# II: The Statement of the Captain (1849) explained — The Moonstone

> Chapter companion for The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins.

## What happens

The captain of the ship Bewley Castle recounts how three Hindu passengers escaped the vessel during a calm off the coast of India by stealing a small boat and rowing ashore. He notes that discipline had relaxed during the becalmed period, and the men were not discovered missing until morning. Upon reaching port, he learned the reason for their escape, but provides no further details.

## Themes in this chapter

### Imperialism and Colonialism

The presence of Hindu passengers on a British ship and their mysterious escape hints at colonial tensions and the movement of people within the empire.

### Detection and Truth

The captain's statement is a factual account requested by Sergeant Cuff, setting the stage for the detective work to follow.

## Character check-ins

### Sergeant Cuff

Requested the captain to set down these facts in writing.

### The Indians

Three Hindu passengers who escaped the ship by stealing a boat and rowing ashore.

## Key lines

> The discipline of a ship (as all seafaring persons know) becomes relaxed in a long calm. The discipline of my ship became relaxed.

During a prolonged calm at sea, the usual strict order on board my ship weakened.

_The captain admits that the calm led to a lapse in discipline, which allowed the escape._

> If these men had stolen the boat shortly after dark (which I have no doubt they did), we were near enough to the land to make it vain to send in pursuit of them, when the discovery was made in the morning.

I am certain they took the boat soon after nightfall, and since we were so close to shore, chasing them in the morning would have been pointless.

_The captain explains why no pursuit was attempted after the escape was discovered._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_moonstone_se/chapters/ii-the-statement-of-the-captain-1849
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_moonstone_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_moonstone_se/chapters