October 21, 2023 • 26 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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(00:00):
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 Stephenson, read by Adrian
(00:21):
Pratzellus, Chapter fifteen, The Manof the Island. From the side of
the hill, which was here steepand stony, a spout of gravel was
dislodged and fell, rattling and boundingthrough the trees. My eyes turned instinctively
in that direction, and I sawa figure leap with great rapidity behind the
(00:45):
trunk of a pine. What itwas, whether bear or man or monkey,
I could in no wise tell.It seemed dark and shaggy. More
I knew not, But the terrorof this new apparition brought me to a
stand. I was now it seemedcut off upon both sides behind me,
(01:06):
the murderers before me, this lurkingnondescript, and immediately I began to prefer
the dangers that I knew to thoseI knew not. Silver himself appeared less
terrible in contrast with this creature ofthe woods and I turned on my heel,
and, looking sharply behind me overmy shoulder, began to retrace my
(01:27):
steps in the direction of the boats. Instantly, the figure reappeared, and,
making a wide circuit, began tohead me off. I was tired
at any rate, but had Ibeen as fresh as when I rose,
I could see it was in vainfor me to contend in speed with such
an adversary. From trunk to trunk. The creature flitted like a deer,
(01:49):
running man like on two legs,but unlike any man that I had ever
seen, stooping almost double as itran. Yet a man it was.
I could no longer be in doubtabout that. I began to recall what
I had heard of cannibals. Iwas with an ace of calling for help,
But the mere fact that he wasa man, however wild, had
(02:10):
somewhat reassured me, and my fearof silver began to revive in proportion.
I stood still, therefore, andcast about for some method of escape,
And as I was so thinking,the recollection of my pistol flashed into my
mind. As soon as I rememberedI was not defenseless, courage glowed again
(02:31):
in my heart. And I setmy face resolutely for this man of the
island, and walked briskly toward him. He was concealed by this time behind
another tree trunk, but he musthave been watching me closely, for as
soon as I began to move inhis direction, he reappeared and took a
step to meet me. Then hehesitated, drew back, came forward again,
(02:53):
and at last, to my wonderand confusion, threw himself on his
knees and held out his clasped handsin supplication. At that I once more
stopped. Who are you, Iasked, ben Gunn? He answered,
and his voice sounded hoarse and awkward, like a rusty lock. I'm poor,
(03:16):
ben Gunn, I am, andI haven't spoke with a Christian these
three years. I could now seenthat he was a white man like myself,
and that his features were even pleasing. His skin, wherever it was
exposed, was burned by the sun. Even his lips were black, and
(03:37):
his fair eyes looked quite startling inso dark a face. Of all the
beggar men that I had seen orfancied, he was the chief of raggedness.
He was clothed with tatters of oldship's canvas and old sea cloth,
and this extraordinary patchwork was all heldtogether by a system of the most various
(03:58):
and incongruous fastenings, brass buttons,bits of stick, and loops of tarry
gaskin. About his waist he worean old brass buckled leather belt, which
was the one thing solid in hisold accouterment. Three years I cried,
were you shipwrecked? Nay? Mate, said he marooned. I had heard
(04:21):
that word, and I knew itstood for a horrible kind of punishment common
enough among the buccaneers, in whichthe offender is put ashore with a little
powder and shot, and left behindon some desolate and distant island. Marooned.
Three years agone He continued and livedon goats since then, and berries
(04:46):
and oysters wherever a man is,says I. A man can do for
himself. But mate, my heartis sore for Christian diet. You mayn't
happen to have a piece of cheeseabout you now, No, Well,
many's the long night I've dreamed ofcheese, toasted mostly, and woke up
again, and here I were.If ever I can get a board again,
(05:11):
said I, you shall have cheeseby the stone. At this time
he had been feeling the stuff ofmy jacket, smoothing my hands, looking
at my boots, and generally inthe intervals of his speech, showing a
childish pleasure in the presence of afellow creature. But at my last words
he poked up into a kind ofstartled slyness. If ever you get a
(05:33):
board again, says you. Herepeated, Why now, who's to hinder
you? Not you, I know? Was my reply? Oh and right
you was, he cried. Nowyou what do you call yourself? Mate,
Jim, I told him, Jim, Jim says he quite pleased.
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Apparently, Well, now, Jim, I've lived that rough as you'd be
ashamed to hear of. Now,for instance, you wouldn't think I had
had a pious mother to look atme, he asked, Why no,
not in particular, I answered,Ah, well, said he. But
(06:18):
I had remarkably pious and I wasa civil pious boy, and could rattle
off my catechism that fast you couldn'ttell one word from another. And here's
what it come to, Jim.And it begun with chuck farthing on the
blessed gravestones. That's what it begunwith, and it went farther than that.
