The Final Unfinished Voyage of Jack Aubrey
Encyclopedia
The Final Unfinished Voyage of Jack Aubrey (published in the northern-hemisphere autumn of 2004) is an unfinished historical novel by English author Patrick O'Brian
, the twenty-first one in the Aubrey-Maturin series. It appeared in the United States of America under the simpler title of 21.
and moor close to the island functioning as the main administrative centre. A quarantine officer comes aboard, a Dr Quental, and gives the frigate a clean bill of health
.
Wantage informs Maturin of a rumpus in the town: a fight between Protestant mariners from a Boston barque clash with the Catholic locals over the right of polygamy. Further signs of local resentment emerge when a large scow dumps the town's filth next to the frigate and the Portuguese sailors shout abuse at the Surprises. Aubrey spots a black Legate
and recognises him as his own natural son, Sam. The Most Reverend Doctor Samuel Mputa, the Papal Nuncio
to the Republic of Argentina, has recently saved the government from an open rebellion.
The South African squadron, under its Commander-in-Chief Admiral Lord Leyton, finally makes its appearance and the crew of the Surprise bring their ship up to a high state of perfection. Jack makes his appearance on board HMS Suffolk and sees his rear-admiral
's blue flag hoisted on the flagship
. He then has an interview with the somewhat cantankerous Admiral, who instructs him to ask Stephen if two of his officers can sail on the Surprise (now a private vessel once more) back to England. While the fleet re-provisions, the Ringle sails off under the steady and capable Lieutenant Harding, and later returns with Sophie Aubrey, Christine Wood, her brother Edward and the three children (Brigid Maturin and Fanny and Charlotte Aubrey) who will sail on with Jack and Stephen to South Africa. The final chapters end with an Admiral's dinner before which Stephen and Jack meet Captain Miller, Leyton's nephew and Jack's neighbour at Caxley. Miller, who has a reputation as a ladies' man and as an excellent shot — nicknamed Hair-Trigger Miller — has been paying court to Christine Wood. The Admiral asks Aubrey if he can take Miller on board with him to take up a new position in Cape Town
.
In the last few handwritten pages that follow the end of the typescript, as the South Africa squadron makes its way to St Helena, Mrs Wood asks Stephen to prevent Randolph Miller's unwanted attentions. In doing so, Stephen also calls Miller out for naming him a liar. Miller insists on pistols but Maturin insists on his right, as the aggrieved party, to name the weapons; thus they fight with swords, which puts Miller at a disadvantage. The duel takes place: after three or four thrusts Stephen disarms Miller and demands an apology, which Miller gives him.
One critic has described it as:
The facsimile of O'Brian's handwritten script illustrates a sharpening of the author's imagery and his own doodling of placements for a fictitious on-board dinner party.
Patrick O'Brian
Patrick O'Brian, CBE , born Richard Patrick Russ, was an English novelist and translator, best known for his Aubrey–Maturin series of novels set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and centred on the friendship of English Naval Captain Jack Aubrey and the Irish–Catalan physician Stephen...
, the twenty-first one in the Aubrey-Maturin series. It appeared in the United States of America under the simpler title of 21.
Editor's note and afterword
The published work appears with an "Editor's Note" by Starling Lawrence and an afterword by Richard Snow, who had written an influential review of the series in the New York Times Book Review many years before. Commentators have credited Snow's review with helping to popularize the series in the United States.Plot summary
The story begins with the Surprise in the Strait of Magellan, caught up in foul weather. Hanson first spots Cape Pilar at the very opening of the Strait, and soon the Surprise moors and conducts some trade with the inhospitable locals for meat and vegetables. Having re-provisioned, she and Ringle sail northwards in fine weather until they enter the River PlateRío de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
and moor close to the island functioning as the main administrative centre. A quarantine officer comes aboard, a Dr Quental, and gives the frigate a clean bill of health
Bill of health
A bill of health is a document from officials of a port of departure indicating to the officials of the port of arrival which indicates whether it is likely that the ship is carrying a contagious disease.As defined in a consul's handbook from 1879:...
.
Wantage informs Maturin of a rumpus in the town: a fight between Protestant mariners from a Boston barque clash with the Catholic locals over the right of polygamy. Further signs of local resentment emerge when a large scow dumps the town's filth next to the frigate and the Portuguese sailors shout abuse at the Surprises. Aubrey spots a black Legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
and recognises him as his own natural son, Sam. The Most Reverend Doctor Samuel Mputa, the Papal Nuncio
Nuncio
Nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word, Nuntius, meaning "envoy." This article addresses this title as well as derived similar titles, all within the structure of the Roman Catholic Church...
to the Republic of Argentina, has recently saved the government from an open rebellion.
