Maximum-assistance view: every word above everyday vocabulary is explained at every appearance; each name is introduced at its first appearance in the chapter.

I

The Old Sea-dog at the Admiral Benbow (The Old Sea-dog, an old sailor, at the Admiral Benbow, the inn where the story begins)

Squire Trelawney, Dr. Livesey, and the rest of these gentlemen having asked me to write down the whole particulars (and the rest of these gentlemen having asked me to write down every detail) about Treasure Island (Squire Trelawney, the local great landowner, Dr Livesey, and the rest of these gentlemen having asked me to write down the whole story of Treasure Island in full detail), from the beginning to the end, keeping nothing back but the bearings of the island, and that only because there is still treasure not yet lifted (from beginning to end, holding nothing back but the island's exact position, and that only because there is still treasure not yet taken up), I take up my pen in the year of grace 17—, and go back to the time when my father kept the Admiral Benbow inn (I take up my pen in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred and something, and go back to the time when my father kept the Admiral Benbow inn) and the brown old seaman with the sabre cut first took up his lodging under our roof (and the brown old seaman with the sword scar first took a room under our roof).

I remember him as if it were yesterday, as he came plodding to the inn door, his sea-chest following behind him in a hand-barrow (I remember him as if it were yesterday, as he came walking heavily up to the inn door, his sea chest following behind him in a pushed hand cart)--a tall, strong, heavy, nut-brown man, his tarry pigtail falling over the shoulder of his soiled blue coat (his tar-stained rope of twisted-together hair falling over the shoulder of his dirty blue coat) (a tall, strong, heavy, nut-brown man, his tar-stained rope of tied-back hair falling over the shoulder of his dirty blue coat), his hands ragged and scarred, with black, broken nails, and the sabre cut across one cheek, a dirty, livid white (his hands rough and scarred, with black broken nails, and the sword cut across one cheek a dirty, bruise-pale white). I remember him looking round the cove and whistling to himself as he did so, and then breaking out in that old sea-song that he sang so often afterwards (I remember him looking round the little sheltered bay and whistling to himself as he did, and then breaking out in that old sea song he sang so often afterwards):

“Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest-- Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!” (Fifteen men on the dead man's chest, yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum)

in the high, old tottering voice that seemed to have been tuned and broken at the capstan bars (in the high, old, shaking voice that seemed to have been tuned and worn out at the capstan, the great winding-post sailors push round to raise the anchor). Then he rapped on the door with a bit of stick like a handspike that he carried (Then he knocked on the door with a bit of stick like a wooden lever bar that he carried), and when my father appeared, called roughly for a glass of rum (and when my father came out, called roughly for a glass of rum). This, when it was brought to him, he drank slowly, like a connoisseur, lingering on the taste (This, when it was brought, he drank slowly, like a fine judge of drink, letting the taste last) and still looking about him at the cliffs and up at our signboard (still looking about him at the cliffs and up at our inn sign).

“This is a handy cove,” says he at length; “and a pleasant sittyated grog-shop. Much company, mate?” (This is a handy little bay, says he at last, and a pleasantly placed drink house, in his rough way of saying it. Much company, mate)

My father told him no, very little company, the more was the pity (My father told him no, very little company, the more the pity).

“Well, then,” said he, “this is the berth for me (Well then, said he, this is the resting place for me). Here you, matey,” he cried to the man who trundled the barrow; “bring up alongside and help up my chest (Here, you, matey, he cried to the man who wheeled the cart, come up beside me and help up my chest). I’ll stay here a bit,” he continued. “I’m a plain man; rum and bacon and eggs is what I want, and that head up there for to watch ships off (I am a plain man. Rum and bacon and eggs is what I want, and that headland up there to watch ships from). What you mought call me? You mought call me captain (What might you call me? You might call me captain). Oh, I see what you’re at--there”; and he threw down three or four gold pieces on the threshold (Oh, I see what you are after, there, and he threw down three or four gold coins on the doorstep). “You can tell me when I’ve worked through that,” says he, looking as fierce as a commander (You can tell me when I have worked through that, says he, looking as fierce as a commander).

