edition with 26 maps appeared in 1771. Speer’s instructions to mariners were practical and straightforward. They pointed out hazards to be avoided, such as rocks and shallow waters, and advised captains on how to sail and anchor along the various coasts and how to leave and enter different ports.