Thanks, Shorty! Those bits were all from the part where Captain Jack Aubrey was taking a first look at his ship, the Sophie. He was thinking that she looked old and old-fashioned, which suited him just fine.
Now it makes a lot more sense!
So... what's a "royal" and why would a harbormaster tell Jack Aubrey that a good captain never sets his royals?
__________________
Who are all these people and what do they know? 
|