Chapters 7 and 8 Summary

In order to impress the Sultan and his entourage, Fox invites them to tour Diane. Aubrey makes sure all is ship-shape and plans a cannonade of floating targets. Maturin purchases various rare earths to intermix with the black powder so the cannon discharges are colorful and fanciful. The entire process is successful save that Abdul makes a scene and demands a present from Fox. Later Maturin spends much time ashore and chooses to lodge in a bawdy-house which gives the Diane's crew much amusement. On one occasion Aubrey permits prostitutes to go aboard Diane; to save the morals of the youngest midshipmen he sends them ashore. Maturin finds them drunken and reveling in the bawdy-house in which he is lodging and in turn sends them back to the ship. Maturin then arranges several days off and proceeds to the Buddhist monastery...