October 21, 2023 • 30 mins
Treasure IslandThe story is narrated by young Jim Hawkins, who becomes embroiled in a thrilling tale of piracy and buried treasure. When Jim and his mother discover a map in the chest of their inn's deceased lodger, Billy Bones, they realize it points to the legendary treasure of Captain Flint, a notorious pirate. This discovery leads to Jim embarking on a perilous voyage aboard the Hispaniola to Skeleton Island, where the treasure is believed to be hidden.During the journey, Jim discovers that a large portion of the ship's crew is composed of pirates, formerly under the command of Flint, and now led by the cunning and charismatic Long John Silver. Silver and his crew plan to mutiny once they reach the island and claim the treasure for themselves.The story unfolds with battles, treachery, loyalty, and cunning strategy. Throughout his adventure, Jim encounters danger at every turn, from deadly skirmishes with the pirates to encounters with the island's indigenous inhabitants."Treasure Island" is not just a tale of adventure but also a coming-of-age story for Jim, who must navigate moral ambiguities, learn whom to trust, and grow into his own as a young man. The novel also delves into themes of greed, loyalty, and the unpredictability of human nature.The character of Long John Silver, with his mix of ruthlessness and charm, is one of literature's most famous and complex pirates. Stevenson's vivid characters, combined with the suspenseful narrative, make "Treasure Island" a timeless tale that has captivated readers for generations.
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Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
recordings are in the public domain.For more information or to volunteer, please
visit LibriVox dot org. Treasure Islandby Robert Louis Stevenson, read by Adrian
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Pratzellus, Chapter fifteen. I strikethe Jolly Roger. I had scarce gained
a position on the bowsprit when theflying jib flapped and filled on the other
tack with a report like a gun. The schooner trembled to her keel under
the reverse, but the next momentthe other sails, still drawing, the
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jib flapped back again and hung idle. This had nearly tossed me off into
the sea, and now I lostno time, crawled back along the bowsprit
and tumbled head foremost on the deck. I was on the least side of
the forecastle, and the mainsaul,which was still drawing, concealed me from
a certain portion of the after deck. Not a soul was to be seen.
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The planks, which had not beenswabbed since the mutiny, bore the
print of many feet and an emptybottle broken by the neck tumbled to and
fro like a live thing in thescuppers. Suddenly the Hispaniola came right into
the wind. The jibs behind mecracked aloud. The rudder slammed too.
The whole ship gave a sickening heaveand shudder, and at the same moment
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the main boom swung inboard, thesheet groaning in the blocks, and showed
me the lee after deck there werethe two watchmen, sure enough, Red
Cap on his back, as stiffas a handspike, with his arms stretched
out like those of a crucifix,and his teeth showing through his open lips.
Israel, hands propped against the bulwarks, his chin on his chest,
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his hands lying open before him onthe deck, his face as white under
his tan as a tallow candle.For a while, the ship kept bucking
and sidling like a vicious horse,the sails filling now on one tack,
now on another, and the boomswinging to and fro, till the mast
groaned aloud under the strain. Nowand again too there would come a cloud
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of light sprays under the bulwark,and a heavy blow of the ship's boughs
against the swale. So much heavierweather was made of it by this great
rigged ship than by my home madelopsided coracle, now gone to the bottom
of the sea. At every jumpof the schooner, red cap slipped to
and fro. But what was ghastlyto behold. Neither his attitude, nor
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his fixed teeth disclosing Grin, wasin any way disturbed by this rough usage.
At every jump, too, Handsappeared still more to sink into himself,
and settled down upon the deck,his feet sliding ever the farther out,
and the whole body canting toward thestern, so that his face became
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little by little hid from me,and at last I could see nothing beyond
his ear and the frayed ringlet ofone whisker. At the same time I
observed around both of them splashes ofdark blood upon the planks, and began
to feel sure that they had killedeach other in their drunken wrath. While
I was thus looking and wondering,in a calm moment, when the ship
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was still Israel, Hands turned partlyround, and with a low moan,
writhed himself back to the position inwhich I had seen him first. The
moan which told of pain and deadlyweakness, and the way in which his
jaw hung open went right to myheart. But when I remembered the talk
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I had overheard from the apple barrel, all pity left me. I walked
aft until I reached the mainmast.Come aboard, mister Hans, I said
ironic. He rolled his eyes roundheavily, but he was far too gone
to expressed surprise. All he coulddo was utter one word, brandy.
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It occurred to me that there wasno time to lose, and dodging the
boom as it once more lurched acrossthe deck, I slipped aft and down
the companion stairs into the cabin.It was such a scene of confusion as
you can hardly fancy. All thelockfast places had been broken open in quest
of the chart. The floor wasthick with mud where the Ruffians had sat
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down to drink or consult after wadingin the marshes round their camp. The
bulkheads, all painted in clear whiteand beaded round with gilt, bore a
pattern of dirty hands. Dozens ofempty bottles clinked together in corners to the
rolling of the ship. One ofthe doctor's medical books lay open on the
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table half of the leaves gutted out, I suppose for pipe lights. In
the midst of all this, thelamp still cast a smoky glow, obscure
and brown as umber. I wentinto the cellar. All the barrels were
gone, and of the bottle asa most surprising number had been drunk out
and thrown away. Certainly, sincethe mutiny began, not a man of
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them could ever have been sober.Foraging about, I found a bottle with
some brandy left for hands and formyself. I routed out some biscuit,
some pickled fruits, a great bunchof raisins, and a piece of cheese.
