Summary for The Commodore
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A chapter by chapter look at The Commodore
| SPOILER WARNING: Plot or ending details for "The Commodore" follow. |
Contents |
CHAPTER 1
Surprise, HMS Berenice and Ringle schooner arriving in the Channel - Jack lends Hen Dundas 1,000 guineas in gold - HMS Thunderer 74 sighted, wrong signals - Stephen treats seamen fighting at loggerheads - bad breakfast in Thunderer, no coffee - Jack to take squadron as commodore to the Slave Coast - Stephen must go to London in Ringle - Surprise reaches Shelmerston, deserted - all at hanging - Jack at Ashgrove, Sophia away at Woolcombe - Jack takes horse, thrown and stunned.
CHAPTER 2
Blaine explains Jack's mission, Slave Coast and Ireland - Stephen reports on Peru to the Committee - Mrs Broad agrees to take Sarah and Emily Sweeting - Clarissa has identified Duke of Habachsthal - he is revengeful, seeking to convict her and Padeen - Mrs Williams denounces Diana to Jack - her betting office business described - Stephen calls on way to Barham - Thomas Pullings made post - Clarissa and Brigid alone at Barham - Brigid mute - news of Diana, now good friend of Clarissa but unhappy.
CHAPTER 3
Jack at home, tries on new uniform - Clarissa being investigated - Mrs Williams visits Barham - Stephen also, Brigid talking to Padeen - on to Ashgrove - squadron getting ready, with many changes - Pratt hunting for Diana - Mrs Williams's Briggs beaten up - Stephen applies pressure to keep her from Brigid - overhears Jack's solitary violin - view through telescope of Bellona, Stately, Nimble, Pyramus, Aurora, etc - Pyramus changed for Thames - they go aboard Bellona - Stephen flies into passion over inadequate sickberth.
CHAPTER 4
Sophia entertains the captains at Ashgrove - Thomas disagreeable - Pullings remarks on him and Thames - Stephen tells assistants virtues of asafetida and coca - meeting with Blaine in Beetle Wood - Habachtsthal ready to take revenge on Stephen, Clarissa and Padeen - Stephen must emigrate with all his gold.
CHAPTER 5
Stephen's adventurous ride back to Portsmouth - reflects on French plan against Ireland - Jack jealous of Hinksey - Captain Thomas rebuked - Jack and Stephen discuss chastity and honour - Stephen takes Ringle to London - Sethian crew, Mould and Vaggers, driven back to sea by polygamy - record run - Stephen visits Mrs Broad, Sarah and Emily happy - Lawrence has the gold ready - windbound in the estuary - Mould and Vaggers sneak through the shoals - Stephen collects Clarissa, Brigid, Padeen from Barham - Clarissa and Sophia at odds - all aboard Ringle - no milk for Brigid, skillygalee - Stephen promises Padeen 17 acres - French privateer in the Bay - Ringle passes a biscuit toss from Cape Vares - Brigid, Clarissa, Padeen left in Corunna to make their way to Avila.
CHAPTER 6
Squadron found off the Berlings, practising the guns - Stephen welcomed in Bellona by post-Captain Pullings - Jack unhappy - gunnery poor - Killick and Bonden discuss Jack's miseries, Sophia jealous of Clarissa - Stephen tells Jack of Hinksey's engagement and departure for Bombay.
CHAPTER 7
Sailing south - first lieutenant dies - Thames sluggish - Jack opens sealed orders to intercept French mission to Ireland - Stephen chooses lesser weevil - Jack calls captains to consult about Slave Coast - no help, but midshipman Whewell recommended - he describes the trade - Stately's surgeon consults Stephen about rampant sodomy of his captain - Jack makes plans with Whewell - Stephen a stranger in the gunroom - Nancy slaver taken - Whewell takes Jack's letters to governor of Sierra Leone.
CHAPTER 8
Nancy sunk by gunfire in Freetown harbour - eight more slavers taken by boat raids - no shore leave after sunset - John Square, Krooman, takes Stephen to Freetown - Mr Houmouzios, moneylender - squadron sails for Philip's Island - larger ships keep well out to sea, no swamps for Stephen - gunroom dinner, quarrel with Stately's Marine - no slavers in harbour, Stephen goes ashore after all.
CHAPTER 9
Stephen returns - three more slavers taken - Stephen has yellow fever, recovers - eighteen slavers taken - winds contrary, Thames and Stately in very bad order - Whydah market empty - Whewell has potto for Stephen, describes Dahomey, Amazons - potto brings luck and good winds - landing on Sao Tome - duel, both die, enmity between Stately and Thames - return to Freetown - Jack discusses naval sodomy - dinner with Governor, naturalist wife - letters from Clarissa and Brigid - harmattan - letters from Blaine, need for haste - squadron puts to sea.
CHAPTER 10
Squadron searching for French 74 from America in Atlantic - after eight days French squadron sighted, without American 74 - chased into Bantry Bay - action - reinforcements arrive from Bere Haven - Stephen quietens hostile Irish, with Father Boyle, welcomed - Stanislas Roche takes him to Diana - Habachtsthal dead.
