Chapter 1: The Old Sea-Dog at the "Admiral Benbow"
Squire Trelawney, Dr. Livesey, and the rest of these gentlemen having asked me to write down the whole particulars about Treasure Island, 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, 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 and the brown old seaman with the sabre cut first took up his lodging under our roof.
He was a tall, strong, heavy, nut-brown man, his tarry pigtail falling over the shoulder of his soiled blue coat, his hands ragged and scarred, with black broken nails, and the sabre cut across one cheek, a dirty, livid white. 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—a tail of a man walking beside it and propping it up with one hand while he lifted it with the other.
He was looking round the cove and up at our signboard as he went, and then he sang out a kind of song.
"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.
Then he rapped on the door with a bit of stick like a handspike that he carried, and when my father appeared, called roughly for a glass of rum. This, when it was brought to him, he drank slowly, like a connoisseur, lingering on the taste and still looking about him at the cliffs and up at our signboard.
"This is a handy cove," says he at length; "and a pleasant sittyated grog-shop. Much company, mate?"
My father told him no, very little company, the more was the pity.
"Well, then," said he, "this is the berth for me. Here you, matey," he cried to the man who trundled the barrow; "bring up alongside 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. What you mought call me? You mought call me captain. Oh, I see what you're at—there;" and he threw down three or four gold pieces on the threshold. "You can tell me when I've worked through that," says he, looking as fierce as a commander.
Chapter 2: Black Dog Appears and Disappears
It was not very long after this that there occurred the first of the mysterious events that rid us at last of the captain, though not, as you will see, of his affairs. It was a bitter cold day, the ground covered with a thin snow, the cove all gray with a mist, and the rippling of the incoming tide low and muffled. The captain had risen earlier than usual and set out down the beach, his cutlass swinging under the long skirts of his coat and his brass telescope under his arm. I remember his breath hanging like smoke in his wake as he strode off, and the last sound I heard of him as he turned the big rock was the sharp tapping of his stick.
It was plain, from the first, that he was one of those men who could be left alone in a place. Yet he never seemed to want company; he was always studying the sea and horizon. All the time he lived with us, the captain neither wrote nor received a letter, and he never spoke with anyone but the occasional seafaring man who stopped at the inn.
One day, however, a stranger came looking for him. I remember it was early afternoon, when the sea was calm and the sun bright. The stranger was a pale, tallowy creature, who looked like a beggar-man in rags. He came hobbling up the road with a stick and asked for "a seafaring man with one leg." I told him we had no such man, but he persisted, and when I described the captain, his face darkened.
"Black Dog," he said suddenly. "Is he here?"
I said I didn't know such a person.
"Well," said he, "if you see him, tell him Black Dog was here to speak with him. And he'll know what that means."
Shortly after that, the captain returned and heard the name. His reaction was swift and violent. He demanded to know who had come asking for him and stormed about the inn in anger.
Chapter 3: The Black Spot
About noon I stopped at the captain's room with some medicine. As I entered, he was sitting up in bed, his face flushed, and he looked much better than he had in days.
"Jim," he said, "you're a good boy. But this is not the end of it. That Black Dog—you heard of him, didn't you? He's bad. I knew his kind. He's a mate of a man worse than he—Bill Bones, they called me. Well, Black Dog's gone now, but there'll be others. They're hunting the map. The one in my sea chest. You hear me, boy?"
He paused, sweat gathering on his brow.
"They'll give me the black spot, that's what they'll do. That's the pirate's summons, Jim. The black spot!"
The "black spot" sounded ominous to me. I didn't know what it meant, but from the captain's expression, I knew it was something very bad.
That evening, the captain collapsed after a violent outburst. My mother and I tended to him, and the doctor was sent for. Dr. Livesey came quickly and gave him strong warnings to stop drinking or else it would kill him.
But before the captain could recover, something even worse happened.
A blind man came to the inn. He was led in by a boy and had a menacing air. He demanded to be taken to the captain. I was afraid, but I led him in.
"Take his left hand," he said to me, and he pressed something into it—a piece of paper, black on one side.
The blind man laughed and disappeared.
The captain looked at the paper. His hands shook.
"It's the black spot!" he gasped.
He read the message on the back: "You have till ten tonight."