With these, I came on deck, put down my own stock behind
the rudder head, and well outof the cocksin's reach, went forward to
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the water breaker and had a gooddeep drink of water, and then,
not until then, gave hands thebrandy. He must have drunk a jill
before he took the bottle from hismouth, Ah, said he ahy thunder,
But I wanted that. And hesat down already in my corner and
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began to eat. Much hurt,I asked him. He grunted, or
rather, I might say, hebarked. If that doctor was aboard,
he said, I'd be right enoughin a couple of turns. But I
don't have no manner of luck,you see. That's what's the matter with
me. And for that swab,he's good and dead. He is,
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he added, indicating the man withthe red cap. He weern't no seamen
anyhow, and where mought you've comefrom? Well, said I. I
have come aboard to take possession ofthe ship, mister Hans, and you'll
please regard me as your captain untilfurther notice. He looked at me sourly
enough, but said nothing. Someof the color had come back into his
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cheeks, though he still looked verysick, and still continued to slip out
and settle down. As the shipbanged about by the bye, I continued,
I can't have these colors, misterHans, and by your leave,
i'll strike em better none than these, And again, dodging the boom,
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I ran to the color lines andhauled down their cursed black flag and chucked
it overboard. God save the King, said I, waving my cap,
and there's an end to captain silver. He watched me keenly and slyly,
his chin all the while on hisbreast. I reckon, he said,
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at last, I reckon, CaptainHawkins, you kinda want to get ashore.
Now suppose we talks. Why,yes, says I, with all
my heart, mister Hans, sayon, And I went back to my
meal with a good appetite. Thisman, he began nodding feebly at the
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corpse, Oh Brian was his name. A rank island this man and me
got the canvas on her, meaningfor to sail her back. Well,
he's dead now, he is asdead as bilge. And who's to sail
this ship? I don't see.Without I'll give you a hint. You
ate that man, as far asI can tell. Now. Look here
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you gives me food and drink andan old scarf or handkerchief to tie my
wound up. You do, andI'll tell you how to sail her.
And that's about square all round,I take it. I'll tell you one
thing, says I. I'm notgoing back to Captain Kid's anchorage. I
mean to get into north Inlet andbeach her quietly there to be sure you
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did. He cried, Why Iain't such an infernal lubber, After all,
I can see, can't I.I've tried, my fling, I
have and I've lost. And it'syou as the wind of me north Inlet.
Why I haven't no choice, notI I'd to help you sailor up
to Execution Dock by thunder, soI would well, As it seemed to
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me there was some sense in this, we struck our bargain on the spot.
In three minutes I had the Hispaniolasailing easily before the wind along the
coast of Treasure Island, with goodhopes of turning the northern point are noon,
and beating down again as far asnorth Inlet before high water, when
we might beach her safely and waituntil the subsiding tide permitted us to land.
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Then I lashed the tiller and wentbelow to my own chest, where
I got a soft silk handkerchief ofmy mother's. With this and with my
aid hands bound up the great bleedingstab he had received in the thigh.
And after he had eaten a littleand had a swallow or two more of
the brandy, he began to pickup visibly, sat straighter, up,
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spoke louder and clearer, and lookedin every way another man the breeze served
us admirably. We skimmed before itlike a bird, the coast of the
island flashing by, and the viewchanging every minute. Soon we were past
the highlands and bowling beside low sandycountry, sparsely dotted with dwarf pines.
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And soon we were beyond that again, and had turned the corner of the
rocky hill that ends the island onthe north. I was greatly elated with
my new command, and pleased withthe bright sunshiny weather, and these different
prospects of the coast. I nowhad plenty of water and good things to
eat, and my conscience, whichhad smitten me hard for my desertion,
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was quieted by the great conquest Ihad made. I should, i think,
have had nothing left me to desirebut for the eyes of the cocks,
and as they followed me derisively aboutthe deck, and the odd smile
that appeared continually on his face.It was a smile that had in it
something both of pain and weakness,a haggard old man's smile. But there
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was besides that a grain of derision, a shadow of treachery in his expression.
As he craftily watched and watched andwatched me at my work. End
of chapter twenty five. Chapter twentysix, Israel hands the wind, serving
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us to a desire. Now hauledinto the west, we could run so
much easier from the northeast corner ofthe island to the mouth of the North
Inlet, only as we had nopower to anchor and dared not beach her
until the tide had flowed a gooddeal farther. Time hung on our hands.
The Coxswain told me how to laythe ship too. After a good
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many trials, I succeeded, andwe both sat in silence over another meal.
Cap'n said he at length, withthat same uncomfortable smile. Here is
my old shipmate, O'Brien. Supposeyou was to leave him overboard. I
ate particular as a rule, andI don't take no blame for settling his
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hash. But I don't reckon himornamental, now, do you. I'm
not strong enough and I don't likethe job. And there he lies for
me, said I. He isan unlucky shit this Spaniola, Jim.
He went on, blinking. There'sa power of men being killed on this
Espaniola, A sight of poor seamendead and gone. Since you and me
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took this ship to Bristol. I'venever seen such dirty luck, not I
there was this here, O'Brien.Now he's dead, ain't he. Well,
now, I'm no scholar and you'rea ladders can read and figure.
And to put it straight, doyou take it as a dead man he's
dead for good? Or do heI'm alive again. You can kill the
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body, mister hands, but notthe spirit. You must know that already,
I replied, oh'brien, there isin another world and maybe watching us,
Ah says he, Well, that'sunfortunate. Appears as if killing parties
was a waste of time. Howsome ever, spirits don't reckon for much,
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by what I've seen. I'll chanceit with the spirits, Jim.
And now you spoke up free andI'll take it kind if you'll step down
into that deer cabin and get mea well shiver my timbers, I can't
hit the name on well, youcan get me a butler of wine,
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Jim. This here, Brandy istoo strong for my head. Now.
