# The Shipwreck on the Tin Islands explained — The Story of the Amulet

> Chapter companion for The Story of the Amulet by E. Nesbit.

## What happens

The children, along with the Egyptian priest Rekh-marā, find themselves on a ship bound for the Tin Islands after Pheles steals the Amulet. They use the Amulet to skip nine months of the voyage, arriving just as the ship is about to be wrecked on the Dragon rocks. Pheles chooses to sacrifice the ship and crew rather than let a foreign ship discover Tyre's secret. The children and Rekh-marā escape using the Amulet, but later find themselves sold as slaves in Tyre. They eventually rejoin Pheles's ship and continue toward the Tin Islands, planning to recover the stolen Amulet.

## Themes in this chapter

### Courage and Personal Growth

The children face the shipwreck and slavery with resourcefulness, using the Amulet to escape danger and plan ahead.

### Sacrifice and Selflessness

Pheles chooses to sink his own ship to protect Tyre's secret, demonstrating sacrifice for his city.

### Magic and the Ordinary

The Amulet's magic is used to skip time and travel, while Robert's ordinary compass is mistaken for magic by Pheles.

## Character check-ins

### Anthea

Holds up the Amulet to escape the shipwreck and later suggests the Amulet heard them talking when they arrive in Tyre.

### Cyril

Feels unwell during the voyage and comments on the shipwreck and the Tyrian captain's anger.

### Jane

Expresses distress at the prospect of a year at sea, suggests going home, and later enjoys being a slave.

### Robert

Proposes using the Amulet to skip time, gives Pheles a compass, and identifies Rekh-marā among the sailors.

### The Psammead

Not directly mentioned in this chapter.

### Rekh-marā

Appears as a sailor in Tyre, advises the children to stay, and later helps them pursue Pheles to recover the Amulet.

## Key lines

> Oh⁠—six months, perhaps, or a year,” said the Egyptian cheerfully. “A year of this ?” cried Jane, and Cyril, who was still feeling far too unwell to care about breakfast, hugged himself miserably and shuddered.

The Egyptian casually mentions the voyage could take up to a year, horrifying Jane and Cyril, who are already seasick.

_Highlights the children's discomfort and the Egyptian's calmness._

> We've lived like men, and we'll die like gentlemen for the honour and glory of Tyre, our splendid city. ‘Tyre, Tyre forever! It's Tyre that rules the waves.’ I steer her straight for the Dragon rocks, and we go down for our city, as brave men should.

Pheles declares he will steer the ship into the rocks to die honorably for Tyre rather than let the enemy capture their secret.

_Shows Pheles's patriotic sacrifice and the theme of selflessness._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/chapters/xiii-the-shipwreck-on-the-tin-islands
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/chapters