In a panic, he tried to get up, but it was too late. He gave a cry and fell face first to the floor—dead.
Chapter 4: The Sea Chest
The captain was dead.
My mother and I stood in shock. But we knew we had to act quickly. He had warned us about the sea chest and the men who would come looking for it.
We decided to go through the captain's belongings to find anything that could explain the danger. Inside his sea chest, under piles of dirty clothes, tobacco, and coins, we found a bundle of papers wrapped in oilskin—and a canvas bag of gold.
"This must be what they're after," said my mother. "We'll take the money he owed us, and no more."
She insisted on being fair, counting out the coins carefully. But time was running out. We could hear footsteps outside.
Suddenly, we heard the sound of many men approaching the inn. Pirates.
We had just enough time to grab the papers and run out the back door. We hid under a bridge while the gang burst into the Admiral Benbow Inn, smashing and shouting.
Among them was the blind man, who seemed to be their leader. They tore the place apart, searching for the captain's map.
"Flint's fist!" one of them shouted. "The papers are gone!"
The blind man screamed in rage and began hitting the others with his cane. In their fury and confusion, they missed us.
Just then, revenue officers (local law enforcement) arrived—startled by the commotion. The pirates fled, but in their escape, the blind man was accidentally trampled by his own gang and killed.
At sunrise, I delivered the bundle of papers to Dr. Livesey and Squire Trelawney. Together, they unwrapped the oilskin packet and found…
A map.A real treasure map.The exact location of Captain Flint's buried treasure.
Chapter 5: The Last of the Blind Man
The next morning, Dr. Livesey, Squire Trelawney, and I sat down to examine the papers we had found in the captain's sea chest.
The main document was a treasure map, clearly drawn and labeled:
"Treasure Island" written boldly at the top.
Marks showing the location of buried treasure.
Notes written in the hand of Captain Flint, the infamous pirate.
And the words: "Bulk of treasure here."
The map included instructions for navigating the island, as well as symbols marking where the treasure was hidden—near a hill called the Spy-glass.
Squire Trelawney was thrilled.
"We'll go at once!" he shouted. "A ship, a crew, and we'll be rich, gentlemen!"
He was so excited that he began making plans immediately to sail for the island and dig up the treasure. Dr. Livesey agreed, but warned that they must be careful—this was pirate treasure, after all, and dangerous men might try to claim it.
"Flint may be dead," said the doctor, "but his men are still alive. And they'll want their share."
Within days, Squire Trelawney had begun making arrangements in Bristol, a port city, to buy a ship and hire a crew. He sent word that I, Jim Hawkins, should join them soon.
It was all happening so fast—my quiet life at the inn had turned into the beginning of a real pirate adventure. I was going to sea.
Chapter 6: The Captain's Papers
A few days after the events at the inn, I went with Dr. Livesey to visit Squire Trelawney at his estate. There, we met and discussed the treasure map in more detail.
Dr. Livesey and the squire decided to keep the matter secret, so that no one untrustworthy would learn of the treasure. Still, Squire Trelawney—being a talkative man—found it hard to stay silent.
"Livesey," he said, "you are the only man who can judge character. You must help choose the crew. I will go to Bristol, buy a ship, and get us ready to sail."
So it was agreed:
Squire Trelawney would handle the ship and crew.
Dr. Livesey would be the ship's doctor.
I, Jim Hawkins, would come as a cabin boy and witness.
We were going to Treasure Island.
Chapter 7: I Go to Bristol
Some weeks later, I received a letter from Squire Trelawney, who had gone ahead to Bristol to prepare.
Here's what he wrote (paraphrased):
"I have found a fine ship, the Hispaniola, and a captain I trust—Captain Smollett. I've also hired a cook named Long John Silver, a one-legged man, but he's as good a fellow as ever I met!"
Reading that line made me nervous. I remembered the old pirate captain at the inn warning me to beware of a one-legged man. Could this be the same one?
Still, I traveled to Bristol at once and found Squire Trelawney and Dr. Livesey busy with preparations. The ship was nearly ready. The crew was gathered. And Long John Silver was already helping out—friendly, talkative, and well-liked by everyone.
He owned a tavern near the docks, and when I met him, he greeted me kindly.
