The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle · Chapter
We Depart in a Hurry explained
After the Doctor's triumph in the bullring, Polynesia senses danger from the angry crowd and urges a quick escape.
What happens
After the Doctor's triumph in the bullring, Polynesia senses danger from the angry crowd and urges a quick escape. While the Doctor slips away to the ship, Tommy, Bumpo, and Polynesia collect winnings, buy provisions, and narrowly evade a mob before rowing to the Curlew and setting sail for Brazil.
Themes in this chapter
Adventure and Exploration
The chapter depicts a thrilling escape from an angry mob, highlighting the adventurous spirit of the journey.
Friendship and Loyalty
The group works together under pressure, with Bumpo risking injury to protect his friends and Polynesia guiding the escape.
Freedom vs. Confinement
The characters flee the confinement of the hostile crowd and the bullring to regain their freedom at sea.
Characters to notice
- Polynesia
Orchestrates the collection of jewelry and money, senses danger, and directs the group's escape.
- Bumpo Kahbooboo
Collects the thrown jewelry, collects his bet from Don Enrique, and fends off the mob with a beam of wood.
- Tommy Stubbins
Assists in buying provisions and loading the boat, and rows for the Curlew.
- Chee-Chee
Sent by the Doctor to wait with the rowboat at the landing-wall, helps load supplies.
- Doctor Dolittle
Leaves the bullring quietly to prepare the ship for departure.
- Don Enrique Cardenas
Pays his bet of three-thousand pesetas to Bumpo, though cross-eyed with annoyance.
Key passages
“As soon as the door closed behind the Doctor the most tremendous noise I have ever heard broke loose.”
The moment the Doctor left, an enormous uproar erupted.
Tommy describes the chaotic reaction of the crowd after the Doctor's performance.
“I smell danger. I think you had better get back to the ship now as quick and as quietly as you can.”
Polynesia warns that trouble is coming and urges a swift, quiet return to the ship.
Polynesia's instinct for danger prompts the group's hasty departure.
“Bumpo snatched up a big beam of wood that lay near and swung it round and round his head, letting out dreadful African battle-yells the while.”
Bumpo grabbed a large wooden beam and swung it while shouting fierce battle cries.
Bumpo's action holds off the mob long enough for the others to escape.