My first brush with the pirates roaming the
Caribbean long before I was born, was when I read R.L. Stevenson’s ‘Treasure
Island.’ I received the book as a gift from a dear uncle, and ever since, I
have guarded it in a secret trunk, like an avaricious pirate. I was twelve when
I read this book, and the shades of grey in this book startled me.
The story begins in England in the 18th
century, (Stevenson kept the dates fuzzy) as told by Jim Hawkins (oh, I dreamt
of being him every day), son of an innkeeper. An old drunken, seafarer called
Billy Bones, who is an ex-crew member of the notorious pirate Captain Flint, arrives at
the inn, in hiding from a one legged sailor. After he suffers a stroke and dies,
among Bones’ possessions, Jim finds Captain Flint’s log book, with a map
leading to all the treasure looted during his career. With the decision to
search for the treasure, Jim, Squire Trelawney and Dr. Livesey sail to the
Caribbean aboard the Hispaniola with a crew that includes Captain Smollett and
the mysterious Long John silver. During the journey, Jim overhears John
Silver’s plan to kill the Hispaniola officers and keep the treasure. After
reaching ashore the Treasure Island, Jim meets and befriends Ben Gunn, an
ex-crew member of Flint’s, and in spite of the warning is captured by the
pirates. Silver and the other pirates find the place where the treasure is
supposed to be, but the chest is empty. The angry pirates mutiny against
Silver, but Livesey and Gunn manage to save them. Silver surrenders and Gunn,
who has been hiding the treasure, divides it among himself, Jim, Trelawney and
his men, after which they return to England. Ultimately, however, Silver
escapes with some part of the treasure.
Long John Silver’s character was one of the
most complex among what I had read so far. He is a cut above the rest of the
pirates whose eternal aim is only constant gratification. Although, he is
greedy, he is patient and willing to wait for his plans to take proper shape.
After capturing Jim, he disagrees with the rest of his crew to torture or kill
him. And even after receiving the Black Spot twice, he remains calm. Needless
to say, I felt sort of relieved when he manages to escape in the end.
And I was floored by Jim Hawkins’ courage,
dignity and intelligence. I was twelve, he was thirteen. Becoming him seemed so
achievable. The scene where he kills the coxswain, Israel Hands, would fill me
with an adrenalin rush. My only regret was that he wasn’t a girl. In fact, I
was pretty annoyed that there wasn’t a single female character in the book!
Nevertheless, ‘Treasure Island’ brought alive whatever little I knew about piracy in the 17th-18th century. The buried gold, the map with an ‘X,’ the sea journey on the Caribbean, the one-legged pirate with a parrot on his shoulder created all the traditions associated with the career of piracy. Stevenson’s ‘black spot,’ fascinated and freaked me at the same time. The book is a salute to adventure, fantasy and valour: a must read for every child.
Fifteen men on the dead man's chest
Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!
Drink and the devil had do ne for the rest
Drink and the devil had do ne for the rest
Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!
-
R.L. Stevenson