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And so my mother told me andpredicted the hole. She did,
the pious woman, for it werea providence that put me here. I've
thought it all out in this herelonely island, and I'm back on piety.
You can't catch me tasting rum somuch, but just a thimbleful for
(07:03):
lack of course. The first chanceI have, I'm bound. I'll be
good. And I see the waytoo. And Jim, looking all round
him, and lowering his voice toa whisper, I'm rich. I now
felt sure that the poor fellow hadgone crazy in his solitude. And I
(07:24):
suppose I must have shown the feelingin my face, for he repeated the
statement hotly. Rich Rich, Isays, And I'll tell you what.
I'll make a man of you.Jim, Ah, Jim, You'll bless
your stars, you will. Youwas the first that found me. And
at this there came suddenly a loweringshadow over his face, and he tightened
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his grasp upon my hand and raiseda forefinger threateningly before my eyes. Now,
Jim, you tell me true,that ain't Flint's ship, he asked.
At this I had a happy inspirationI began to believe that I had
found an ally, and I answeredhim at once, it's not Flint's ship,
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and Flint is dead. But I'lltell you true. But I'll tell
you true as you ask me.There are some of Flint's hands aboard.
Worse luck for the rest of us. Not a man with one leg,
he gasped, Silver, I asked, ah, Silver says he that where
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his name. He's the cook andthe ringleader too. He was still holding
me by the wrist, and atthat he gave it quite a ring.
If you were sent by long John, he said, I'm as good as
poor can I know it? Butwhere was you? Do you suppose?
I had made up my mind ina moment, and by way of answer,
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told him the whole story of ourvoyage and the predicament in which we
found ourselves. He heard me withthe keenness interest, and when I had
done, he patted me on thehead. You're a good lad, Jim,
he said, And you're all ina clove hitch, ain't you.
Well? You just put your trustin ben Gunn. Ben Gunn's the man
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to do it. Would you thinkit likely now that your squire would prove
a liberal minded wine in case ofhelp him being in a clove hitch.
As you remark, I told himthe squire was the most liberal of men.
Ah, But you see, returnedben Gunn. I didn't mean give
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him me a gait to keep,but a suit of livery clothes and such.
And that's not my mark, Jim. What I mean is would he
be likely to come down to thetune of say, one thousand pounds out
of money that's as good as aman's own already? I'm sure he would,
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said I. As it is,all hands were to share, and
a passage home. He added,with a look of great shrewdness. Why,
I cried, the squire's a gentleman. And besides, if we got
rid of the others, we shouldwant you to help work the vessel home,
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Ah, said he, So youwould, and he seemed very much
relieved. Now I'll tell you whathe went on so much, I'll tell
you, and no more. Iwere in flint ship when he buried the
treasure. He and six are long, six strong seamen. They was a
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sure nigh on a week and usstanding off and on in the old Walrus.
One fine day upwet the signal andhere come Flint by himself in a
little boat, and his head doneup in a blue scarf. The sun
was getting up and mortal white.He looked about the cut water, but
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there he was, you mind,and the six all dead, dead and
buried. How had he done it? Not a man of baldess could make
out. It was battle, murderand sudden death. Leastways im agates.
Six Billy Bones was the mate.Long Johnny was quartermaster, and they asked
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him where the treasure was. Isays, you can go ashore if you
like, and stay, he says, But as for the ship, she'll
be up for more by thunder,That's what he said. Well, I
was in another ship three years backand we sighted this island. Boys said
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I here's Flint's treasure. Let's landand find it. The captain was displeased
at that, but my messmates wereall of a mind and landed. Twelve
days they looked for it, andevery day they had the worst word for
me, until one fine mornin allhands went aboard. As for you,
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Benjamin Gunn says. They is amusket, they says, and a spade
and a pickaxe. You can stayhere and find Flint's money for yourself.
They says, well, Jim,three years have I been here and not
a bite of Christian diet from thatday to this? But now you look
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here, look at me? DoI look like a man before the mast?
No, says you. Nor Iwould neither, I says, And
with that he winked and pinched mehard. Just you mention them words to
your squire, Jim, he wenton, Nor he would neither. That's
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the words. Three years he werethe men of this island, light and
dark, fair and rain. Andsometimes he would maybe think upon a prayer,
says you. And sometimes he wouldmaybe think of his old mother,
so be as she's alive. You'llsay. But the most part of Gun's
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time, this is what you'll say. The most part of his time was
took up with another matter. Andthen you'll give him a nip like I
do. And he pinched me againin the most confidential manner. Then he
continued. Then you'll up and you'llsay this Gun is a good man,
(13:52):
you'll say. And he puts aprecious sight more confidence, a precious sight,
mind that in a gentleman than inthese gentlemen of fortune. Have him
been by his self. Well,I said, I don't understand one word
that you've been saying. But that'sneither here nor there. For how am
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I to get on board? Ahsaid he that's the hitch for sure.
