In all Hornblower’s years at sea both before and since that memorable time he does not remember being so utterly weary as he was after the Natividad plunged burning under the surface of the deep Pacific. But his own ship, Lydia was not without damage herself and thirty-eight of his men had been killed.

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Many years have passed since that terrible day when the probability of death and defeat stared Horatio Hornblower in the face but he can close his eyes now and still feel that exhaustion and faintness that he dared not let any man see. It was a nightmare pause in a nightmare battle two partially disabled ships drifting rapidly apart and each with no purpose than to patch its wounds and return to destroy the other…

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Hornblower had faced many problems in his seafaring career but as he looks back now he can remember none graver than that which faced him as he prepared to sail in his frigate in search of the Natividad. He had captured her before in harbor by night and by surprise and now he must beat her on the open sea.

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So as not to imperil his mission Hornblower had been obliged to turn over the Natividad to the mad man Don Julian who called himself divine almighty, El Supremo. Now he was coming aboard to murder Hornblower’s prisoners, Spanish officers. Hornblower was determined to save them at least.

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Even after so many years Horatio Hornblower still feels a sense of shame of his temporary dependence on the mad Don Julian who believed himself a divine being and above the laws of man. While he waited he considered his best course of action. There was a chance that the Spanish ship might come in from sea in which case with half his crew ashore Hornblower would be in a hopeless case. On the other hand he had lookouts aloft and he was frantic to secure stores less Don Julian’s rebellion should come to a sudden and bloody ending…

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After seven months at sea Captain Horatio Hornblower and his crew aboard HMS Lydia finally sight land. But the land looks like a burning mountain with two volcanoes. It seems that they have arrived at the entrance to the Gulf of Fonsica where Hornblower is requested and required to form an alliance with Don Julian Al Farado a large landowner there who intends with their help to rise in rebellion against the Spanish monarchy.

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