And indeed bad as his clothes were and coarsely as he spoke (bad as his clothes were and roughly as he spoke), he had none of the appearance of a man who sailed before the mast (And truly, bad as his clothes were and roughly as he spoke, he did not look like a common sailor who works at the ship's front), but seemed like a mate or skipper accustomed to be obeyed or to strike (but seemed like a ship's officer or captain used to being obeyed, or to hitting). The man who came with the barrow told us the mail had set him down the morning before at the Royal George (The man who came with the cart told us the mail coach had set him down the morning before at the Royal George, another inn), that he had inquired what inns there were along the coast, and hearing ours well spoken of, I suppose, and described as lonely, had chosen it from the others for his place of residence (that he had asked what inns there were along the coast, and hearing ours well spoken of, I suppose, and called lonely, had chosen it over the others as his place to live). And that was all we could learn of our guest (And that was all we could learn of our guest).

He was a very silent man by custom (He was a very silent man by habit). All day he hung round the cove or upon the cliffs with a brass telescope (He was a very silent man by habit. All day he hung about the bay, or up on the cliffs with a brass far-seeing glass); all evening he sat in a corner of the parlour (all evening he sat in a corner of the sitting room) next the fire and drank rum and water very strong (all evening he sat in a corner of the sitting room next to the fire, and drank rum and water mixed very strong). Mostly he would not speak when spoken to, only look up sudden and fierce and blow through his nose like a fog-horn (Mostly he would not answer when spoken to, only look up sudden and fierce and blow through his nose like a fog horn); and we and the people who came about our house soon learned to let him be (and we, and the people who came about our house, soon learned to leave him alone). Every day when he came back from his stroll he would ask if any seafaring men had gone by along the road (Every day when he came back from his walk he would ask whether any seagoing men had passed along the road). At first we thought it was the want of company of his own kind (At first we thought it was missing company of his own kind) that made him ask this question, but at last we began to see (but at last we began to see) he was desirous to avoid them (At first we thought it was missing company of his own kind that made him ask, but at last we began to see he wanted to keep away from them). When a seaman did put up at the Admiral Benbow (as now and then some did, making by the coast road for Bristol (as some did now and then, heading along the coast road for Bristol)) he would look in at him through the curtained door before he entered the parlour (When a sailor did stop at the Admiral Benbow, as now and then some did, taking the coast road for Bristol, he would peep in at him through the curtained door before entering the sitting room); and he was always sure to be as silent as a mouse when any such was present (and he was always sure to stay quiet as a mouse while any such man was there). For me, at least, there was no secret about the matter, for I was, in a way, a sharer in his alarms (For me at least there was no secret in the matter, for I was, in a way, a sharer in his fears). He had taken me aside one day and promised me a silver fourpenny on the first of every month if I would only keep my “weather-eye open for a seafaring man with one leg” and let him know the moment he appeared (He had taken me aside one day and promised me a small silver coin on the first of every month if I would only keep my sharp watching eye open for a seagoing man with one leg, and tell him the moment such a man appeared) (and tell him the moment the man appeared). Often enough when the first of the month came round and I applied to him for my wage, he would only blow through his nose at me and stare me down (Often enough, when the first of the month came round and I asked him for my pay, he would only blow through his nose at me and stare me down) (and stare me down), but before the week was out he was sure to think better of it, bring me my four-penny piece, and repeat his orders to look out for (and say his orders over again, to keep watch for) “the seafaring man with one leg.” (but before the week was out he was sure to think again, bring me my little coin, and say over his orders to watch for the seagoing man with one leg)