The Coxin's hesitation seemed to be unnatural, and as for the notion of his
preferring wine to brandy, I entirelydisbelieved it. The whole story was a
pretext. He wanted me to leavethe deck, so much was plain,
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But with what purpose I could inno way imagine. His eyes never met
mine, and they kept wandering toand fro, up and down, now
with a look to the sky,now with a flitting glance upon the dead
O'Brien. All the time he keptsmiling and putting his tongue out in a
most guilty, embarrassed manner, sothat a child could have told that he
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was bent on some deception. Iwas prompt with my answer, however,
for I saw where my advantage lay, and that with a fellow so densely
stupid, I could easily conceal mysuspicions to the end. Some wine,
I said, far better? Willyou have white or red? Well,
I reckon it's about the blessed sameto me, shipmate, he replied,
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So it's strong, ern plenty ofit. What's the odds? All right?
I answered, I'll bring you port, mister hands, but I'll have
to dig for it. And withthat I scuttled down the companion with all
the noise I could, slipped offmy shoes, ran quietly along the sparred
gallery, mounted the forecastle ladder andpopped my head out of the fore companion.
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I knew he would not expect tosee me there, yet I took
every precaution possible, and certainly theworst of my suspicions proved too true.
He had risen from his position tohis hands and knees, and though his
leg obviously hurt him pretty sharply whenhe moved, for I could hear him
stifle a groan. Yet it wasat a good rattling rate that he trailed
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himself across the deck. In halfa minute he had reached the port scuppers
and picked up a coil of ropewith a long knife, or rather a
short dirk, discolored to the hiltwith blood. He looked upon it for
a moment, thrusting forth his underjaw, tried the point upon his hand,
and then, hastily concealing it inthe of his jacket, trembled back again
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into his old place against the bulwark. This was all that I required to
know Israel could move about. Hewas now armed, and if he had
been at so much trouble to getrid of me, it was plain that
I was meant to be the victim. What would he do afterward, Whether
he would try to crawl right acrossthe island from north Inlet to the camp
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among the swamps, or whether hewould fire long Tom trusting that his own
comrades might first come to help him, was, of course more than I
could say. Yet I felt surethat I could trust him in one point,
since in that our interests jumped together, and that was the disposition of
the schooner. We both desired tohave her stranded safe enough in a sheltered
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place, so that when the timecame, she could be got off again
with as little labor and danger asmight be. And until that was done,
I considered that my life would certainlybe spared. While I was thus
turning the business over in my mind, I had not been idle with my
body. I had stolen back tothe cabin, slipped once more into my
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shoes, and laid my hand atrandom on a bottle of wine. And
now, with this for an excuse, I made my reappearance on the deck.
Hands lay as I had left him, all fallen together in a bundle,
and with his eyelids lowered, asthough he were too weak to bear
the light. He looked up.However, at my coming, knocked the
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neck off the bottle like a manwho had done the same thing often,
and took a good swig with hisfavorite toast of is luck. Then he
lay quiet for a little, andthen, pulling out a stick of tobacco,
begged me to cut him a quid. Cut me a junker, that
says he, for I haven't noknife and hardly the strength enough, so
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be as I had, ah,Jim, Jim, I reckon I've missed
stays. Cut me a quick aslightly to be the last lad, for
I'm for my long home, andno mistake, well said I. I'll
cut you some tobacco. But ifI was you and thought myself so badly,
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I would go to my prayers likea Christian man. Why said he?
N you tell me why? Why? I cried? You were asking
me just now about the dead.You've broken your trust, You've lived in
sin and lies and blood. There'sa man you killed lying at your feet
this very moment, and you askedme why. For God's mercy, mister
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Hans, That's why I spoke witha little heat, thinking of the bloody
dirk he had hidden in his pocketand designed in his ill thoughts to end
me with. He, for hispart, took a great draft of the
wine and spoke with the most unusualsolemnity for thirty year, he said,
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I've sailed the seas and seen goodand bad, better and worse, fair
weather and foul provisions, running out, knives going and what not. Well,
now I'll tell you I never seengood come out of goodness. Yet
him as strikes first is my fancydead men. Don't buy them's my views,
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Amen, so be it. Andnow you look here, he added,
suddenly changing his tone, We've hadenough for this foolery. The tides
made good enough by now you justtake my orders, Captain Hawkins, and
we'll sail, slap in and bedone with it. All told, we
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had scarce two miles to run,but the navigation was delicate. The entrance
to this northern anchorage was not onlynarrow and shoal, but lay east and
west, so that the schooner mustbe nicely handled to be got in.
I think I was a good promptsubaltern, and I am sure that Hans
was an excellent pilot. For wewent about and about and dodged in,
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shaving the banks with a certainty anda neatness that were a pleasure to behold.
Scarcely had we passed the head beforethe land closed around us. The
shores of North Inlet were as thicklywooded as those of the southern anchorage,
but the space was longer and narrower, and more like what in truth,
it was the estuary of a river. Right before us, at the southern
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end, we saw the wreck ofa ship in the last stages of dilapidation.
It had been a great vessel ofthree masts, but had lain so
long exposed to the injuries of theweather that it was hung about with great
webs of dripping sea weed. Andon the decks of its shore bushes had
taken root and now flourished thick withflowers. It was a sad sight,
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but it showed us that the anchoragewas calm. Now, said Hans,
Look there there's a pet bit forto beach, a shipping, fine flat
sand, never a cat's pour,trees all around of it, and flowers
are blowing like a guardian on thatold ship. And once beached, I
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inquired, how shall we get heroff again? Why? So he replied,
you take a line ashore. Thereon the other side. At low
water, take a turn about oneof them big pines. Bring it back,
take a turn around the capstan,and lie to for the tide.
Come high water, all hands,take a pull upon the line, and
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off she comes, as sweet asnature. And now, boy, you
stand by. We've hit the bitnow, and she's too much way on
her starboard, A little so steadystarboard larbered a little steady, steady.
