Chapter 7 Summary

Renown reaches Santo Domingo but Buckland vacillates; instead of entering the port, the ship heaves to off the coast and wallows. Hornblower becomes seasick and cantankerous. Bush and Hornblower pace the deck and Hornblower discloses how he would have approached the port—by a stealthy nighttime landing of troops and an overland surprise attack on the Samaná fortress. Buckland feels rather otherwise. After tipping his hand by giving away his presence, Buckland orders a daylight assault on the port by boldly sailing Renown up the narrow channel.

Renown makes the bay and closes with the port—her objective is the destruction of several small privateers sheltering near the town. The harbor's channel is long, shallow, and difficult. The harbor entrance is guarded by two forts—one on the mainland and the other on a prominence on the Samaná peninsula. As...