Chapter 19 · Treasure Island

Copywork

If we had been allowed to sit idle, we should all have fallen in the blues, but Captain Smollett was never the man for that. All hands were called up before him, and he divided us into watches. The doctor and Gray and I for one; the squire, Hunter, and Joyce upon the other.

Jim says that without work "we should all have fallen in the blues". What does the captain do about it, and how do the next two lines divide the watches?

Discussion

Narration Tell back Jim's day in order, from Ben Gunn at the sight of the flag to the cry of “Flag of truce!”

Ben Gunn will go to Jim's friends only for “your born genleman” and his “word of honour.” Why might a man alone on an island want a promise before he trusts anyone? Inference
Jim is not sure Ben Gunn is sane. The doctor says, “If there’s any doubt about the matter, he is.” Why do the two of them see Ben so differently? Character
Jim writes “sand in our eyes, sand in our teeth, sand in our suppers.” Is he making the log-house sound grim, funny, or both? Tone
Tired as they are, two men dig “a grave for Redruth” and two fetch firewood before anyone rests. Is it kind or hard to give everyone work on a night like this? Moral reasoning
After talk of the pirates packing off in the schooner, the captain says only, “First ship that ever I lost.” Why might the author end the night on his words? Author's choice

Make a Connection Tell about a hard evening you know of, in a story or in life, and what people did to get through it.

Vocabulary

idle: If we had been allowed to sit idle, we should all have fallen in the blues, but Captain Smollett was never the man for that. doing nothing; not working
watches: All hands were called up before him, and he divided us into watches. periods of duty on guard
detour: after a long detour to the east, crept down among the shore-side trees. a roundabout way
isolated: an isolated rock, pretty high, and peculiarly white in colour. standing alone; set apart
eddied: the rest eddied about the house and kept us coughing and piping the eye. swirled round and round
prospects: the three chiefs got together in a corner to discuss our prospects. chances for the future
surrender: we must have been starved into surrender long before help came. giving up to the enemy
extremest: we were to take it, saving our own lives, with the extremest care. greatest; utmost
remedies: camped where they were in the marsh and unprovided with remedies, the half of them would be on their backs before a week. medicines; cures
bustle: I was wakened by a bustle and the sound of voices. busy, noisy activity

Critical thinking

Using two pieces of evidence, explain what Jim learns about the pirates’ side as the day ends.
Using two pieces of evidence, explain why the three chiefs think killing off the buccaneers is their best hope.
Using two pieces of evidence from Jim’s description, explain whether the log-house is a good place to hold out.