So he issued his commands, whichI breathlessly obeyed, till all of a
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sudden he cried, now, myhearty laugh, and I put the helm
hard up, and the hispaniola swunground rapidly, and ran stem on for
the low wooded shore. The excitementof these last maneuvers had somewhat interfered with
the watch I had kept hitherto sharplyenough upon the coxswain. Even then I
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was still so much interested waiting forthe ship to touch that I had quite
forgotten the peril that hung over myhead, and stood craning over the starboard
bulwarks, and watching the ripples spreadingwide before the boughs. I might have
fallen without a struggle for my life, had not a sudden disquietude seized upon
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me and made me turn my head. Perhaps I had heard a creak or
seen his shadow moving with the tailof my eye. Perhaps it was an
instinct like a cat's. But enough, when I looked round there was Hands
already half way toward me, withthe dirk in his right hand. We
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must both have cried out aloud whenour eyes met, But while mine was
the shrill cry of terror, hiswas a roar of fury, like a
charging bull's. At the same instant, he threw himself forward, and I
leaped sideways toward the boughs. AsI did so, I let go of
the tiller, which sprung sharp toleeward, and I think this shaved my
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life, for it struck Hands acrossthe chest and stopped him for the moment
dead. Before he could recover,I was safe out of the corner where
he had me trapped, with allthe deck to dodge, About just forward
of the main mast, I stopped, drew a pistol from my pocket,
took a cool aim, though hehad already turned and was once more coming
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directly after me, and drew thetrigger. The hammer fell, but there
followed neither flash nor sound. Thepr was useless with sea water. I
cursed myself for my neglect. Whyhad I not long before reprimed and reloaded
my only weapons, then I shouldnot have been as now a mere fleeing
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sheep before this butcher. Wounded ashe was, it was wonderful how fast
he could move, his grizzled hairtumbling over his face, and his face
itself as raed as a red ensign. With his haste and fury, I
had no time to try my otherpistol, nor indeed much inclination, for
I was sure it would be useless. One thing I saw plainly, I
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must not simply retreat before him,or he would speedily hold me boxed in
the boughs as a moment, sincehe had so neatly boxed me in the
stern. Once so caught, andnine or ten inches of the blood stained
dirk would be my last experience onthis side of eternity. I placed my
palms against the mainmast, which wasof a goodish bigness, and waited every
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nerve upon the stretch. Seeing thatI meant to dodge, he also paused,
and a moment or two passed infeints on his part and corresponding movements
upon mine, It was such agame as I had often played at home
about the rocks of Black Hill Cove, but never before, you may be
sure, with such a wildly beatingheart, as now still as I say
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it. It was a boy's game, and I thought I could hold my
own at it against an elderly seamanwith a wounded thigh. Indeed, my
courage had began to rise so highthat I allowed myself a few darting thoughts
on what would be the end ofthe affair. And while I saw certainly
that I could spin it out forlong, I saw no hope in any
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ultimate escape. Well, while thingsstood thus, suddenly the hispaniola struck,
staggered ground for an instant in thesand, and then, swift as a
blow, canted over to the hotside, till the deck stood at an
angle of forty five degrees, andabout a puncheon of water splashed into the
scupper holes and lay in a poolbetween the deck and the bulwark. We
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were both of us capsized in asecond, and both of us rolled almost
together into the scuppers, the deadred cap with his arms still spread out,
tumbling stiffly after us. So nearwere we, indeed that my head
came against the cockson's foot with acrack that made my teeth rattle, blow,
and awe. I was the firsta foot again, for hands had
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got involved with the dead body.The sudden canting of the ship had made
the deck no place for running on. I had found some new way of
escape, and that upon the instantfor my foe was almost touching me.
Quick as thought, I sprang intothe mizzen shrouds, rattled up hand over
hand, and did not draw abreath till I was seated on the cross
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trees. I had been saved bybeing prompt. The dirk had struck not
half a foot below me as Ipursued my upward flight, and there stood
Israel Hands with his mouth open andhis face upturned to mine, a perfect
statue of surprise and disappointment. Nowthat I had a moment to myself,
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I lost no time in changing thepriming of my pistol, and then,
having one ready for service, andto make assurance doubly sure, I proceeded
to draw the load of the otherand recharge it afresh. From the beginning
my new employment struck hands all ofa heap. He began to see the
dice going against him, and afteran obvious hesitation, he also hauled himself
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heavily into the shrouds, and withthe dirk in his teeth, began slowly
and painfully to mount. It costhim no end of time and groans to
haul his wounded leg behind him,and I had quietly finished my arrangements before
he was much more than a thirdof the way up. Then, with
a pistol in either hand, Iaddressed him one more step, mister Hans,
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said I, and I'll blow yourbrains out. Dead men. Don't
bite you, know, I added, with a chuckle. He stopped instantly.
I could see by the workings ofhis face that he was trying to
think, and the process was soslow and laborious that, in my newfound
security, I laughed out loud.At last, with a swallow or two,
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he spoke, his face still wearingthe same expression of extreme perplexity.
In order to speak, he hadto take the dagger from his mouth,
but in all else he remained unmoved. Jim says he, I reckon,
we're fouled, you and me,and we'll have to sign articles. I'd
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have had you, but for that. There lurch but I don't have no
luck, not I and I reckon. I'll have to strike, which comes
hard, you see, for amaster mariner to a ship's yunker like you,
Jim. I was drinking, inhis words, and smiling away as
conceited as a cock upon a walk, when all in a breath, back
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went his right hand over his shoulder. Something sang like an arrow through the
air. I felt a blow,and then a sharp pang, and there
I was pinned by the shoulder tothe mast. In the horrid pain and
surprise of the moment, I scarcecan say it was by my own volition,
and I am sure it was withouta conscious aim. Both of my
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pistols went off, and both escapedout of my hands. They did not
fall alone. With a choked cry, the coxswain loosed his grasp upon the
shrouds and plunged head first into thewater. End of Chapter twenty six.
