Voyager - By Diana Gabaldon

Please discuss Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber and Voyager ONLY in this thread. Thanks!
The SPOILER Thread can be found here.

PART 9 – Worlds Unknown
CHAPTER 55 - Ishmael

Claire has a headache and fever, when awakened by the crash of Jamie hitting his head. When she looks at his head (without much enthusiasm), he has a bump, which she kisses, surprising Jamie. She explains that the kiss is supposed to make it feel better, so he gently kisses the bandage on her arm and she assures him that it feels much better. [Awwww. ]

He was looking for her medicine box to treat a prisoner from the pirate ship. Once they determine that she can stand, Claire accompanies Jamie to see the prisoner, who responds to no language other than the pidgin language used by traders, of which Jamie knows a few words. Jamie cuts the cords around his wrists and ankles as a gesture of good faith and tells him to use the chamber pot. He explains to Claire that not being able to piss by oneself is one of the worst things about being bound with your hands behind your back and she didn’t want to think about how he knew that.

The prisoner's injuries are not serious, though he has obviously been bashed around. He is also clearly from Africa, with tribal scars, and almost certainly an escaped slave, who is concerned that they might send him back to his owner. Knowing he understands English, (because of the chamber pot), they want to ask him if he saw Ian on the Bruja before he dove into the sea. Jamie tells him to come to the cabin to eat and when they arrive there, he immediately sends Claire back to bed.

The man says that he is called Ishmael [years before the birth of Herman Melville, so well before Moby Dick] and that he was taken by the pirates while fishing, but doesn’t give the location. He saw 12 Scottish boys on the ship and describes them; two of whom could have been Ian. [I thought it was funny that the way they knew the boys were Scottish is that they sounded like dogs fighting when they talked ]

Ishmael’s voice reminded Claire of Joe Abernathy, despite the lack of a physical resemblance. She wonders whether he could be an ancestor. She also realizes that one of his healed scars looks like he removed an owner’s brand to prevent identification if he was recaptured.

Claire asks Fergus to take her on deck for air, but as soon as they are out of earshot asks to see the papers for the slave they bought. They go to see Temeraire and she sees that his brand is the right size to match Ishmael’s scar, and that the brand itself is the Jacobite rose.

She instructs Fergus to let Temeraire get a look at Ishmael to verify that he came from the same plantation and then, looking quite ill, returns to the cabin and bed. She explains her thoughts to Jamie, who agrees that it is very sensible and then promises her whisky and kisses her forehead to make her better.


- Marsali is mentioned a couple of times as caring for Claire in her pain and illness. Do you think she has that role because she is the only other woman on board? Because she is now Claire’s daughter-in-law (sort of)? Or because she feels guilty that Claire got hurt partly as a result of her actions?

- Do you think Ishmael is actually an ancestor of Joe and Lenny Abernathy? Or was the similarity of voice a coincidence?

- I thought the descriptions of the skin colors of people from different parts of Africa were surprisingly detailed (page 869 in my paperback version). The are other times that I’m amazed at the detail of descriptions of smells or other things, too. DG obviously does her homework and is far more observant and eloquent in describing things than I would ever be.

- I think I now understand the purpose of the visit to the slave market in terms of the plot. Claire saw the branding there and matching Temeraire’s brand to Ishmael’s scar, having Temeraire identify Ishmael and knowing from the papers where Temeraire was from will lead them to the Abernathy plantation, in hopes of finding Ian there. So, it was much more than historical “color”.

- Other thoughts on this chapter?

ABL - I agree with your comments. I think that Marsali is accepting Claire as her step mother and mother-in-law. Claire's fair treatment of Marsali is beginning to reap rewards. It would also be logical for Marsali to care for Claire since she cannot perform physical labor on an 18th C ship.

Ishmael as an ancestor of Joe is an interesting question that I don't think can be answered. However, a similar speech pattern could reflect a common background.

I agree with the eloquence of descriptions by DG. Great point!

Have you posted additional thoughts on the spoiler thread? After a re-kilt here and your active participation in the review of PZ, I would love to hear your thoughts.

I think the changing point for Marsali is her wedding. She is now her person. I agree, I think that she is now able to be more trusting of Claire. I see their relationship getting stronger. She also won, they allowed her to marry Fergus. Guess you could say that perhaps she has grown up.

I like to think that Ishmael is Joe's ancester. Guess we will not know for sure, but it makes a great thought.

Great insight on the significance of the slave market plotline. I hadn't thought about it in this way, but of course the brands are a major clue to lead them to the Abernathy plantation.

I've really enjoyed seeing Marsali and Claire's relationship develop. Marsali has been grudgingly won over to appreciate Claire's wisdom, skills, and warmth -- and I'm sure being the only available female around certainly helped.

Thanks for the reminder, repoman. I posted something at the spoiler thread and I think there will be more stuff once we get through some more chapters.

Yes, the development of Claire and Marsali's relationship is nice to see. It might be that Marsali has been forced to grow up during recent events and she did get what she wanted with her wedding to Fergus.

As soon as I heard "Ishmael" I thought of Joe Abernathy especially since slaves typically took the plantation name as a last name and Joe's son adopted Ishmael as his ancestral name so I believe that these are Joe's ancestors.

As far as Marsali, I think the turning point in that relationship is when she was hiding in the brush on the beach and Jamie found Claire, put her with him, and then runs back to kiss her and tell her that he loves her and not to 'do that again'. Marsali's eyes are big as saucers and she finally has an ah ha moment that Claire is the real deal as far as Jamie is concerned. Up to that point, she just thought of her as a whore that stole him away from her mother.

Good point, Pauline. You'd think she might have figured it out during the whole sea voyage with the closeness of Claire and Jamie, but perhaps she was too wrapped up in Fergus to pay attention. In the brush, it was right in front of her and hard to miss.

Great summary.

I also think Marsali was not accustomed to seeing Jamie respond that way with Laoghaire. For that matter, her mother tainted Marsali's understanding of marital love altogether. Also, Jamie and Claire were trying to tone down the passion since they had been so strict about any romance between Marsali and Fergus. Now all bets were off.

Good point, LJ. They had to keep some distance while on the ship and Marsali was giving Claire the cold shoulder anyway. You're right about Marsali's impression of Jamie as seen through his marriage to her mother and the unemotional life he lived in Lallybroch. Only those that remembered them together knew that side of Jamie because it didn't happen again after she was gone.