How that personage haunted my dreams (How that figure haunted my dreams), I need scarcely tell you (How that figure haunted my dreams I hardly need tell you). On stormy nights, when the wind shook the four corners of the house and the surf roared along the cove and up the cliffs, I would see him in a thousand forms, and with a thousand diabolical expressions (On stormy nights, when the wind shook the four corners of the house and the breaking waves roared along the bay and up the cliffs, I would see him in a thousand shapes, with a thousand devilish faces). Now the leg would be cut off at the knee, now at the hip; now he was a monstrous kind of a creature who had never had but the one leg, and that in the middle of his body (Now the leg would be cut off at the knee, now at the hip. Now he was a monstrous kind of creature who had never had more than the one leg, and that one in the middle of his body). To see him leap and run and pursue me over hedge and ditch was the worst of nightmares (To see him leap and run and chase me over hedge and ditch was the worst of nightmares) (was the worst of bad dreams). And altogether I paid pretty dear for my monthly fourpenny piece, in the shape of these abominable fancies (and all in all I paid dearly for my monthly little coin, in the shape of these hateful imaginings).

But though I was so terrified by the idea of the seafaring man with one leg, I was far less afraid of the captain himself than anybody else who knew him (But though the thought of the seagoing man with one leg so terrified me, I was far less afraid of the captain himself than anyone else who knew him). There were nights when he took a deal more rum and water than his head would carry (There were nights when he took a good deal more rum and water than his head could carry); and then he would sometimes sit and sing his wicked, old, wild sea-songs, minding nobody (and then he would sometimes sit and sing his wicked old wild sea songs, paying no one any mind) (paying no one any attention); but sometimes he would call for glasses round and force all the trembling company to listen to his stories or bear a chorus to his singing (but sometimes he would call for drinks all round and force the whole shaking company to listen to his stories, or carry the answering line of his singing). Often I have heard the house shaking with “Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum,” all the neighbours joining in for dear life, with the fear of death upon them (with the fear of death on them), and each singing louder than the other to avoid remark (Often I have heard the house shaking with yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum, all the neighbours joining in for dear life, the fear of death on them, and each singing louder than the next so as not to be noticed). For in these fits he was the most overriding companion ever known; he would slap his hand on the table for silence all round (For in these fits he was the most bullying company ever known. He would slap his hand on the table for silence all round) (he would slap his hand on the table for silence all round); he would fly up in a passion of anger at a question, or sometimes because none was put, and so he judged the company was not following his story (he would fly up in a burning anger at a question, or sometimes because none was asked, which told him the company was not following his story). Nor would he allow anyone to leave the inn till he had drunk himself sleepy and reeled off to bed (Nor would he let anyone leave the inn until he had drunk himself sleepy and staggered off to bed).

His stories were what frightened people worst of all. Dreadful stories they were--about hanging, and walking the plank, and storms at sea, and the Dry Tortugas, and wild deeds and places on the Spanish Main (Dreadful stories they were, about hanging, and being made to walk the plank into the sea, and storms at sea, and the Dry Tortugas islands, and wild deeds and places on the Spanish Main, the pirate waters of the Americas) (His stories were what frightened people worst of all. Dreadful stories they were, about hanging, and walking the plank into the sea, and storms, and the Dry Tortugas islands, and wild deeds and places on the Spanish Main, the pirate waters of the Americas). By his own account he must have lived his life among some of the wickedest men that God ever allowed upon the sea (By his own telling he must have lived his life among some of the wickedest men God ever allowed on the sea), and the language in which he told these stories shocked our plain country people almost as much as the crimes that he described (and the language he told these stories in shocked our plain country people almost as much as the crimes he described). My father was always saying the inn would be ruined, for people would soon cease coming there to be tyrannized over and put down, and sent shivering to their beds (My father was always saying the inn would be ruined, for people would soon stop coming to be bullied and crushed and sent shivering to their beds); but I really believe his presence did us good (but I truly believe his being there did us good). People were frightened at the time, but on looking back they rather liked it (but I truly believe his being there did us good. People were frightened at the time, but looking back they rather liked it); it was a fine excitement in a quiet country life (it was a fine thrill in a quiet country life), and there was even a party of the younger men who pretended to admire him (it was a fine thrill in a quiet country life, and there was even a set of the younger men who made a show of admiring him), calling him a “true sea-dog” and a “real old salt” and such like names, and saying there was the sort of man that made England terrible at sea (calling him a true sea dog and a real old salt and such names, and saying there was the sort of man that made England feared at sea).