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
recordings are in the public domain.For more information or to volunteer, please
visit LibriVox dot org. Treasure Islandby Robert Louis Stevenson, read by Adrian
(00:21):
Pratzellus, Chapter fifteen. I strikethe Jolly Roger. I had scarce gained
a position on the bowsprit when theflying jib flapped and filled on the other
tack with a report like a gun. The schooner trembled to her keel under
the reverse, but the next momentthe other sails, still drawing, the
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jib flapped back again and hung idle. This had nearly tossed me off into
the sea, and now I lostno time, crawled back along the bowsprit
and tumbled head foremost on the deck. I was on the least side of
the forecastle, and the mainsaul,which was still drawing, concealed me from
a certain portion of the after deck. Not a soul was to be seen.
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The planks, which had not beenswabbed since the mutiny, bore the
print of many feet and an emptybottle broken by the neck tumbled to and
fro like a live thing in thescuppers. Suddenly the Hispaniola came right into
the wind. The jibs behind mecracked aloud. The rudder slammed too.
The whole ship gave a sickening heaveand shudder, and at the same moment
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the main boom swung inboard, thesheet groaning in the blocks, and showed
me the lee after deck there werethe two watchmen, sure enough, Red
Cap on his back, as stiffas a handspike, with his arms stretched
out like those of a crucifix,and his teeth showing through his open lips.
Israel, hands propped against the bulwarks, his chin on his chest,
(01:56):
his hands lying open before him onthe deck, his face as white under
his tan as a tallow candle.For a while, the ship kept bucking
and sidling like a vicious horse,the sails filling now on one tack,
now on another, and the boomswinging to and fro, till the mast
groaned aloud under the strain. Nowand again too there would come a cloud
(02:20):
of light sprays under the bulwark,and a heavy blow of the ship's boughs
against the swale. So much heavierweather was made of it by this great
rigged ship than by my home madelopsided coracle, now gone to the bottom
of the sea. At every jumpof the schooner, red cap slipped to
and fro. But what was ghastlyto behold. Neither his attitude, nor
(02:43):
his fixed teeth disclosing Grin, wasin any way disturbed by this rough usage.
At every jump, too, Handsappeared still more to sink into himself,
and settled down upon the deck,his feet sliding ever the farther out,
and the whole body canting toward thestern, so that his face became
(03:05):
little by little hid from me,and at last I could see nothing beyond
his ear and the frayed ringlet ofone whisker. At the same time I
observed around both of them splashes ofdark blood upon the planks, and began
to feel sure that they had killedeach other in their drunken wrath. While
I was thus looking and wondering,in a calm moment, when the ship
(03:28):
was still Israel, Hands turned partlyround, and with a low moan,
writhed himself back to the position inwhich I had seen him first. The
moan which told of pain and deadlyweakness, and the way in which his
jaw hung open went right to myheart. But when I remembered the talk
(03:49):
I had overheard from the apple barrel, all pity left me. I walked
aft until I reached the mainmast.Come aboard, mister Hans, I said
ironic. He rolled his eyes roundheavily, but he was far too gone
to expressed surprise. All he coulddo was utter one word, brandy.
(04:11):
It occurred to me that there wasno time to lose, and dodging the
boom as it once more lurched acrossthe deck, I slipped aft and down
the companion stairs into the cabin.It was such a scene of confusion as
you can hardly fancy. All thelockfast places had been broken open in quest
of the chart. The floor wasthick with mud where the Ruffians had sat
(04:33):
down to drink or consult after wadingin the marshes round their camp. The
bulkheads, all painted in clear whiteand beaded round with gilt, bore a
pattern of dirty hands. Dozens ofempty bottles clinked together in corners to the
rolling of the ship. One ofthe doctor's medical books lay open on the
(04:55):
table half of the leaves gutted out, I suppose for pipe lights. In
the midst of all this, thelamp still cast a smoky glow, obscure
and brown as umber. I wentinto the cellar. All the barrels were
gone, and of the bottle asa most surprising number had been drunk out
and thrown away. Certainly, sincethe mutiny began, not a man of
(05:17):
them could ever have been sober.Foraging about, I found a bottle with
some brandy left for hands and formyself. I routed out some biscuit,
some pickled fruits, a great bunchof raisins, and a piece of cheese.
With these, I came on deck, put down my own stock behind
the rudder head, and well outof the cocksin's reach, went forward to
(05:42):
the water breaker and had a gooddeep drink of water, and then,
not until then, gave hands thebrandy. He must have drunk a jill
before he took the bottle from hismouth, Ah, said he ahy thunder,
But I wanted that. And hesat down already in my corner and
(06:02):
began to eat. Much hurt,I asked him. He grunted, or
rather, I might say, hebarked. If that doctor was aboard,
he said, I'd be right enoughin a couple of turns. But I
don't have no manner of luck,you see. That's what's the matter with
me. And for that swab,he's good and dead. He is,
(06:27):
he added, indicating the man withthe red cap. He weern't no seamen
anyhow, and where mought you've comefrom? Well, said I. I
have come aboard to take possession ofthe ship, mister Hans, and you'll
please regard me as your captain untilfurther notice. He looked at me sourly
enough, but said nothing. Someof the color had come back into his
(06:50):
cheeks, though he still looked verysick, and still continued to slip out
and settle down. As the shipbanged about by the bye, I continued,
I can't have these colors, misterHans, and by your leave,
i'll strike em better none than these, And again, dodging the boom,
(07:11):
I ran to the color lines andhauled down their cursed black flag and chucked
it overboard. God save the King, said I, waving my cap,
and there's an end to captain silver. He watched me keenly and slyly,
his chin all the while on hisbreast. I reckon, he said,
(07:32):
at last, I reckon, CaptainHawkins, you kinda want to get ashore.
