21 by Patrick O'Brian
21 is subtitled "Final Unfinished Voyage of Jack Aubrey". It is the unfinished last volume of the Aubrey/Maturin saga. Patrick O'Brian only wrote three chapters before his death. The transcript is still in an unfinished form but I will attempt to set out the Geographical and nautical issues that I think are relevant. Basically I will try to set out where they went and in what ships.
Cape Pilar to the River Plate
21 Starts with the Surprise in the Magellan Straits, and puts into San Pedro, a fictional port in Tierra del Fuego where they buy some wilted potatoes and cabbages and fill up the water casks from a stream that runs from a glacier. They pass through the Narrows and the Cape Virgins, go around St Paul's Rock and stop off at Port Desire, where they get water and cabbages. They also stop at Bahia Blanca where the occupants have a bad attitude towards them. They eventually sail into the River Plate and Buenos Aires, where after some dramas they eventually get revictualled and meet the South African Squadron.
Jack is made Rear Admiral on the Suffolk and he raise his blue flag at the Mizzen. Lord Leyton is the Admiral and a right blackguard he is. Ringle leaves for England to get all Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin's families and returns with Sophie, the twins, George, Christine and Brigid and Padeen. I think the Surprise sails back to England but I cant be sure.
River Plate to South Africa
The fleet leaves the River Plate for St Helena. From St Helena , they head for Luanda in Angola. Here Jack has a duel with Captain Miller who is an absolute bore and has been hassling Christine. The last pages sees them sailing towards South Africa and that is where the text ends. No more Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin. Boo hoo! We are left to wonder. Where do they go? What adventures would they have had? Will Stephen marry Christine? Will Captain Miller take revenge on Stephen? Will Jack have a huge fight with Lord Leyton?
21 Resources
Go on to read the untyped pages of 21, pages 18-19.
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