Hornblower and the Man Who Saw God Summary

The weeks pass into winter and gales become frequent. During weekly inspection, Hornblower notes that one of his men, Styles, has numerous sores on his face and arms, covered with plaster. Styles states them to be boils and claims he has received medical attention. The twittering of the other men alerts Hornblower that something is not right. Hornblower consults the ship's doctor and receives a lackadaisical lecture about the prevalence of boils on prolonged voyages.

Later Hornblower ascends to the mizzen top. He frequents the top for solitude, finding it a place to meditate and be alone. After some time he is joined by Finch, a sailor known to be somewhat mentally deficient. Finch is restless and keeps a sharp lookout toward the maintop, forward. Hornblower questions Finch and the sailor...