Long John Silver

How Stevenson describes him:

"His left leg was cut off close by the hip, and under the left shoulder he carried a crutch, which he managed with wonderful dexterity, hopping about upon it like a bird. He was very tall and strong, with a face as big as a ham - plain and pale, but intelligent and smiling".

The role he plays in Treasure Island:

Long John Silver was hired by the Squire to be the cook on the Hispaniola. he turns out not to be a cook but an evil pirate who is also hunting for Captain Flint's treasure. Generally he is not to be trusted. He is a clever, sneaky and dastardly villain who is feared by all. He escapes at the end of the book with some of the treasure and is never seen again.

What he has to say:

"Being a pirate is all well and good...for any man, but once I lost me leg it was never the same. I needed the treasure for me and the wife to get our retirement home in Eastbourne".

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