Well, there's my boat that Imade with my two hands, Ah,
keeper under the white rock. Ifthe worst come to the worst, we
might try that after dark. Hi, he broke out, what's that for?
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Just then, although the sun hadstill an hour or two to run,
all the echoes of the island awokeand bellowed to the thunder of a
cannon. They have begun to fight, I cried, Follow me, and
I began to run toward the anchorage. My terror's all forgotten. While close
at my side the marooned man andhis goat skins trotted easily and lightly left.
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Left says he keep your left hand, mate, Jim, under the
trees with you. That's where Ikilled my first goat. They don't come
down here now. They're all mastheaded on them mountains. For the fear
of Benjamin gunn Ah. And there'sthe Setimry cemetery. He must have meant,
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you see the mounds. I comehere and prayed nows and thens.
When I thought maybe a Sunday wouldbe about do it warn't quite a chapel,
but it seemed more solemn like.And then says you, Ben Gunn
was shorthanded, no chaplain or somuch as a bible in a flag,
says you. So he kept talkingas I ran, neither expecting nor receiving
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any answer. The cannon shot wasfollowed, after a considerable interval by a
volley of small arms. Another pause, and then not a quarter of a
mile in front of me, Ibeheld the un and jack flutter in the
air above a wood. End ofChapter fifteen, Part four The Stockade.
(16:10):
Chapter sixteen narrative continued by the doctorhow the ship was abandoned. It was
about half past one, three bellsin the sea phrase that the two boats
went ashore from the Hispaniola. Thecaptain, the Squire and I were talking
matters over in the cabin. Hadthere been a breath of wind, we
should have fallen on the six mutineerswho were left aboard with us, slipped
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our cable and away to sea.But the wind was wanting, and to
complete our helplessness, down came Hunterwith the news that Jim Hawkins had slipped
into a boat and was gone ashorewith the rest. It had never occurred
to us to doubt Jim Hawkins,but we were alarmed for his safety.
With the men in the temper theywere in, it seemed an even chance
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if we should see the lad again. We ran on deck. The pitch
was bubbling in the seams. Thenasty stench of the place turned me sick.
If ever a man smelled fever anddysentery. It was in that abominable
anchorage the six scoundrels were sitting grumblingunder a sail in the forecastle ashore.
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We could see the gigs had madefast, and a man sitting in each
hard by where the river runs in. One of them was whistling. Lily
Ballero. Waiting was a strain,and it was decided that Hunter and I
should go ashore with the Jolly boatin quest of information. The Gigs had
leaned to their right, but Hunterand I pulled straight in in the direction
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of the stockade upon the chart.The two who were left guarding their boats
seemed in a bustle at our appearance. Lily Ballero stopped off, and I
could see the pair discussing what theyought to do. Had they gone and
told silver. All might have turnedout differently, but they had their orders,
I suppose, and decided to sitquietly where they were, and hark
(18:00):
back again to Lilli Balero. Therewas a slight bend in the coast,
and I steered so as to putit between us. Even before we had
landed. We had thus lost sightof the gigs. I jumped out and
came as near running as I durst, with a big silk handkerchief under my
hat for coolness's sake, and abrace of pistols ready primed for safety.
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I had not gone a hundred yardswhen I came on the stockade. This
was how it was. A springof clear water arose at the top of
a knoll well on the knoll,and inclosing the spring they had clapped a
stout log house fit to hold twoscore people in a pinch and loop holed
for musketry on every side. Allaround this they had cleared a wide space,
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and then the thing was completed bya paling six feet high without door
or opening, too strong to pulldown without time and labor, and too
open to shelter the besiegers. Thepeople in the log house had them in
every way. They stood quiet inthe shelter and shot the others like partridges.
All they wanted was a good watchand food. For short of a
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complete surprise, they might have heldthe place against the regiment. What particularly
took my fancy was the spring.For though we had a good place of
it, the cabin of the Hispaniola, with plenty of arms and ammunition,
and things to eat and excellent wines, there was one thing overlooked. We
had no water. I was thinkingthis over when they came ringing over the
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island, the cry of a manat the point of death. I was
not new to violent death. Ihave served His Royal Highness, the Duke
of Cumberland, and got a woundmyself at Faultonoy. But I know my
pulse went jot and carry one.Jim Hawkins is gone, was my first
thought. It is something to havebeen an old soldier, but more still
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to have been a doctor. Thereis no time to dilly dally in our
work, and so now I madeup my mind instantly, and with no
time lost, returned to the shoreand jumped on board the jolly boat.
