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What was Long John's relationship to Captain Flint?

posted 14 years ago by Just_Call_Me_Nathan
4 replies | jump to latest

Long John seems to know a lot about Flint and describes himself and his cohorts as "Flint's own crew who shed our blood getting it (the treasure) here." This always confused me as a child but now I think I understand. Were Long John and the other pirates part of Flint's crew to whom Billy Bones served as First Mate (fourteen of whom were routinely exterminated to conceal the location of the treasure)?

What initially confused me was Billy Bones' comment immediately after receiving the Black Spot to the effect of: "My old shipmates will gully me for sure", yet when the lynch mob turns up none of the subsequent Hispanola crew are present among them. Did Flint have two or more crews?

[–] Kuato-Lives 14 years ago

They were lovers

Baby, you make me wish i had three hands.

[–] JaySherman7 14 years ago

Yes, in the original novel Long John and many of the mutineers, Tom Morgan, George Merry, Israel Hands, were part of Flint's original crew. Long John was quartermaster, which is like a navigator

Black Dog was the only member of Flint's crew known to Jim and as such did not attempt to take the trip to get the treasure

[–] Suzume-san 14 years ago

Not the navigator, actually, JaySherman; the quartermaster was in charge of the wheel and instructing the men that were steering, but not doing the navigation. In the book Silver wants the pirates to lie low until the treasure has been found and the Hispaniola is well on her way home, otherwise, he says, they will be sailing in circles and running out of water, as none of them knows how to navigate.

Israel Hands was Flint's gunner. Ben Gunn was also a member of the crew, till he was marooned on the island.

It is still one of the most exciting adventure books ever written, imo. Pieces of eight! pieces of eight!

[–] 14 years ago

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