The Captains Papers

A fterwards, Jim confided to his rescuers what the pirates had been searching for and immediately Squire Trelawney made plans to go and get the treasure for himself, using Jim's map. Dr Livesey was concerned because Squire Trelawney was a known blabbermouth. Despite this they set off to Bristol, together with Jim, to find a ship.

In Bristol Dr Livesey's fears were confirmed. Despite securing a beautiful ship (The Hispaniola) and engaging a good captain (Smollett), Squire Trelawney undid all his good work by blabbing about town. Even worse than revealing plans that should have been strictly secret he compounded it all by employing a sea cook by the name of Long John Silver.

No one knew how perilous this engagement was to be but before long Silver was able to get more and more of his old desperados on board as crew, much to Captain Smollett's chagrain.

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Half way along Welsh Back , between King Street and The Hole in the Wall, there is an opening amongst the dockside buildings that would lend itself very well to a study of the officers of the Hispaniola; not only planning their future voyage, but also sorting out their provisioning.

This was an exercise done by many seafarers in this locality. If you can, imagine Woodes Rogers fitting out the Duke and the Dutchess here, with his companions, Dr Thomas Dover (of Dover's Powders fame, physician and second captain) and the celebrated William Dampier (pilot of the expedition).