Treasure Island, Chapter 23 summary
Chapter 23 of 34 · Part 5: My Sea Adventure · 7 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 23, the narrator reaches the Hispaniola in a coracle and cuts her anchor rope while two drunken men quarrel inside the cabin. The current carries both boats toward the open sea, turning his successful attempt to free the ship into a frightening struggle to survive.
What happens
- The tide carries the awkward coracle to the Hispaniola, where the narrator grasps her tightly stretched anchor rope.
- He waits for gusts to loosen the rope, cutting its strands in stages to avoid being struck.
- He hears Israel Hands and the man in the red nightcap drunkenly arguing while sailors sing ashore.
- After cutting the final strands, he escapes the ship’s bows and grabs a cord trailing from her stern.
- Looking through the cabin window, he sees the two men gripping each other’s throats.
- The current sweeps both vessels toward open water; expecting death, the narrator lies down and finally falls asleep.
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In this chapter
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Why does the narrator wait for gusts before cutting the anchor rope?
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