By good fortune, Hunter pulled agood oar. We made the water fly,
and the boat was soon alongside,and I aboard the schooner. I
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found them all shaken, as wasnatural. The Squire was sitting down as
white as a sheet, thinking ofthe harm he had led us to the
good soul, and one of thesix forecastle hands was little better. There's
a man, said Captain Smollett,nodding towards him, new to this work.
He came at nigh hand fainting adoctor when he heard the cry,
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and now the touch of the rudder, and that man would adjoin us.
I told my plan to the Captain, and between us we settled on the
details of its accomplishment. We putOld Redruth in the gallery between the cabin
and the forecastle, with three orfour loaded muskets and a mattress for protection.
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Hunter brought the boat round under thestern port, and Joyce and I
set to work, loading her withpowder tins, muskets, bags of biscuits,
kegs of pork, a cast ofcognac, and my invaluable medicine chest.
In the meantime, the Squire andthe Captain stayed on the deck,
and the latter hailed the cockswain,who was the principal man on board,
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mister hands, He said, thereare two of us with a brace of
pistols each. If any one ofyou'll six make a signal of any description,
that man's dead. They were agood deal taken back, and after
a little consultation, one and alltumbled down the four companion, thinking no
doubt to take us on the rear. But when they saw Redruth waiting for
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them in the sparred gallery, theywent about ship at once, and a
head popped out again on deck down. Dog cried the captain, and the
head popped back again, and weheard no more for the time of these
six very faint hearted seamen, bythis time tumbling things in as they came.
We had the Jolly boat loaded asmuch as we dared. Joyce and
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I got out through the stern port, and we made for shore again as
fast as oars could take us.This second trip fairly aroused the watchers along
shore. Lily Ballero was dropped again, and just before we lost sight of
them behind a little point, oneof them whipped ashore and disappeared. I
had half a mind to change myplan and destroy their boats, but I
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feared that silver and the others mightbe close to hand, and all might
very well be lost by trying fortoo much. We had soon touched land
in the same place as before,and set to work to provision the block
house. All three made the firstjourney heavily laden, and tossed our stores
over the palisade, then leaving Joyceto guard them one man to be sure,
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But with half a day muskets,Hunter and I returned to the jolly
boat and loaded ourselves once more.So we proceeded without pausing to take breath,
till the whole cargo was bestowed.When the two servants took up their
position in the block house, andI, with all my powder, sculled
back to the Hispaniola. That weshould have risked a second boat load seems
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more daring than it really was.They had the advantage of numbers, of
course, but we had the advantageof arms. Not one of the men
ashore had a musket, and beforethey could get within range for pistol shooting,
we flattered ourselves. We should beable to give a good account of
a half dozen at least. TheSquire was waiting for me at the stern
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window, all his faintness gone fromhim. He caught the painter and made
it fast, and we fell toloading the boat for our very lives.
Pork, powder and biscuit was thecargo, with only a musket and a
cutlass apiece for Squire and me,and Red Ruth and the captain. The
rest of the arms and powder.We dropped overboard in two fathoms and a
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half of water, so that wecould see the bright steel shining far below
us in the sun on the cleansandy bottom. By this time the tide
was beginning to ebb and the shipwas swinging round to her anchor. Voices
were heard faintly hallowing in the directionof the two gigs, and though this
reassured us for Joyce and Hunter,who were well to the eastward, it
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warned our party to be off.Redruth retreated from his place in the gallery
and dropped into the boat, whichwe then brought round to the ship's counter
to be handier for Captain Smollett.Now, men said he, do you
hear me? There was no answerfrom the forecastle. It's to you,
Abraham Gray, it's to you.I am speaking. Still no reply,
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Gray resumed mister Smollett, a littlelouder I am leaving the sh ship,
and I order you to follow yourcaptain. I know you are a good
man at bottom, and I daresay not one of the lot of users
bad as he makes out. Ihad my watch here in my hand.
I give you thirty seconds to joinme. In Come, my fine fellow,
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continued the captain. Don't hang solong in stays, I'm risking my
life, and the lives of theseare good a gentleman. Every second there
was a sudden scuffle, a soundof blows, and outburst Abraham Gray with
a knife cut on the side ofthe cheek and came running to the captain
like a dog to the whistle.I'm with you, sir, he said,
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And the next moment he and thecaptain had dropped a board of us,
and we had shoved off and givenway. We were clear out of
the ship, but not yet ashorein our stockade. End of chapter sixteen.
