The Maid of Sker · Character

Captain Drake Bampfylde

A young naval captain who returns from a successful cruise with prizes, prisoners, and a talent for turning landlubbers into seamen.

supporting

Also known as Drake, Captain Drake, young Drake, Drake Bampfylde, Commodore Sir Drake Bampfylde

First appearance: the maid of sker

As a supporting figure in The Maid of Sker, Captain Drake Bampfylde is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Meets Isabel secretly at Narnton Court, lands a chest, and is warned by her about a dangerous man.

In the storyXXXI: Two LoversOpen this moment free

Drake Bampfylde commands the seventy-four-gun Bellona, where he dines his officers on Christmas Day and runs a tight, cheerful ship. He is decisive but open to counsel, asking Davy's opinion only after settling his own, and he handles a cargo of awkward landsmen with salt-water cures and grim humor. His return from sea promises both prize-money and complications for the shore-bound world of Sker.

See Captain Drake Bampfylde in XXXI: Two Lovers Book page

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Character Web

14 connections

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Other

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Extended cast and background figures
Main characters and allies
Minor local associates

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This is the story's dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological peak where the protagonis…

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In the story

Captain Drake Bampfylde appears across 12 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

XXXI: Two Lovers
Meets Isabel secretly at Narnton Court, lands a chest, and is warned by her about a dangerous man.
Waiting and Learning
Suspected of murdering two children; Davy believes him innocent.
Under Fairer Auspices
Referred to as Miss Carey's sweetheart and the ward of Sir Philip.
Two Poor Children
Younger son of Sir Philip, cursed with bad luck from childhood; accidentally killed a schoolboy in a fight, suffered multiple naval misfortunes including shark bite, powder disfigurement, and shipwreck.
XLI: The Right Man in the Right Place
Captain of the Alcestis; favors the carronade and is a target of Parson Chowne's plots.
XLV: Introduces a Real Hero
Captain of the Alcestis, compared unfavorably to Nelson by Davy, but later respected.
Mischief in a Household
Referred to as the Captain, he is the subject of the warrant and the focus of Sir Philip's hopes for restored honor.
Taming of the Savages
Captain Bampfylde shows strange interest in the savages and refuses to flog them without cause, preferring a more measured approach.
LV: Upon Foreign Service
Secretly marries Isabel Carey before the Defence sails; works hard on the ship.
Exiles of Society
Commands the ship; rigs gratings to prevent grumbling; allows Davy to escort the cannibals home.
LXIV: Susan Quite Acquits Herself
Accused of orchestrating the children's disappearance for inheritance and marriage motives; seven reasons are given against him.
Dog Eats Dog
Mentioned as having landed a chest of plate and linen, not an arm-chest, contrary to Chowne's slander.

Chapter companion notes

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See Captain Drake Bampfylde in the maid of sker

See Captain Drake Bampfylde in XXXI: Two Lovers