16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
that the war between the chief of the northern
part of Moahu and the queen of the south was
complicated by the presence of a number of
French mercenaries on the chief's side and of
a privateer under American colours, the Franklin,
commanded by another Frenchman allied
to the chief, a Monsieur Dutourd. Acting upon
this information, Captain Aubrey therefore
proceeded with the utmost dispatch to Pabay,
the northern port of Moahu, in the hope of
finding the Franklin at anchor. She was not
there, so having released the detained British
ship, the Truelove, together with her surviving
crew, and having destroyed the French garrison
with the loss of one officer killed and two
seamen wounded, he hastened to the southern
harbour, which was about to be attacked
from the mountains by the northern chief and
probably from the sea by the privateer. The
Surprise arrived in time: her people had the