"Ah, young Hawkins!" he said, gripping my hand. "Glad to have you aboard!"
I watched him carefully, but there was no sign of danger. He joked and limped around on his wooden leg like it was nothing. I couldn't be sure… but something about him didn't feel right.
Still, the crew liked him, and the squire trusted him.
And so, the Hispaniola was almost ready to set sail.
Chapter 8: At the Sign of the "Spy-glass"
I met Long John Silver at his tavern, the Spy-glass Inn. He was cheerful, witty, and everyone loved him. I had been warned about a one-legged man, but he didn't seem dangerous. Still, something about him didn't feel right.
As we left the inn, I noticed a man running away after seeing Silver—Black Dog, the pirate who once came to the Admiral Benbow Inn! I told Silver. He pretended to be surprised and angry that a "scoundrel" like that had been in his tavern.
I still wasn't sure if Silver was good or bad—but he was clever. Very clever.
Chapter 9: Powder and Arms
We prepared to set sail. Captain Smollett voiced concerns:
He didn't trust the crew.
He was suspicious about the secrecy of the voyage.
He disliked that everyone knew it was a treasure hunt.
Still, the ship was loaded with weapons, powder, and food. The treasure map was kept secret by only Dr. Livesey, Squire Trelawney, and me.
Captain Smollett seemed strict but wise. He demanded all weapons be locked up until needed.
Chapter 10: The Voyage
We set sail, and at first, the voyage was smooth.
The crew, especially those recruited by Long John Silver, worked well. Silver himself was always talking, joking, and cooking fine meals. The men loved him.
But I noticed him speaking secretly with a group of sailors. He had a strange way of commanding respect without being obvious.
One day, I overheard a sailor named Israel Hands whispering to Silver. The way they spoke told me something was wrong…
Chapter 11: What I Heard in the Apple Barrel
One night, I climbed into an empty apple barrel for a snack—and heard everything.
Long John Silver was a pirate—and the leader of a mutiny!
He told the men how he'd been part of Captain Flint's crew, how they would wait until the treasure was found, then take over the ship and kill us all.
"Dead men don't bite," Silver said coldly.
I stayed hidden and heard their whole plan. As soon as I could, I ran to warn Dr. Livesey and the others.
Chapter 12: Council of War
I told Dr. Livesey, Squire Trelawney, and Captain Smollett everything I had heard.
They believed me right away.
"We must act fast," said the captain. "But let them make the first move."
We decided to stay silent and pretend we knew nothing, so we could catch the pirates off guard when the time came.
Now it was a dangerous waiting game…
Chapter 13: How I Began My Adventure on the Island
Land in sight! After weeks at sea, we reached Treasure Island.
From the ship, it looked mysterious and wild—thick woods, hills, and a tall peak called the Spy-glass.
Captain Smollett allowed the crew to go ashore in small groups. Silver insisted on leading the first boatload.
I asked to go too—not to explore, but to escape and try to learn more.
Once on the island, I ran into the trees—alone, and not sure what I'd find.
Chapter 14: The First Blow
On the island, I wandered into the forest while the pirates roamed freely. I saw Silver kill a crewman named Tom in cold blood—just for staying loyal to the captain.
I realized then: this was no game. Silver was ruthless. And the mutiny was real.
Frightened, I fled deeper into the woods.
Chapter 15: The Man of the Island
In the forest, I met a wild, ragged man named Ben Gunn. He had been marooned on the island by Flint's crew three years earlier.
He told me he knew where the treasure was—and would help us if we promised to take him home.
"I've not had Christian food in three years," he said, his eyes shining. "Not even a piece of cheese!"
Ben Gunn became my secret ally.
Chapter 16: Narrative Continued by the Doctor — How the Ship Was Abandoned
Now Dr. Livesey takes over the narration.
Back on the Hispaniola, the doctor and his group realized they needed to act fast before the pirates mutinied. They quietly moved all supplies and weapons ashore to a safe place they discovered—an old stockade built by Flint.
Then they abandoned the ship and took up position in the fort, waiting for the pirates to make their move.
Chapter 17: Narrative Continued by the Doctor — The Jolly-boat's Last Trip
To make sure the pirates couldn't sail away, they tried to cut the Hispaniola adrift.
