Chapter 9 Summary

Shannon stands off and on Boston harbor. Broke has sent several messages to Captain Lambert of the Chesapeake, desiring him to come out to combat. Shannon's water is nearly depleted and the frigate must shortly sail for resupply. Aubrey watches the ship and is truly impressed with the high state of readiness that is everywhere apparent. Broke is a thoroughly modern captain and has outfitted the guns with sights of his own design. Maturin considers Aubrey and Broke and finds them simultaneously similar but opposites—Aubrey is representative of an older style of naval captain while Broke represents all that is modern. Nearly all shipboard talk concerns possible combat with the American frigate, though from time to time other nautical topics arise—such as the newfangled steam engines that are coming into some vogue.

Finally Chesapeake puts out from Boston and...