16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
leave the country at once. He is in the far
mountains by now, travelling with a sure experienced
guide towards Chile, which has a
separate government. We consulted together
before he left, and it was agreed that I should
tell you he would do his utmost to be in Valparaiso
by the last day of next month, staying
either with the Benedictines or with don Jaime
O'Higgins. Obviously he cannot travel so far
over such a country in that period, but once
he is in Chile we hope that he will be able to
travel on by a series of small coasting vessels
from one little port or fishing village to another
and so reach Valparaiso in good time. We
further agreed, sir, that until the Viceroy's return,
which will be in three or four days now,
you need have no fear for the ship, and even
then direct seizure is unlikely. But we were told
on good authority that you would be well advised
to move her out of the yard – as indeed