Dr. Livesey, the squire, and a few men rowed a small boat to the ship. But the sea was rough, and the small boat nearly sank.
They just barely made it back to land—and now the pirates had no ship and no treasure.
Chapter 18: Narrative Continued by the Doctor — End of the First Day's Fighting
The pirates, furious at being tricked, attacked the stockade.
It was a fierce battle. Guns roared. Smoke filled the air.
Captain Smollett and the loyal crew fought bravely. Joyce, one of the good men, was killed. The rest held the fort—but the captain was wounded.
"We've beaten them off," the doctor said. "But it's far from over."
Chapter 19: Narrative Resumed by Jim Hawkins — The Garrison in the Stockade
I (Jim Hawkins) returned to the stockade and told the others about Ben Gunn.
We were low on food and water. The pirates were still nearby. And we didn't know when they would attack again.
Long John Silver approached the fort under a flag of truce. He offered a deal: hand over the map, and he would spare our lives.
Captain Smollett refused.
"If you come, come strong," he said. "If not, keep away."
Silver stormed off—and we knew the final battle was coming.
Chapter 20: Silver's Embassy
Later that day, Silver returned alone to speak with Captain Smollett again. This time, he tried to talk politely.
He claimed he was trying to keep the peace and that the other pirates were forcing him to act.
"Give us the map, and we'll let you live," he said.
Smollett stood firm. He refused the deal and sent Silver away empty-handed.
As Silver walked off, he warned:
"Them that die'll be the lucky ones."
Chapter 21: The Attack
The attack came early in the morning.
From within the stockade, we heard footsteps approaching. Captain Smollett had posted us all to our firing positions. Suddenly, a group of pirates stormed the fence, yelling like demons.
We fired.
The battle was fierce. The pirates charged again and again, some making it over the fence. Hunter was knocked unconscious. Captain Smollett was wounded badly in the side and arm.
But we fought them off.
Five of the enemy lay dead or dying. Only four of us remained unwounded: Dr. Livesey, Gray, the squire, and me.
Chapter 22: How My Sea Adventure Began
After the battle, with the captain wounded and the doctor worried, I decided to sneak away—I had a plan.
I slipped out of the stockade and made my way through the trees to the spot where Ben Gunn had told me about his hidden coracle (a small homemade boat).
I found it hidden in the brush, made of wood, goat skin, and rope. It was rough but usable.
"I'll cut the Hispaniola loose," I said to myself. "Let her drift where she may."
And with that, I dragged the coracle to the shore and launched it onto the sea.
Chapter 23: The Ebb-Tide Runs
I paddled toward the Hispaniola under the cover of darkness.
The wind was down, and the tide pulled me toward the ship. I could hear voices on board—two pirates were left aboard: Israel Hands and O'Brien.
They were drunk and fighting. In the scuffle, O'Brien stabbed Hands. Now only Israel Hands remained—wounded and angry.
I lay low in the coracle and waited, drifting quietly alongside the anchored ship.
Chapter 24: The Cruise of the Coracle
By morning, I was close enough to grab a rope and climb aboard the Hispaniola.
The deck was a mess. O'Brien was dead. Israel Hands lay slumped and bleeding.
"Water…" he whispered. "Help me, boy, and I'll help you."
I took the wheel and began steering the ship toward a safe beach. Hands watched me carefully.
As I turned my back, he sprang up, knife in hand.
Chapter 25: I Strike the Jolly Roger
We struggled. I climbed the mast, pistol in hand, while Israel Hands followed below, knife raised.
He threw his dagger—it grazed my shoulder.
I fired my pistol.
Israel gave a scream and fell backwards into the sea.
I had taken the ship.
I tore down the Jolly Roger (pirate flag) and dropped anchor in a hidden inlet. Then, weak and bleeding, I rowed ashore and walked back to the stockade.
But when I got there—
The pirates had taken it.Long John Silver was waiting for me.
Chapter 26: Israel Hands
Jim has just returned to the stockade—only to find that it has fallen into pirate hands.
To his shock, Long John Silver is there—and instead of attacking, he welcomes Jim politely and offers him food.
Jim is confused but plays it cool. He tells Silver he knows the ship's location and control is now his—and that Israel Hands is dead.
Silver smiles slyly. "You're a smart lad, Jim. We may be enemies, but you've got guts."
