The Survivors of the Chancellor · Chapter
XXVII explained
The wind shifts to the northwest, driving the sinking Chancellor further from land.
What happens
The wind shifts to the northwest, driving the sinking Chancellor further from land. Curtis and the crew struggle to complete the raft as the ship sinks lower. Mr. Kear, Captain Huntly, and three sailors are discovered to have escaped in the whaleboat, abandoning the others. The crew reacts with fury, while Mrs. Kear remains unaware of her husband's desertion.
Themes in this chapter
Survival and Sacrifice
Kear and Huntly's selfish escape contrasts with the crew's labor on the raft, highlighting the tension between individual survival and collective duty.
Hope and Despair
The shift in wind and the desertion deepen despair, yet the continued work on the raft represents a fragile hope.
Leadership and Authority
Curtis assumes command in the crisis, while Huntly's abandonment of the ship represents a complete failure of leadership.
Characters to notice
- Robert Curtis
Shouts orders in the storm, leads the crew in raft construction, and discovers the desertion of Kear and Huntly.
- M. Letourneur
Stands by the narrator with his son, expressing concern about the maintop's stability.
- André Letourneur
Supported by his father, reassures Miss Herbey that the maintop is their best refuge.
- Miss Herbey
Points out Mrs. Kear's condition and asks what should be done, showing concern for others.
- Mr. Kear
Deserts the ship with Captain Huntly and three sailors, stealing the whaleboat.
- Silas Huntly
Plots with Kear to escape, abandoning his command and the passengers.
Key passages
“Dead against us! then, thought I, the wind had shifted to the southwest, and my last night’s forebodings had been correct.”
The narrator realizes the wind has turned against them, confirming his earlier fears.
The change in wind direction seals the ship's fate, driving it away from land.
“The miserable husband had deserted his wife, the faithless captain had abandoned the ship that had once been under his command.”
Kear abandoned his wife, and Huntly deserted the ship he was supposed to command.
This line condemns both men for their cowardice and betrayal.