1.2.1-Lifeisyetfair

1.2.1
I don’t have much of a reaction to this chapter, other than the somewhat spoilery point that we’re told the cannons are usually on the upper deck. There’s a reason for that (in the book at least, what do I know about sailing?), so keep an eye on those unusually placed cannons.

Some context for what this ship is planning to do, by way of this article:

Many passages in this book about the Vendean and Chouan wars show a serious acquaintance with real events: the abortive Granville landing in October 1793 (reset in the novel to the coast of northen Brittany)

This was a fiasco where the Royal and Catholic Army (the Vendeen rebels) tried to rendezvous with an emigrant army and supplies which were supposed to be landed by the British. However, the landing never materialized. The Vendeens laid siege to the town of Granville, but without the backup they expected, they lost. See wiki for details:

Also, marsmeadow has some great historical notes on a Commune connection and on the spy’s RL inspiration: and

Commentary
Pilferingapples REFERENCE, YOU COME BRINGING REFERENCE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.The Granville landing adventure was totally unknown to me! And yes, SORT OF RELEVANT HERE.