The South African squadron, under its Commander-in-Chief Admiral Lord Leyton, finally makes its appearance and the crew of the Surprise bring their ship up to a high state of perfection. Jack makes his appearance on board HMS Suffolk and sees his rear-admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
's blue flag hoisted on the flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
. He then has an interview with the somewhat cantankerous Admiral, who instructs him to ask Stephen if two of his officers can sail on the Surprise (now a private vessel once more) back to England. While the fleet re-provisions, the Ringle sails off under the steady and capable Lieutenant Harding, and later returns with Sophie Aubrey, Christine Wood, her brother Edward and the three children (Brigid Maturin and Fanny and Charlotte Aubrey) who will sail on with Jack and Stephen to South Africa. The final chapters end with an Admiral's dinner before which Stephen and Jack meet Captain Miller, Leyton's nephew and Jack's neighbour at Caxley. Miller, who has a reputation as a ladies' man and as an excellent shot — nicknamed Hair-Trigger Miller — has been paying court to Christine Wood. The Admiral asks Aubrey if he can take Miller on board with him to take up a new position in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
.
In the last few handwritten pages that follow the end of the typescript, as the South Africa squadron makes its way to St Helena, Mrs Wood asks Stephen to prevent Randolph Miller's unwanted attentions. In doing so, Stephen also calls Miller out for naming him a liar. Miller insists on pistols but Maturin insists on his right, as the aggrieved party, to name the weapons; thus they fight with swords, which puts Miller at a disadvantage. The duel takes place: after three or four thrusts Stephen disarms Miller and demands an apology, which Miller gives him.
Characters
- Jack Aubrey - Rear-Admiral of the Blue Squadron, aboard HMS Suffolk.
- Stephen Maturin - ship's surgeon, friend to Jack and an intelligence officer.
- The Most Reverend Doctor Samuel Mputa - Papal Nuncio to the Republic of Argentina, and Jack's natural son
- Sophie Aubrey - Jack's wife
- Brigid Maturin - Stephen's daughter by his dead wife, Diana
- Christine Wood - a widow, Stephen's love-interest, and an expert naturalist and anatomist.
- Captain Randoph Miller - an Army officer who courts Christine Wood.
- Admiral Lord Leyton - Commander-in-Chief South African squadron; Captain Miller's uncle.
- Lieutenant Harding - First Lieutenant on the Surprise.
- Horatio Hanson - acting master on the Surprise and natural son of the Duke of Clarence, the future William IV.
- Dr Amos Jacob - assistant-surgeon and intelligence agent
- Dr Quental - quarantine doctor
- Awkward Davies
- Preserved Killick, Jack's steward
- Padeen Colman, Stephen Maturin's servant
- Mr Wells - midshipman on the Surprise.
- Captain Simmons - Captain of HMS Suffolk
- Edward Heatherleigh - Christine Wood's brother and a renowned naturalist
Ships
- HMS SuffolkHMS Suffolk (1765)HMS Suffolk was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 22 February 1765 at Rotherhithe. She was designed by William Bateley, based on the principles of his earlier , and was the only ship built to her draught....
- seventy-four gun man-of-war - Surprise - twenty-eight gun privately-owned frigate
- Ringle - a schooner, privately owned by Jack and used as his tender.
Unfinished manuscript
The book is the posthumous publication of an uncompleted typescript, published as a result of Patrick O'Brian's position as an accomplished author of historical sea-fiction. It comprises the partially corrected typescript of the approximately three chapters completed by O'Brian before his death in January, 2000, as well as a facsimile of the handwritten manuscript which continues beyond the end of the typescript.One critic has described it as:
The facsimile of O'Brian's handwritten script illustrates a sharpening of the author's imagery and his own doodling of placements for a fictitious on-board dinner party.
Editions
- HarperCollins; Hardback (2004) (ISBN 0007194692)
- Norton; Hardback (2004) as 21: The Final Unfinished Voyage of Jack Aubrey (ISBN 0-393-06025-X)
- Recorded Books, LLC; Unabridged Audio edition narrated by Patrick Tull (ISBN 1419308939)