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 Stephenson, read by Adrian
(00:21):
Pratzellus, Chapter fifteen, The Manof the Island. From the side of
the hill, which was here steepand stony, a spout of gravel was
dislodged and fell, rattling and boundingthrough the trees. My eyes turned instinctively
in that direction, and I sawa figure leap with great rapidity behind the
(00:45):
trunk of a pine. What itwas, whether bear or man or monkey,
I could in no wise tell.It seemed dark and shaggy. More
I knew not, But the terrorof this new apparition brought me to a
stand. I was now it seemedcut off upon both sides behind me,
(01:06):
the murderers before me, this lurkingnondescript, and immediately I began to prefer
the dangers that I knew to thoseI knew not. Silver himself appeared less
terrible in contrast with this creature ofthe woods and I turned on my heel,
and, looking sharply behind me overmy shoulder, began to retrace my
(01:27):
steps in the direction of the boats. Instantly, the figure reappeared, and,
making a wide circuit, began tohead me off. I was tired
at any rate, but had Ibeen as fresh as when I rose,
I could see it was in vainfor me to contend in speed with such
an adversary. From trunk to trunk. The creature flitted like a deer,
(01:49):
running man like on two legs,but unlike any man that I had ever
seen, stooping almost double as itran. Yet a man it was.
I could no longer be in doubtabout that. I began to recall what
I had heard of cannibals. Iwas with an ace of calling for help,
But the mere fact that he wasa man, however wild, had
(02:10):
somewhat reassured me, and my fearof silver began to revive in proportion.
I stood still, therefore, andcast about for some method of escape,
And as I was so thinking,the recollection of my pistol flashed into my
mind. As soon as I rememberedI was not defenseless, courage glowed again
(02:31):
in my heart. And I setmy face resolutely for this man of the
island, and walked briskly toward him. He was concealed by this time behind
another tree trunk, but he musthave been watching me closely, for as
soon as I began to move inhis direction, he reappeared and took a
step to meet me. Then hehesitated, drew back, came forward again,
(02:53):
and at last, to my wonderand confusion, threw himself on his
knees and held out his clasped handsin supplication. At that I once more
stopped. Who are you, Iasked, ben Gunn? He answered,
and his voice sounded hoarse and awkward, like a rusty lock. I'm poor,
(03:16):
ben Gunn, I am, andI haven't spoke with a Christian these
three years. I could now seenthat he was a white man like myself,
and that his features were even pleasing. His skin, wherever it was
exposed, was burned by the sun. Even his lips were black, and
(03:37):
his fair eyes looked quite startling inso dark a face. Of all the
beggar men that I had seen orfancied, he was the chief of raggedness.
He was clothed with tatters of oldship's canvas and old sea cloth,
and this extraordinary patchwork was all heldtogether by a system of the most various
(03:58):
and incongruous fastenings, brass buttons,bits of stick, and loops of tarry
gaskin. About his waist he worean old brass buckled leather belt, which
was the one thing solid in hisold accouterment. Three years I cried,
were you shipwrecked? Nay? Mate, said he marooned. I had heard
(04:21):
that word, and I knew itstood for a horrible kind of punishment common
enough among the buccaneers, in whichthe offender is put ashore with a little
powder and shot, and left behindon some desolate and distant island. Marooned.
Three years agone He continued and livedon goats since then, and berries
(04:46):
and oysters wherever a man is,says I. A man can do for
himself. But mate, my heartis sore for Christian diet. You mayn't
happen to have a piece of cheeseabout you now, No, Well,
many's the long night I've dreamed ofcheese, toasted mostly, and woke up
again, and here I were.If ever I can get a board again,
(05:11):
said I, you shall have cheeseby the stone. At this time
he had been feeling the stuff ofmy jacket, smoothing my hands, looking
at my boots, and generally inthe intervals of his speech, showing a
childish pleasure in the presence of afellow creature. But at my last words
he poked up into a kind ofstartled slyness. If ever you get a
(05:33):
board again, says you. Herepeated, Why now, who's to hinder
you? Not you, I know? Was my reply? Oh and right
you was, he cried. Nowyou what do you call yourself? Mate,
Jim, I told him, Jim, Jim says he quite pleased.
(05:58):
Apparently, Well, now, Jim, I've lived that rough as you'd be
ashamed to hear of. Now,for instance, you wouldn't think I had
had a pious mother to look atme, he asked, Why no,
not in particular, I answered,Ah, well, said he. But
(06:18):
I had remarkably pious and I wasa civil pious boy, and could rattle
off my catechism that fast you couldn'ttell one word from another. And here's
what it come to, Jim.And it begun with chuck farthing on the
blessed gravestones. That's what it begunwith, and it went farther than that.
(06:43):
And so my mother told me andpredicted the hole. She did,
the pious woman, for it werea providence that put me here. I've
thought it all out in this herelonely island, and I'm back on piety.
