Chapter
XVI: Narrative Continued by the Doctor: How the Ship Was Abandoned
On the ship, the doctor and the
others get impatient with waiting. The doctor and Hunter go ashore in a
jolly boat (a small, ship's boat). They reach the stockade, inside of
which is a log house built by Flint's men. It can house up to forty
people and can easily be defended against attack. They hear a man scream
(this is Alan, although they do not know it at the time) and then return
to the ship for supplies, leaving Joyce and Hunter to defend the
stockade.
Back on
the ship, they easily assert their command over the ship's six
would-be mutineers. They make several trips to load up the stockade with
supplies. On their final trip ashore, they take with them one seaman,
Abraham Gray, who has decided not to join the mutineers.
Chapter XVII:
Narrative Continued by the Doctor:
The Jolly Boat's Last Trip
The
jolly boat is overloaded and is in danger of drifting off course. There
is also the danger of being shot at by the pirates who remain on the Hispaniola.
The squire shoots and wounds one of them as five of the pirates fire a
cannon at the jolly boat. When the cannon is fired again, the jolly boat
sinks in three feet of water. The men lose three of their guns as they
wade ashore. Half of their gunpowder and provisions are lost too.
Chapter XVIII: Narrative Continued by
the Doctor: End of the First Day's Fighting
As the
men come ashore, they make for the stockade. Seven mutineers pursue
them, but Hunter, Joyce, Dr. Livesey and the squire open fire, killing
one man and forcing the others to flee. Then Redruth is shot and
mortally wounded. They reach the stockade, and the captain runs up a
British flag. The mutineers continue to fire at them from outside but
cause no damage, although they do succeed in stealing some of the
men's stores that have been laid bare by the outgoing tide. Just as
the doctor is contemplating what might have been Jim's fate, Jim
returns to the stockade.
Chapter XIX: Narrative Resumed by Jim
Hawkins: The Garrison in the Stockade
Jim
takes up the narrative where he left off at the end of Chapter XV. Ben
Gunn tells him that he wishes to see the doctor or the squire and make
some proposal to them. Ben tells Jim where he may be found. The two of
them then scatter in different directions when they hear the sound of
cannon fire. Jim moves from one hiding place to another. He finally
decides to return to the stockade. He also notes the white rock where
Ben's boat may be found.
In the
stockade he is warmly received. Captain Smollett keeps all the men
occupied so they do not get depressed about their situation. He sets up
a rotating schedule of watches; sends men out for firewood, and orders a
grave dug for Redruth. The squire, who had formerly disliked the
captain, now appreciates him. However, the squire, the doctor and the
captain are at their wits' end to know what to do. Rations are low.
They decide to kill as many of the buccaneers as they can. Fifteen are
left, and the doctor expects many of them to contract malaria, since
they are camped in a marsh. Then Silver arrives with a flag of truce.
Chapter XX: Silver's Embassy
The men
in the stockade fear that Silver's flag of truce is a trick. Silver
announces that he wants to make terms. He has been elected captain by
the men. On receiving a promise from the captain that he will not be
harmed, Silver walks to the stockade. He is not allowed in, however, and
has to sit on the sand just outside. Silver alludes to an attack that
had taken place the previous night, which the men in the stockade know
nothing of. Jim assumes that Ben Gunn must have attacked the mutineers
and killed one of them.
Silver
says that he wants the map that shows where the treasure is buried. But
the captain is in no mood to negotiate. Silver persists. He says that if
they give him the map, he will allow them back on the ship, with the
treasure, and ensure that they are put ashore somewhere safe. Or they
could stay on the island, with adequate provisions, and Silver will send
a ship to pick them up. The captain has a counter-proposal. If the men
give themselves up, he will clap them in irons and return them to
England for a fair trial. He then tells Silver to be on his way. Silver
crawls away, cursing. He promises an attack within an hour.
Chapter XXI: The Attack
The
captain takes charge and organizes the men so they are best able to
defend the stockade from the expected attack. They earnestly keep watch
for over an hour, but nothing happens. Then there are gunshots from all
sides. Because of the number of shots coming from the north, the
defenders conclude that the main attack will come from that direction. A
moment later seven pirates climb over the fence into the enclosure. Two
are immediately shot, and one flees. The remaining four swarm into the
stockade. Hunter is clubbed to the floor with a blow from his own
musket, which had been wrenched from his hands. The situation becomes
very confused in the smoky log house as the fighting develops. Jim
dodges out of the way of a blow from Job Anderson, and Gray then kills
Anderson. Two more pirates are killed and the last one flees. But the
men have paid a price. Hunter is badly wounded, the captain slightly
less so, and Joyce is dead.
Analysis:
Part IV
Not much analysis is needed for this section, which is as pure an
adventure story as one is likely to get. Captain Smollett, the squire,
and Dr. Livesey all show themselves to be resourceful and determined.
Smollett in particular takes a leadership role that wins the admiration
of the squire, thus completing the turnaround in the squire's opinion
of the captain. The captain also shows himself to be an honorable man
when he promises Silver that he will be able to depart unharmed after
Silver enters the stockade.
In
the battle of tactics between Silver and Jim's party, the advantage
swings from one side to the other. Silver shows himself to be a very
cunning adversary. This is especially apparent in chapter XX. He is not
above taunting his opponents, as when he refers to Captain Smollett's
"desertion" when explaining why he now refers to himself as Captain
Silver. Silver also has the ability to talk to his adversaries cheerily,
as if nothing bad had ever happened between them. This excessive
courtesy helps him to disguise his true motives. He also shows himself
to be a good negotiator because he disguises the weakness of his
position and presents his offer as if it was an act of generosity.
However, when Smollett calls his bluff, Silver drops his pretences and
shows himself for what he really is.
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