The Wine-Dark Sea

By Patrick O'Brian
261 pages

This one started out kinda slow and never really picked up the tempo. Not to say it wasn't a bad volume.

Picking up right where the last volume left off, the Surprise takes the Franklin and a few whalers. The plot is for Stephen to help Peru and Chile free themselves from Spain's rule. Unfortunately the charismatic Dutourd (a prisoner on board) enchants some of the crew (namely the Knipperdollings) with his talk of a free society.

Stephen tells Jack not to let Dutourd onto shore. But the hands sneak him ashore. He helps to cause Stephen's mission to be undermined.

Stephen escapes through the high plains (Andes?) reminiscent of the other book when Stephen went up in the mountains while in India. Only shorter and a bit more interesting.

Back aboard Stephen has news of 3 Chinamen laden with goods. While trying to find a way around Cape Horn they fight with an American warship. 38 guns.

They get away but lose masts to an iceberg and lighting. In the end, this volume served to get the men on their way back to England.




Sorry but there just wasn't much to say about this volume.