You can't catch me tasting rum somuch, but just a thimbleful for
(07:03):
lack of course. The first chanceI have, I'm bound. I'll be
good. And I see the waytoo. And Jim, looking all round
him, and lowering his voice toa whisper, I'm rich. I now
felt sure that the poor fellow hadgone crazy in his solitude. And I
(07:24):
suppose I must have shown the feelingin my face, for he repeated the
statement hotly. Rich Rich, Isays, And I'll tell you what.
I'll make a man of you.Jim, Ah, Jim, You'll bless
your stars, you will. Youwas the first that found me. And
at this there came suddenly a loweringshadow over his face, and he tightened
(07:46):
his grasp upon my hand and raiseda forefinger threateningly before my eyes. Now,
Jim, you tell me true,that ain't Flint's ship, he asked.
At this I had a happy inspirationI began to believe that I had
found an ally, and I answeredhim at once, it's not Flint's ship,
(08:09):
and Flint is dead. But I'lltell you true. But I'll tell
you true as you ask me.There are some of Flint's hands aboard.
Worse luck for the rest of us. Not a man with one leg,
he gasped, Silver, I asked, ah, Silver says he that where
(08:30):
his name. He's the cook andthe ringleader too. He was still holding
me by the wrist, and atthat he gave it quite a ring.
If you were sent by long John, he said, I'm as good as
poor can I know it? Butwhere was you? Do you suppose?
I had made up my mind ina moment, and by way of answer,
(08:52):
told him the whole story of ourvoyage and the predicament in which we
found ourselves. He heard me withthe keenness interest, and when I had
done, he patted me on thehead. You're a good lad, Jim,
he said, And you're all ina clove hitch, ain't you.
Well? You just put your trustin ben Gunn. Ben Gunn's the man
(09:16):
to do it. Would you thinkit likely now that your squire would prove
a liberal minded wine in case ofhelp him being in a clove hitch.
As you remark, I told himthe squire was the most liberal of men.
Ah, But you see, returnedben Gunn. I didn't mean give
(09:37):
him me a gait to keep,but a suit of livery clothes and such.
And that's not my mark, Jim. What I mean is would he
be likely to come down to thetune of say, one thousand pounds out
of money that's as good as aman's own already? I'm sure he would,
(09:58):
said I. As it is,all hands were to share, and
a passage home. He added,with a look of great shrewdness. Why,
I cried, the squire's a gentleman. And besides, if we got
rid of the others, we shouldwant you to help work the vessel home,
(10:18):
Ah, said he, So youwould, and he seemed very much
relieved. Now I'll tell you whathe went on so much, I'll tell
you, and no more. Iwere in flint ship when he buried the
treasure. He and six are long, six strong seamen. They was a
(10:39):
sure nigh on a week and usstanding off and on in the old Walrus.
One fine day upwet the signal andhere come Flint by himself in a
little boat, and his head doneup in a blue scarf. The sun
was getting up and mortal white.He looked about the cut water, but
(11:03):
there he was, you mind,and the six all dead, dead and
buried. How had he done it? Not a man of baldess could make
out. It was battle, murderand sudden death. Leastways im agates.
Six Billy Bones was the mate.Long Johnny was quartermaster, and they asked
(11:30):
him where the treasure was. Isays, you can go ashore if you
like, and stay, he says, But as for the ship, she'll
be up for more by thunder,That's what he said. Well, I
was in another ship three years backand we sighted this island. Boys said
(11:54):
I here's Flint's treasure. Let's landand find it. The captain was displeased
at that, but my messmates wereall of a mind and landed. Twelve
days they looked for it, andevery day they had the worst word for
me, until one fine mornin allhands went aboard. As for you,
(12:20):
Benjamin Gunn says. They is amusket, they says, and a spade
and a pickaxe. You can stayhere and find Flint's money for yourself.
They says, well, Jim,three years have I been here and not
a bite of Christian diet from thatday to this? But now you look
(12:43):
here, look at me? DoI look like a man before the mast?
No, says you. Nor Iwould neither, I says, And
with that he winked and pinched mehard. Just you mention them words to
your squire, Jim, he wenton, Nor he would neither. That's
(13:05):
the words. Three years he werethe men of this island, light and
dark, fair and rain. Andsometimes he would maybe think upon a prayer,
says you. And sometimes he wouldmaybe think of his old mother,
so be as she's alive. You'llsay. But the most part of Gun's
(13:28):
time, this is what you'll say. The most part of his time was
took up with another matter. Andthen you'll give him a nip like I
do. And he pinched me againin the most confidential manner. Then he
continued. Then you'll up and you'llsay this Gun is a good man,
(13:52):
you'll say. And he puts aprecious sight more confidence, a precious sight,
mind that in a gentleman than inthese gentlemen of fortune. Have him
been by his self. Well,I said, I don't understand one word
that you've been saying. But that'sneither here nor there. For how am
(14:13):
I to get on board? Ahsaid he that's the hitch for sure.
