Page "Stephen Maturin" Paragraph 8

He is described as short, slight, and dark-haired, with " curious " pale blue eyes and very pale skin, though he does become fairly dark-skinned when he travels to tropical climes ( a result of his Hiberno-Spanish heritage and predilection for naked sun-bathing ).

He weighs " barely 9 stone " ( 126 pounds, 56 kg ).

Untidy or even disreputable in appearance, he spends as little as possible on clothes, and when encouraged by his particular friend Jack Aubrey wears a periwig over his sparse close-cropped hair.

These habits persist despite a considerable share of prize money earned over the years, and a fortune inherited from his Catalan godfather in 1812.