Treasure in the Forest by H.G. Wells
Explanation
- Two Spanish Treasure hunters, Evans and Hooker are the main characters of this story.
- They travelled to the island to find the ingots of gold (the hidden treasure).
- Their travelling was unplanned; they didn’t have proper food, water, or required pieces of equipment like a compass, rope, etc.
- They had travelled in a canoe paddling turn-wise.
- They reached an island that was deserted and it was gloomy, dim, and dense as well cloudlike in texture.
- They used a map literally torn and the writings of a pencil were about to vanish from the map.
- When they reached the island they were thirsty and tired of their voyage (Travelling).
- They had stolen the map from Chang – hi but they didn’t know how to get the hidden treasure exactly.
- The treasure was lost due to the shipwreck. Chang-hi found the treasure and kept them safe inside the forest. They had heard of the plan in brief that’s why they faced challenges in completing their quest.
- Dream of Evans :In his dream, he was trying to get the gold but he saw Chang – hi stopping him from doing so. And he also saw the face of Chang – hi with grinning.
- Struggle for the plan and taking it from the Chinese was difficult for them but they managed it. They were unaware of the secret plans that Chang-hi had made to protect the treasure.
- After one night’s voyage and one full sunny day travelling they drank sweet water near the island in the stream. They were not excited because of tiresome travelling without a supply of proper water and food.
- Finally, they managed to find the place where the treasure was near.
- Everything was happening as expected but when they entered the dense forest, having unknown vegetation, they were confused as they had not taken a compass with them.
- They were enjoying themselves till they found the dead body of a Chinese man and a newly dug hole. They thought some Chinese men might have betrayed Chang-hi and tried to take gold away. But they thought some poisonous snakes may have killed him there.
- Without thinking about the danger they celebrated for a while when they found the treasure safe inside the forest.
- They were bare hand. When Evans picked one of the gold ingots, a little thorn pricked his hand. The spike was poisonous and it kills Evans after some moments.
- Evans kept collecting the gold into coats because they had no equipment to carry the gold. But Hooker was busy with the dead body of Chinaman. He was afraid of the dead body but Hooker, as well as Evans, was not worried about the same danger.
- Hooker remained silent for a moment but Evans collected all ingots in his jacket.
- They both carried the ingots in coats at the same time Evans revealed that he was having ache in his arms.
- Evans’s face turned white and he desired rest. When they travelled 100 yards or so Evans started stumbling and he turned weak enough to carry the jacket of ingots.
- Some gold gets down on the ground from the coat and Evans ordered Hooker to keep those ingots inside the coat
- When he was placing the gold in the coat, a spike pricked in his thumb.
- At the same time, Evans made a painful cry and rolled over. Evans was totally damaged by the poisonous thorn.
- Hooker got the meaning of the Chang-hi’s grinning, as the safety of the treasure was dangerously prepared. The treasure was protected with poisonous spikes that’s why the Chinese man was grinning even though he was losing his treasure.