Now suppose we talks. Why,yes, says I, with all
my heart, mister Hans, sayon, And I went back to my
meal with a good appetite. Thisman, he began nodding feebly at the
(07:54):
corpse, Oh Brian was his name. A rank island this man and me
got the canvas on her, meaningfor to sail her back. Well,
he's dead now, he is asdead as bilge. And who's to sail
this ship? I don't see.Without I'll give you a hint. You
ate that man, as far asI can tell. Now. Look here
(08:18):
you gives me food and drink andan old scarf or handkerchief to tie my
wound up. You do, andI'll tell you how to sail her.
And that's about square all round,I take it. I'll tell you one
thing, says I. I'm notgoing back to Captain Kid's anchorage. I
mean to get into north Inlet andbeach her quietly there to be sure you
(08:43):
did. He cried, Why Iain't such an infernal lubber, After all,
I can see, can't I.I've tried, my fling, I
have and I've lost. And it'syou as the wind of me north Inlet.
Why I haven't no choice, notI I'd to help you sailor up
to Execution Dock by thunder, soI would well, As it seemed to
(09:07):
me there was some sense in this, we struck our bargain on the spot.
In three minutes I had the Hispaniolasailing easily before the wind along the
coast of Treasure Island, with goodhopes of turning the northern point are noon,
and beating down again as far asnorth Inlet before high water, when
we might beach her safely and waituntil the subsiding tide permitted us to land.
(09:33):
Then I lashed the tiller and wentbelow to my own chest, where
I got a soft silk handkerchief ofmy mother's. With this and with my
aid hands bound up the great bleedingstab he had received in the thigh.
And after he had eaten a littleand had a swallow or two more of
the brandy, he began to pickup visibly, sat straighter, up,
(09:54):
spoke louder and clearer, and lookedin every way another man the breeze served
us admirably. We skimmed before itlike a bird, the coast of the
island flashing by, and the viewchanging every minute. Soon we were past
the highlands and bowling beside low sandycountry, sparsely dotted with dwarf pines.
(10:16):
And soon we were beyond that again, and had turned the corner of the
rocky hill that ends the island onthe north. I was greatly elated with
my new command, and pleased withthe bright sunshiny weather, and these different
prospects of the coast. I nowhad plenty of water and good things to
eat, and my conscience, whichhad smitten me hard for my desertion,
(10:39):
was quieted by the great conquest Ihad made. I should, i think,
have had nothing left me to desirebut for the eyes of the cocks,
and as they followed me derisively aboutthe deck, and the odd smile
that appeared continually on his face.It was a smile that had in it
something both of pain and weakness,a haggard old man's smile. But there
(11:05):
was besides that a grain of derision, a shadow of treachery in his expression.
As he craftily watched and watched andwatched me at my work. End
of chapter twenty five. Chapter twentysix, Israel hands the wind, serving
(11:26):
us to a desire. Now hauledinto the west, we could run so
much easier from the northeast corner ofthe island to the mouth of the North
Inlet, only as we had nopower to anchor and dared not beach her
until the tide had flowed a gooddeal farther. Time hung on our hands.
The Coxswain told me how to laythe ship too. After a good
(11:48):
many trials, I succeeded, andwe both sat in silence over another meal.
Cap'n said he at length, withthat same uncomfortable smile. Here is
my old shipmate, O'Brien. Supposeyou was to leave him overboard. I
ate particular as a rule, andI don't take no blame for settling his
(12:11):
hash. But I don't reckon himornamental, now, do you. I'm
not strong enough and I don't likethe job. And there he lies for
me, said I. He isan unlucky shit this Spaniola, Jim.
He went on, blinking. There'sa power of men being killed on this
Espaniola, A sight of poor seamendead and gone. Since you and me
(12:37):
took this ship to Bristol. I'venever seen such dirty luck, not I
there was this here, O'Brien.Now he's dead, ain't he. Well,
now, I'm no scholar and you'rea ladders can read and figure.
And to put it straight, doyou take it as a dead man he's
dead for good? Or do heI'm alive again. You can kill the
(13:03):
body, mister hands, but notthe spirit. You must know that already,
I replied, oh'brien, there isin another world and maybe watching us,
Ah says he, Well, that'sunfortunate. Appears as if killing parties
was a waste of time. Howsome ever, spirits don't reckon for much,
(13:26):
by what I've seen. I'll chanceit with the spirits, Jim.
And now you spoke up free andI'll take it kind if you'll step down
into that deer cabin and get mea well shiver my timbers, I can't
hit the name on well, youcan get me a butler of wine,
(13:46):
Jim. This here, Brandy istoo strong for my head. Now.
The Coxin's hesitation seemed to be unnatural, and as for the notion of his
preferring wine to brandy, I entirelydisbelieved it. The whole story was a
pretext. He wanted me to leavethe deck, so much was plain,
(14:07):
But with what purpose I could inno way imagine. His eyes never met
mine, and they kept wandering toand fro, up and down, now
with a look to the sky,now with a flitting glance upon the dead
O'Brien. All the time he keptsmiling and putting his tongue out in a
most guilty, embarrassed manner, sothat a child could have told that he
(14:28):
was bent on some deception. Iwas prompt with my answer, however,
for I saw where my advantage lay, and that with a fellow so densely
stupid, I could easily conceal mysuspicions to the end. Some wine,
I said, far better? Willyou have white or red? Well,
I reckon it's about the blessed sameto me, shipmate, he replied,
(14:54):
So it's strong, ern plenty ofit. What's the odds? All right?
