# The Cruise of the Coracle explained — Treasure Island

> Chapter companion for Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.

## What happens

Jim Hawkins awakens adrift in his coracle off the southwest end of Treasure Island. He attempts to land but is deterred by dangerous cliffs, breakers, and sea lions. He decides to paddle north toward the Cape of the Woods, but struggles to control the coracle. He spots the Hispaniola sailing erratically with no one at the helm, and resolves to board her. After a perilous chase, he leaps from the coracle onto the schooner's jib-boom as the coracle is crushed beneath the ship.

## Themes in this chapter

### Adventure and Coming of Age

Jim's solo voyage in the coracle and his bold leap onto the Hispaniola demonstrate his growing courage and resourcefulness.

### Courage and Cowardice

Despite fear and physical exhaustion, Jim overcomes his terror of the sea and the unknown to pursue the schooner.

### The Lure of the Unknown

The sight of the unmanned Hispaniola and the promise of water drive Jim to risk everything in a daring attempt to board her.

## Character check-ins

### Jim Hawkins

Jim is alone in the coracle, navigating the treacherous waters and making the daring decision to board the unmanned Hispaniola.

### Long John Silver

Silver is mentioned indirectly as Jim recalls his warning about the northward current along the west coast.

### Captain Smollett

Jim thinks of Captain Smollett's discipline while observing the sloppy handling of the Hispaniola.

## Key lines

> I saw myself, if I ventured nearer, dashed to death upon the rough shore or spending my strength in vain to scale the beetling crags.

Jim realized that trying to land would likely result in his death on the jagged rocks or exhausting himself trying to climb the steep cliffs.

_Jim assesses the danger of the shoreline and decides against landing._

> I found each wave, instead of the big, smooth, glossy mountain it looks from shore, or from a vessel’s deck, was for all the world like any range of hills on the dry land, full of peaks and smooth places and valleys.

Jim observed that waves, when seen from the coracle, were not smooth mountains but had peaks, valleys, and flat areas like hills on land.

_Jim learns to navigate the waves by staying in the calmer troughs._

> I sprang to my feet and leaped, stamping the coracle under water. With one hand I caught the jib-boom, while my foot was lodged between the stay and the brace, and as I still clung there panting, a dull blow told me that the schooner had charged down upon and struck the coracle and that I was left without retreat on the Hispaniola.

Jim jumped from the coracle onto the Hispaniola's jib-boom just as the schooner crushed the coracle beneath it, leaving him no way back.

_Jim makes a desperate leap to board the Hispaniola, destroying his only escape._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/treasure_island_se/chapters/xxiv-the-cruise-of-the-coracle
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/treasure_island_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/treasure_island_se/chapters