Well, there's my boat that Imade with my two hands, Ah,
keeper under the white rock. Ifthe worst come to the worst, we
might try that after dark. Hi, he broke out, what's that for?
(14:35):
Just then, although the sun hadstill an hour or two to run,
all the echoes of the island awokeand bellowed to the thunder of a
cannon. They have begun to fight, I cried, Follow me, and
I began to run toward the anchorage. My terror's all forgotten. While close
at my side the marooned man andhis goat skins trotted easily and lightly left.
(15:00):
Left says he keep your left hand, mate, Jim, under the
trees with you. That's where Ikilled my first goat. They don't come
down here now. They're all mastheaded on them mountains. For the fear
of Benjamin gunn Ah. And there'sthe Setimry cemetery. He must have meant,
(15:22):
you see the mounds. I comehere and prayed nows and thens.
When I thought maybe a Sunday wouldbe about do it warn't quite a chapel,
but it seemed more solemn like.And then says you, Ben Gunn
was shorthanded, no chaplain or somuch as a bible in a flag,
says you. So he kept talkingas I ran, neither expecting nor receiving
(15:48):
any answer. The cannon shot wasfollowed, after a considerable interval by a
volley of small arms. Another pause, and then not a quarter of a
mile in front of me, Ibeheld the un and jack flutter in the
air above a wood. End ofChapter fifteen, Part four The Stockade.
(16:10):
Chapter sixteen narrative continued by the doctorhow the ship was abandoned. It was
about half past one, three bellsin the sea phrase that the two boats
went ashore from the Hispaniola. Thecaptain, the Squire and I were talking
matters over in the cabin. Hadthere been a breath of wind, we
should have fallen on the six mutineerswho were left aboard with us, slipped
(16:33):
our cable and away to sea.But the wind was wanting, and to
complete our helplessness, down came Hunterwith the news that Jim Hawkins had slipped
into a boat and was gone ashorewith the rest. It had never occurred
to us to doubt Jim Hawkins,but we were alarmed for his safety.
With the men in the temper theywere in, it seemed an even chance
(16:56):
if we should see the lad again. We ran on deck. The pitch
was bubbling in the seams. Thenasty stench of the place turned me sick.
If ever a man smelled fever anddysentery. It was in that abominable
anchorage the six scoundrels were sitting grumblingunder a sail in the forecastle ashore.
(17:17):
We could see the gigs had madefast, and a man sitting in each
hard by where the river runs in. One of them was whistling. Lily
Ballero. Waiting was a strain,and it was decided that Hunter and I
should go ashore with the Jolly boatin quest of information. The Gigs had
leaned to their right, but Hunterand I pulled straight in in the direction
(17:38):
of the stockade upon the chart.The two who were left guarding their boats
seemed in a bustle at our appearance. Lily Ballero stopped off, and I
could see the pair discussing what theyought to do. Had they gone and
told silver. All might have turnedout differently, but they had their orders,
I suppose, and decided to sitquietly where they were, and hark
(18:00):
back again to Lilli Balero. Therewas a slight bend in the coast,
and I steered so as to putit between us. Even before we had
landed. We had thus lost sightof the gigs. I jumped out and
came as near running as I durst, with a big silk handkerchief under my
hat for coolness's sake, and abrace of pistols ready primed for safety.
(18:23):
I had not gone a hundred yardswhen I came on the stockade. This
was how it was. A springof clear water arose at the top of
a knoll well on the knoll,and inclosing the spring they had clapped a
stout log house fit to hold twoscore people in a pinch and loop holed
for musketry on every side. Allaround this they had cleared a wide space,
(18:48):
and then the thing was completed bya paling six feet high without door
or opening, too strong to pulldown without time and labor, and too
open to shelter the besiegers. Thepeople in the log house had them in
every way. They stood quiet inthe shelter and shot the others like partridges.
All they wanted was a good watchand food. For short of a
(19:11):
complete surprise, they might have heldthe place against the regiment. What particularly
took my fancy was the spring.For though we had a good place of
it, the cabin of the Hispaniola, with plenty of arms and ammunition,
and things to eat and excellent wines, there was one thing overlooked. We
had no water. I was thinkingthis over when they came ringing over the
(19:34):
island, the cry of a manat the point of death. I was
not new to violent death. Ihave served His Royal Highness, the Duke
of Cumberland, and got a woundmyself at Faultonoy. But I know my
pulse went jot and carry one.Jim Hawkins is gone, was my first
thought. It is something to havebeen an old soldier, but more still
(19:57):
to have been a doctor. Thereis no time to dilly dally in our
work, and so now I madeup my mind instantly, and with no
time lost, returned to the shoreand jumped on board the jolly boat.