I answered, I'll bring you port, mister hands, but I'll have
to dig for it. And withthat I scuttled down the companion with all
the noise I could, slipped offmy shoes, ran quietly along the sparred
gallery, mounted the forecastle ladder andpopped my head out of the fore companion.
(15:16):
I knew he would not expect tosee me there, yet I took
every precaution possible, and certainly theworst of my suspicions proved too true.
He had risen from his position tohis hands and knees, and though his
leg obviously hurt him pretty sharply whenhe moved, for I could hear him
stifle a groan. Yet it wasat a good rattling rate that he trailed
(15:39):
himself across the deck. In halfa minute he had reached the port scuppers
and picked up a coil of ropewith a long knife, or rather a
short dirk, discolored to the hiltwith blood. He looked upon it for
a moment, thrusting forth his underjaw, tried the point upon his hand,
and then, hastily concealing it inthe of his jacket, trembled back again
(16:02):
into his old place against the bulwark. This was all that I required to
know Israel could move about. Hewas now armed, and if he had
been at so much trouble to getrid of me, it was plain that
I was meant to be the victim. What would he do afterward, Whether
he would try to crawl right acrossthe island from north Inlet to the camp
(16:23):
among the swamps, or whether hewould fire long Tom trusting that his own
comrades might first come to help him, was, of course more than I
could say. Yet I felt surethat I could trust him in one point,
since in that our interests jumped together, and that was the disposition of
the schooner. We both desired tohave her stranded safe enough in a sheltered
(16:48):
place, so that when the timecame, she could be got off again
with as little labor and danger asmight be. And until that was done,
I considered that my life would certainlybe spared. While I was thus
turning the business over in my mind, I had not been idle with my
body. I had stolen back tothe cabin, slipped once more into my
(17:10):
shoes, and laid my hand atrandom on a bottle of wine. And
now, with this for an excuse, I made my reappearance on the deck.
Hands lay as I had left him, all fallen together in a bundle,
and with his eyelids lowered, asthough he were too weak to bear
the light. He looked up.However, at my coming, knocked the
(17:30):
neck off the bottle like a manwho had done the same thing often,
and took a good swig with hisfavorite toast of is luck. Then he
lay quiet for a little, andthen, pulling out a stick of tobacco,
begged me to cut him a quid. Cut me a junker, that
says he, for I haven't noknife and hardly the strength enough, so
(17:53):
be as I had, ah,Jim, Jim, I reckon I've missed
stays. Cut me a quick aslightly to be the last lad, for
I'm for my long home, andno mistake, well said I. I'll
cut you some tobacco. But ifI was you and thought myself so badly,
(18:14):
I would go to my prayers likea Christian man. Why said he?
N you tell me why? Why? I cried? You were asking
me just now about the dead.You've broken your trust, You've lived in
sin and lies and blood. There'sa man you killed lying at your feet
this very moment, and you askedme why. For God's mercy, mister
(18:37):
Hans, That's why I spoke witha little heat, thinking of the bloody
dirk he had hidden in his pocketand designed in his ill thoughts to end
me with. He, for hispart, took a great draft of the
wine and spoke with the most unusualsolemnity for thirty year, he said,
(19:00):
I've sailed the seas and seen goodand bad, better and worse, fair
weather and foul provisions, running out, knives going and what not. Well,
now I'll tell you I never seengood come out of goodness. Yet
him as strikes first is my fancydead men. Don't buy them's my views,
(19:25):
Amen, so be it. Andnow you look here, he added,
suddenly changing his tone, We've hadenough for this foolery. The tides
made good enough by now you justtake my orders, Captain Hawkins, and
we'll sail, slap in and bedone with it. All told, we
(19:45):
had scarce two miles to run,but the navigation was delicate. The entrance
to this northern anchorage was not onlynarrow and shoal, but lay east and
west, so that the schooner mustbe nicely handled to be got in.
I think I was a good promptsubaltern, and I am sure that Hans
was an excellent pilot. For wewent about and about and dodged in,
(20:08):
shaving the banks with a certainty anda neatness that were a pleasure to behold.
Scarcely had we passed the head beforethe land closed around us. The
shores of North Inlet were as thicklywooded as those of the southern anchorage,
but the space was longer and narrower, and more like what in truth,
it was the estuary of a river. Right before us, at the southern
(20:32):
end, we saw the wreck ofa ship in the last stages of dilapidation.
It had been a great vessel ofthree masts, but had lain so
long exposed to the injuries of theweather that it was hung about with great
webs of dripping sea weed. Andon the decks of its shore bushes had
taken root and now flourished thick withflowers. It was a sad sight,
(20:56):
but it showed us that the anchoragewas calm. Now, said Hans,
Look there there's a pet bit forto beach, a shipping, fine flat
sand, never a cat's pour,trees all around of it, and flowers
are blowing like a guardian on thatold ship. And once beached, I
(21:18):
inquired, how shall we get heroff again? Why? So he replied,
you take a line ashore. Thereon the other side. At low
water, take a turn about oneof them big pines. Bring it back,
take a turn around the capstan,and lie to for the tide.
Come high water, all hands,take a pull upon the line, and
(21:44):
off she comes, as sweet asnature. And now, boy, you
stand by. We've hit the bitnow, and she's too much way on
her starboard, A little so steadystarboard larbered a little steady, steady.