The pirates are angry with Silver for not killing Jim, but he uses his charm and authority to protect Jim—for now.
Chapter 27: "Pieces of Eight"
Jim stays with the pirates inside the stockade, now their stronghold.
Tension builds among the mutineers. Some are sick. Some are afraid. Some want to kill Jim and take the map. Silver constantly plays both sides, trying to keep control.
A parrot—Captain Flint, Silver's bird—keeps screaming "Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!"
At night, Silver tells Jim quietly:
"They're turnin' on me, lad. But I'm not finished yet."
Chapter 28: In the Enemy's Camp
The next day, Silver tries to bargain again with Jim.
He offers to keep Jim alive in exchange for help finding the treasure. But Jim refuses to betray Dr. Livesey and the others.
Silver smiles again, unshaken.
"You've got spirit, Hawkins," he says. "I'll not harm you—unless I must."
Suddenly, Dr. Livesey enters the fort! He's there under a flag of truce to check on the wounded.
He's surprised but relieved to see Jim alive.
They speak alone briefly. Jim tells the doctor all about the ship, Israel Hands, and Ben Gunn.
Chapter 29: The Black Spot Again
The pirate crew grows restless. They hold a meeting and give Silver the "Black Spot"—a pirate signal of judgment and rebellion.
They accuse him of failure.
Silver responds boldly—he shows them the treasure map, which he secretly took from Dr. Livesey!
"I've got what you want," he growls. "And I've got Hawkins, who's worth more than the rest of you together."
The pirates, cowed and greedy, back down. Silver remains captain.
After the meeting, Silver whispers to Jim:
"It's you and me now, boy. We've both got a stake in this game."
Chapter 30: On Parole
Dr. Livesey comes again under truce.
This time, Jim tells him everything—and Silver listens quietly, allowing it.
Surprisingly, the doctor offers to let Silver escape punishment if he helps them survive the danger to come. Silver agrees, but only silently.
Jim and Silver are now locked in a strange alliance—both using each other.
Jim is left wondering whether he can trust Silver—or whether the pirate is just playing a longer game.
Chapter 31: The Treasure Hunt — Flint's Pointer
At last, the pirates set off into the island's interior, following the treasure map.
Jim, still under Long John Silver's control, joins the expedition. Along the way, they pass strange places marked on the map, including "Skeleton Island" and Flint's log hill.
They also find a skeleton laid out in a straight line, arms pointing toward the treasure—placed there long ago by Captain Flint himself as a "pointer."
The pirates grow nervous. Some begin to mutter. Others talk of Flint's ghost.
Silver tries to keep them calm, but it's clear that something feels wrong.
Chapter 32: The Treasure Hunt — The Voice Among the Trees
As they near the treasure site, they suddenly hear a ghostly voice cry out:
"Darby McGraw! Darby McGraw! Fetch aft the rum!"
It was the exact voice of Captain Flint, now long dead.
The pirates panic—some run, some cry.
But Silver keeps his cool. "That's just echo," he says. "Or Ben Gunn playing tricks."
Jim realizes the truth: it is Ben Gunn, trying to scare the pirates away.
Chapter 33: The Fall of a Chieftain
They finally reach the spot marked "X" on the map—only to find...
The treasure is gone.
All that's left is a hole in the ground.
The pirates explode in rage. They turn on Silver, ready to kill him.
Just then, Dr. Livesey, Gray, and Ben Gunn burst from the trees and open fire.
Three pirates are killed. The rest flee into the forest.
It turns out that Ben Gunn had found the treasure months earlier and moved it to a secret cave.
Silver, now firmly back on the doctor's side, has helped keep Jim alive—though his motives are still self-serving.
Chapter 34: And Last
The treasure—gold, silver, and gems—is brought from Ben Gunn's cave and loaded onto the Hispaniola.
The surviving pirates are either marooned or handed over to authorities.
As for Long John Silver… he escapes, taking a small bag of gold and vanishing in the night.
Jim and the others sail back to England, rich beyond imagination.
But the adventure has changed Jim forever.
"I'll never go to sea again," he says in the final lines, haunted by dreams of the island, the parrot's cries of "Pieces of eight!"—and the shadow of Long John Silver.