Hornblower and the Spanish Galleys Summary

Indefatigable guards a small British fleet and is in a Spanish port when Spain makes peace with France. A Spanish envoy comes aboard with a sealed letter for Captain Pellew which announces the news. The envoy also informs the English they must immediately depart. As they leave the harbor they are escorted by two peculiar ships—Spanish galleys, propelled by two hundred slaves chained to the oars and manned by thirty-odd sailors. The galleys have a few large cannon and obsolescent warships. If the wind dies, they are obviously far superior to a sailing vessel. Indefatigable sails to sea, the galleys return to port, and the afternoon comes on. Unfortunately for the British, the wind dies away into a dead calm. A few minutes later, the Spanish galleys emerge again from the harbor and...