# The Treasure-Hunt—The Voice Among the Trees explained — Treasure Island > Chapter companion for Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. ## What happens Silver and the pirates, with Jim as a hostage, ascend the plateau toward the treasure site. They are terrified by a mysterious voice singing Flint's song and calling for Darby M'Graw, which they initially take for Flint's ghost. Silver reasons it must be Ben Gunn, restoring their courage. They press on, driven by greed, only to find the treasure pit already excavated and empty, with only a broken pick and a board from Flint's ship Walrus remaining. ## Themes in this chapter ### Greed and Morality The pirates' greed for the treasure overcomes their terror, driving them forward despite supernatural fears and moral decay. ### Superstition and Fear The pirates are paralyzed by the voice they believe is Flint's ghost, showing how superstition governs their actions. ### Deception and Disguise Ben Gunn's voice is mistaken for Flint's, a deception that Silver sees through, using logic to calm his crew. ## Character check-ins ### Jim Hawkins Narrator and hostage, observing the pirates' terror and greed, and reading Silver's murderous intentions. ### Long John Silver Leads the treasure hunt, initially shaken by the voice but recovers, using logic to attribute it to Ben Gunn; his greed and treachery become evident. ### George Merry One of the pirates, terrified by the voice but relieved by Silver's explanation; leads the final rush to the treasure pit. ### Dick Johnson A superstitious pirate, prays and clutches his Bible, falling sick with fever. ### Tom Morgan Pirate who grovels in fear at the voice, later accepts it was Ben Gunn. ### Ben Gunn Implied to be the source of the mysterious voice, though not physically present; his name restores the pirates' courage. ## Key lines > Fifteen men on the dead man's chest, Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! The pirates hear a ghostly rendition of Flint's sea shanty, terrifying them. _The voice is later attributed to Ben Gunn, not a ghost._ > Darby M'Graw! Darby M'Graw! ... Fetch aft the rum, Darby! The voice calls out Flint's last words, deepening the pirates' fear. _Silver uses the echo to argue it cannot be a spirit._ > There's seven hundred thousand pound not a quarter of a mile from here. Silver reminds the pirates of the immense treasure nearby to motivate them. _Greed overrides their superstitious terror._ > All was clear to probation. The cache had been found and rifled—the seven hundred thousand pounds were gone! Jim realizes the treasure has already been dug up and taken. _The climax of the treasure hunt reveals the pit is empty._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/treasure_island_se/chapters/xxxii-the-treasure-hunt-the-voice-among-the-trees - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/treasure_island_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/treasure_island_se/chapters