In one way, indeed, he bade fair to ruin us (In one way, indeed, he looked set to ruin us), for he kept on staying week after week, and at last month after month (In one way, indeed, he looked likely to ruin us, for he stayed on week after week, and at last month after month), so that all the money had been long exhausted, and still my father never plucked up the heart to insist on having more (so that his money had long run out, and still my father never gathered the heart to insist on more) (and still my father never found the courage to insist on more money). If ever he mentioned it, the captain blew through his nose so loudly that you might say he roared, and stared my poor father out of the room (If ever he raised it, the captain blew through his nose so loudly you might say he roared, and stared my poor father out of the room). I have seen him wringing his hands after such a rebuff, and I am sure the annoyance and the terror he lived in must have greatly hastened his early and unhappy death (I have seen my father twisting his hands after such a putting-down, and I am sure the worry and the terror he lived in must have greatly hurried his early and unhappy death).

All the time he lived with us the captain made no change whatever in his dress but to buy some stockings from a hawker (All the time he lived with us the captain made no change at all in his clothes, except to buy some stockings from a travelling street seller) (except to buy some stockings from a travelling seller). One of the cocks of his hat having fallen down, he let it hang from that day forth, though it was a great annoyance when it blew (One of the turned-up sides of his hat having fallen down, he let it hang from that day on, though it was a great trouble to him in wind). I remember the appearance of his coat, which he patched himself upstairs in his room, and which, before the end, was nothing but patches (I remember the look of his coat, which he patched himself upstairs in his room, and which, before the end, was nothing but patches). He never wrote or received a letter, and he never spoke with any but the neighbours, and with these, for the most part, only when drunk on rum (He never wrote or received a letter, and never spoke with anyone but the neighbours, and with them mostly only when drunk on rum). The great sea-chest none of us had ever seen open (The great sea chest none of us had ever seen open).

He was only once crossed (He was stood up to only once), and that was towards the end, when my poor father was far gone in a decline that took him off (He was stood up to only once, and that was near the end, when my poor father was far gone in the wasting sickness that carried him off). Dr. Livesey came late one afternoon to see the patient, took a bit of dinner from my mother (took a bit of dinner from my mother), and went into the parlour to smoke a pipe until his horse should come down from the hamlet (Dr Livesey came late one afternoon to see the sick man, took a bit of dinner from my mother, and went into the sitting room to smoke a pipe until his horse came down from the little village), for we had no stabling at the old Benbow (for we had no horse housing at the old Benbow). I followed him in, and I remember observing the contrast the neat, bright doctor, with his powder as white as snow and his bright, black eyes and pleasant manners, made with the coltish country folk (I remember noticing how the neat, bright doctor, with his hair powder white as snow and his bright black eyes and pleasant ways, stood apart from the awkward young-horse-clumsy country folk), and above all, with that filthy, heavy, bleared scarecrow of a pirate of ours, sitting, far gone in rum, with his arms on the table (and above all from that filthy, heavy, bleary-eyed scarecrow of a pirate of ours, sitting far gone in rum with his arms on the table). Suddenly he--the captain, that is--began to pipe up his eternal song (Suddenly he, the captain that is, began to strike up his never-ending song):

“Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest-- Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum! Drink and the devil had done for the rest (Drink and the devil had finished off all the rest)-- Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!” (Fifteen men on the dead man's chest, yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum! Drink and the devil had finished off the rest, yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum)