By good fortune, Hunter pulled agood oar. We made the water fly,
and the boat was soon alongside,and I aboard the schooner. I
(20:18):
found them all shaken, as wasnatural. The Squire was sitting down as
white as a sheet, thinking ofthe harm he had led us to the
good soul, and one of thesix forecastle hands was little better. There's
a man, said Captain Smollett,nodding towards him, new to this work.
He came at nigh hand fainting adoctor when he heard the cry,
(20:42):
and now the touch of the rudder, and that man would adjoin us.
I told my plan to the Captain, and between us we settled on the
details of its accomplishment. We putOld Redruth in the gallery between the cabin
and the forecastle, with three orfour loaded muskets and a mattress for protection.
(21:03):
Hunter brought the boat round under thestern port, and Joyce and I
set to work, loading her withpowder tins, muskets, bags of biscuits,
kegs of pork, a cast ofcognac, and my invaluable medicine chest.
In the meantime, the Squire andthe Captain stayed on the deck,
and the latter hailed the cockswain,who was the principal man on board,
(21:26):
mister hands, He said, thereare two of us with a brace of
pistols each. If any one ofyou'll six make a signal of any description,
that man's dead. They were agood deal taken back, and after
a little consultation, one and alltumbled down the four companion, thinking no
doubt to take us on the rear. But when they saw Redruth waiting for
(21:49):
them in the sparred gallery, theywent about ship at once, and a
head popped out again on deck down. Dog cried the captain, and the
head popped back again, and weheard no more for the time of these
six very faint hearted seamen, bythis time tumbling things in as they came.
We had the Jolly boat loaded asmuch as we dared. Joyce and
(22:11):
I got out through the stern port, and we made for shore again as
fast as oars could take us.This second trip fairly aroused the watchers along
shore. Lily Ballero was dropped again, and just before we lost sight of
them behind a little point, oneof them whipped ashore and disappeared. I
had half a mind to change myplan and destroy their boats, but I
(22:34):
feared that silver and the others mightbe close to hand, and all might
very well be lost by trying fortoo much. We had soon touched land
in the same place as before,and set to work to provision the block
house. All three made the firstjourney heavily laden, and tossed our stores
over the palisade, then leaving Joyceto guard them one man to be sure,
(22:59):
But with half a day muskets,Hunter and I returned to the jolly
boat and loaded ourselves once more.So we proceeded without pausing to take breath,
till the whole cargo was bestowed.When the two servants took up their
position in the block house, andI, with all my powder, sculled
back to the Hispaniola. That weshould have risked a second boat load seems
(23:22):
more daring than it really was.They had the advantage of numbers, of
course, but we had the advantageof arms. Not one of the men
ashore had a musket, and beforethey could get within range for pistol shooting,
we flattered ourselves. We should beable to give a good account of
a half dozen at least. TheSquire was waiting for me at the stern
(23:42):
window, all his faintness gone fromhim. He caught the painter and made
it fast, and we fell toloading the boat for our very lives.
Pork, powder and biscuit was thecargo, with only a musket and a
cutlass apiece for Squire and me,and Red Ruth and the captain. The
rest of the arms and powder.We dropped overboard in two fathoms and a
(24:06):
half of water, so that wecould see the bright steel shining far below
us in the sun on the cleansandy bottom. By this time the tide
was beginning to ebb and the shipwas swinging round to her anchor. Voices
were heard faintly hallowing in the directionof the two gigs, and though this
reassured us for Joyce and Hunter,who were well to the eastward, it
(24:29):
warned our party to be off.Redruth retreated from his place in the gallery
and dropped into the boat, whichwe then brought round to the ship's counter
to be handier for Captain Smollett.Now, men said he, do you
hear me? There was no answerfrom the forecastle. It's to you,
Abraham Gray, it's to you.I am speaking. Still no reply,
(24:55):
Gray resumed mister Smollett, a littlelouder I am leaving the sh ship,
and I order you to follow yourcaptain. I know you are a good
man at bottom, and I daresay not one of the lot of users
bad as he makes out. Ihad my watch here in my hand.
I give you thirty seconds to joinme. In Come, my fine fellow,
(25:19):
continued the captain. Don't hang solong in stays, I'm risking my
life, and the lives of theseare good a gentleman. Every second there
was a sudden scuffle, a soundof blows, and outburst Abraham Gray with
a knife cut on the side ofthe cheek and came running to the captain
like a dog to the whistle.I'm with you, sir, he said,
(25:42):
And the next moment he and thecaptain had dropped a board of us,
and we had shoved off and givenway. We were clear out of
the ship, but not yet ashorein our stockade. End of chapter sixteen.
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