Chapter Six Summary

After Captain Aubrey and his men crossed the desert they were met with a refreshing view of the Suez and boarded a waiting vessel called the Niobe. Once aboard, Aubrey took the time to write a long letter to his wife, Sophie. He recounted their interesting march across the desert and looked forward to the rest of their journey. Aubrey's luck ceased once he and his men boarded the Niobe. The seasonal winds were not in their favor and the boat seemed to make no progress up the Gulf of Suez. The men were exposed to daily temperatures of one hundred and twenty-five degrees and no breeze for reprieve. Conditions were intolerable to everyone except Dr. Maturin and Mr. Martin, who went exploring off the side of the ship in Dr. Maturin's underwater diving bell. They spent days in this manner...