So he issued his commands, whichI breathlessly obeyed, till all of a
(22:04):
sudden he cried, now, myhearty laugh, and I put the helm
hard up, and the hispaniola swunground rapidly, and ran stem on for
the low wooded shore. The excitementof these last maneuvers had somewhat interfered with
the watch I had kept hitherto sharplyenough upon the coxswain. Even then I
(22:26):
was still so much interested waiting forthe ship to touch that I had quite
forgotten the peril that hung over myhead, and stood craning over the starboard
bulwarks, and watching the ripples spreadingwide before the boughs. I might have
fallen without a struggle for my life, had not a sudden disquietude seized upon
(22:47):
me and made me turn my head. Perhaps I had heard a creak or
seen his shadow moving with the tailof my eye. Perhaps it was an
instinct like a cat's. But enough, when I looked round there was Hands
already half way toward me, withthe dirk in his right hand. We
(23:07):
must both have cried out aloud whenour eyes met, But while mine was
the shrill cry of terror, hiswas a roar of fury, like a
charging bull's. At the same instant, he threw himself forward, and I
leaped sideways toward the boughs. AsI did so, I let go of
the tiller, which sprung sharp toleeward, and I think this shaved my
(23:30):
life, for it struck Hands acrossthe chest and stopped him for the moment
dead. Before he could recover,I was safe out of the corner where
he had me trapped, with allthe deck to dodge, About just forward
of the main mast, I stopped, drew a pistol from my pocket,
took a cool aim, though hehad already turned and was once more coming
(23:52):
directly after me, and drew thetrigger. The hammer fell, but there
followed neither flash nor sound. Thepr was useless with sea water. I
cursed myself for my neglect. Whyhad I not long before reprimed and reloaded
my only weapons, then I shouldnot have been as now a mere fleeing
(24:14):
sheep before this butcher. Wounded ashe was, it was wonderful how fast
he could move, his grizzled hairtumbling over his face, and his face
itself as raed as a red ensign. With his haste and fury, I
had no time to try my otherpistol, nor indeed much inclination, for
I was sure it would be useless. One thing I saw plainly, I
(24:37):
must not simply retreat before him,or he would speedily hold me boxed in
the boughs as a moment, sincehe had so neatly boxed me in the
stern. Once so caught, andnine or ten inches of the blood stained
dirk would be my last experience onthis side of eternity. I placed my
palms against the mainmast, which wasof a goodish bigness, and waited every
(25:00):
nerve upon the stretch. Seeing thatI meant to dodge, he also paused,
and a moment or two passed infeints on his part and corresponding movements
upon mine, It was such agame as I had often played at home
about the rocks of Black Hill Cove, but never before, you may be
sure, with such a wildly beatingheart, as now still as I say
(25:26):
it. It was a boy's game, and I thought I could hold my
own at it against an elderly seamanwith a wounded thigh. Indeed, my
courage had began to rise so highthat I allowed myself a few darting thoughts
on what would be the end ofthe affair. And while I saw certainly
that I could spin it out forlong, I saw no hope in any
(25:47):
ultimate escape. Well, while thingsstood thus, suddenly the hispaniola struck,
staggered ground for an instant in thesand, and then, swift as a
blow, canted over to the hotside, till the deck stood at an
angle of forty five degrees, andabout a puncheon of water splashed into the
scupper holes and lay in a poolbetween the deck and the bulwark. We
(26:11):
were both of us capsized in asecond, and both of us rolled almost
together into the scuppers, the deadred cap with his arms still spread out,
tumbling stiffly after us. So nearwere we, indeed that my head
came against the cockson's foot with acrack that made my teeth rattle, blow,
and awe. I was the firsta foot again, for hands had
(26:33):
got involved with the dead body.The sudden canting of the ship had made
the deck no place for running on. I had found some new way of
escape, and that upon the instantfor my foe was almost touching me.
Quick as thought, I sprang intothe mizzen shrouds, rattled up hand over
hand, and did not draw abreath till I was seated on the cross
(26:56):
trees. I had been saved bybeing prompt. The dirk had struck not
half a foot below me as Ipursued my upward flight, and there stood
Israel Hands with his mouth open andhis face upturned to mine, a perfect
statue of surprise and disappointment. Nowthat I had a moment to myself,
(27:18):
I lost no time in changing thepriming of my pistol, and then,
having one ready for service, andto make assurance doubly sure, I proceeded
to draw the load of the otherand recharge it afresh. From the beginning
my new employment struck hands all ofa heap. He began to see the
dice going against him, and afteran obvious hesitation, he also hauled himself
(27:41):
heavily into the shrouds, and withthe dirk in his teeth, began slowly
and painfully to mount. It costhim no end of time and groans to
haul his wounded leg behind him,and I had quietly finished my arrangements before
he was much more than a thirdof the way up. Then, with
a pistol in either hand, Iaddressed him one more step, mister Hans,
(28:06):
said I, and I'll blow yourbrains out. Dead men. Don't
bite you, know, I added, with a chuckle. He stopped instantly.
I could see by the workings ofhis face that he was trying to
think, and the process was soslow and laborious that, in my newfound
security, I laughed out loud.At last, with a swallow or two,
(28:26):
he spoke, his face still wearingthe same expression of extreme perplexity.
In order to speak, he hadto take the dagger from his mouth,
but in all else he remained unmoved. Jim says he, I reckon,
we're fouled, you and me,and we'll have to sign articles. I'd
(28:48):
have had you, but for that. There lurch but I don't have no
luck, not I and I reckon. I'll have to strike, which comes
hard, you see, for amaster mariner to a ship's yunker like you,
Jim. I was drinking, inhis words, and smiling away as
conceited as a cock upon a walk, when all in a breath, back
(29:11):
went his right hand over his shoulder. Something sang like an arrow through the
air. I felt a blow,and then a sharp pang, and there
I was pinned by the shoulder tothe mast. In the horrid pain and
surprise of the moment, I scarcecan say it was by my own volition,
and I am sure it was withouta conscious aim. Both of my
(29:33):
pistols went off, and both escapedout of my hands. They did not
fall alone. With a choked cry, the coxswain loosed his grasp upon the
shrouds and plunged head first into thewater. End of Chapter twenty six.
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