Master & Commander: Where does Stephen Maturin go whilst ashore?

Hi everyone,

Just finished listening to the audiobook of Master & Commander - my first introduction to Patrick O’Brien and the Aubrey-Maturin series.

Hoping a knowledgeable fan might be able to help me with this query... there’s a scene in the book where Jack sets Stephen ashore for a few days (I think in Catalonia), returning at an agreed time each day ready to collect him. Perhaps I missed it, but I’m not clear what Stephen was doing during that time ashore. Does anyone know the answer / is it in the book and I’ve just missed it?

I think we can assume Stephen was doing some early intelligence work - I believe it's a bit nebulous too, in the books, just when and how Stephen first came to work for British Intelligence or began his long friendship with Sir Joseph.  Maybe this was his first foray, motivated by his abhorrence of Bonaparte?
But he also reflects, just after being put ashore, as he sat on a rock: "the friend (though existent) was a mere pretext.  Silence, darkness and these countless familiar scents and the warmth of the land had become (in their way) as necessary to him as air."
But after getting back to the ship it's clear he learned quite a lot while ashore - about how successfully Jack had "stirred up the mercantile interest along the coast" and even of the existence of the "ship of force," hired to put an end to Jack's escapades (the Cacafuego itself) but instead becomes the object of one of Jack's most famous accomplishments.
Gary

Agreed! Having now read (technically, listened to) a few more of the series I understand Stephen’s intelligence ops are always a bit nebulous / shrouded in mystery. Only 4 books in but I’m hoping further details are revealed as the series progresses!