The Beasts of Tarzan · Chapter
XIX: The Last of the Kincaid explained
Tarzan prepares to sail the Kincaid back to Jungle Island with his beasts, but a mysterious explosion destroys the ship.
What happens
Tarzan prepares to sail the Kincaid back to Jungle Island with his beasts, but a mysterious explosion destroys the ship. The crew and Tarzan's family escape to the island, where Sheeta and the apes flee into the jungle. The Kincaid sinks after a second explosion, leaving the party stranded.
Themes in this chapter
Survival and Resilience
The party must abandon the burning ship and make for land, demonstrating quick thinking and adaptability in the face of disaster.
Family and Paternal Love
Tarzan's urgency to return home and find his lost son drives his impatience during the voyage, and his protective care for Jane and the crew is evident during the crisis.
Savagery and Civilization
The beasts' fear of the civilized crew and their flight into the jungle highlight the tension between wild nature and human society.
Characters to notice
- Tarzan
Takes command after the explosion, calms the beasts, and orders the evacuation to Jungle Island.
- Jane Clayton
Stands with Tarzan on the bridge and later comments on the beasts' departure.
- Mugambi
Trembles at the explosion but remains with Tarzan; noted as 'half human' by Tarzan.
- Sheeta
Panics at the explosion and later flees into the jungle upon landing.
- Akut
The apes of Akut are terrified by the explosion and run about the deck; they also flee into the jungle.
- Alexander Paulvitch
Implied to have set the infernal machine; his cabin contained the ticking device that caused the explosion.
Key passages
“The ape-man aroused the mate and gave instructions that the Kincaid sail at the earliest possible moment.”
Tarzan woke the mate and ordered the Kincaid to set sail immediately.
Shows Tarzan's urgency to return home.
“The beasts, liberated from the confinement of the hold, wandered about the deck, not a little to the discomfiture of the crew...”
The animals, freed from the hold, roamed the deck, making the crew uneasy.
Highlights the tension between the wild beasts and the sailors.
“Suddenly, without warning, the cabin roof shot up into the air, a cloud of dense smoke puffed far above the Kincaid, there was a terrific explosion...”
Without any warning, the cabin roof blew upward, a dense cloud of smoke rose above the ship, and a massive explosion shook everything.
Describes the sudden and violent explosion that doomed the ship.
“Only Tarzan of the Apes and his wife retained their composure.”
Tarzan and Jane were the only ones who stayed calm.
Emphasizes their courage and self-control under pressure.
“Goodbye, my friends, he murmured. You have been good and faithful allies, and I shall miss you.”
He said a quiet farewell to his animal companions, acknowledging their loyalty and expressing his sadness at their departure.
Shows Tarzan's emotional bond with the beasts.