At first I had supposed “the dead man’s chest” to be that identical big box of his upstairs in the front room (At first I had supposed the dead man's chest to be that very big box of his upstairs in the front room), and the thought had been mingled in my nightmares with that of the one-legged seafaring man (and the thought had mixed in my nightmares with that of the one-legged seagoing man). But by this time we had all long ceased to pay any particular notice to the song; it was new, that night, to nobody but Dr. Livesey (But by this time we had all long stopped taking any special notice of the song. That night it was new to nobody but Dr Livesey) (that night it was new to no one but Dr Livesey), and on him I observed it did not produce an agreeable effect, for he looked up for a moment quite angrily before he went on with his talk to old Taylor, the gardener, on a new cure for the rheumatics (and on him, I noticed, it did not sit well, for he looked up a moment quite angrily before going on with his talk to old Taylor the gardener about a new cure for the joint aches). In the meantime, the captain gradually brightened up at his own music, and at last flapped his hand upon the table before him in a way we all knew to mean silence (Meanwhile the captain slowly warmed at his own music, and at last slapped his hand on the table before him in a way we all knew meant silence). The voices stopped at once (The voices stopped at once), all but Dr. Livesey’s; he went on as before speaking clear and kind and drawing briskly at his pipe between every word or two (The voices stopped at once, all but Dr Livesey's. He went on as before, speaking clear and kind, and pulling briskly at his pipe between every word or two). The captain glared at him for a while, flapped his hand again, glared still harder, and at last broke out with a villainous, low oath (and at last broke out with a wicked low curse), “Silence, there, between decks!” (The captain glared at him a while, slapped his hand again, glared harder still, and at last broke out with a wicked low curse, silence there, between decks)

“Were you addressing me, sir?” says the doctor (Were you speaking to me, sir? says the doctor); and when the ruffian had told him, with another oath, that this was so (Were you speaking to me, sir? says the doctor. And when the rough brute had told him, with another curse, that he was), “I have only one thing to say to you, sir,” replies the doctor, “that if you keep on drinking rum, the world will soon be quit of a very dirty scoundrel!” (I have only one thing to say to you, sir, answers the doctor, that if you keep on drinking rum, the world will soon be rid of a very dirty rogue)

The old fellow’s fury was awful (The old fellow's rage was dreadful). He sprang to his feet, drew and opened a sailor’s clasp-knife, and balancing it open on the palm of his hand, threatened to pin the doctor to the wall (The old fellow's rage was dreadful. He sprang to his feet, drew and opened a sailor's folding knife, and balancing it open on the flat of his hand, threatened to pin the doctor to the wall).

The doctor never so much as moved (The doctor did not so much as move). He spoke to him as before, over his shoulder and in the same tone of voice, rather high, so that all the room might hear, but perfectly calm and steady (The doctor never so much as moved. He spoke to him as before, over his shoulder and in the same tone, rather loud, so the whole room could hear, but perfectly calm and steady): “If you do not put that knife this instant in your pocket, I promise, upon my honour, you shall hang at the next assizes.” (If you do not put that knife in your pocket this moment, I promise on my honour you shall hang at the next sitting of the travelling law court)

Then followed a battle of looks between them, but the captain soon knuckled under (but the captain soon gave in), put up his weapon, and resumed his seat, grumbling like a beaten dog (Then followed a battle of stares between them, but the captain soon gave way, put his weapon up, and took his seat again, growling low like a beaten dog).

“And now, sir,” continued the doctor (And now, sir, the doctor went on), “since I now know there’s such a fellow in my district, you may count I’ll have an eye upon you day and night (And now, sir, the doctor went on, since I know there is such a fellow in my district, you may count on my keeping an eye on you day and night). I’m not a doctor only; I’m a magistrate; and if I catch a breath of complaint against you, if it’s only for a piece of incivility like tonight’s (I am not only a doctor. I am a law officer too. And if I catch one breath of complaint against you, even for a piece of rudeness like tonight's), I’ll take effectual means to have you hunted down and routed out of this. Let that suffice (I will take sure steps to have you hunted down and driven out of here. Let that be enough).”

Soon after, Dr. Livesey’s horse came to the door and he rode away, but the captain held his peace that evening (but the captain kept his peace that evening), and for many evenings to come (Soon after, Dr Livesey's horse came to the door and he rode away. But the captain kept his peace that evening, and for many evenings to come).