Billy Bones
Encyclopedia
Billy Bones or Captain William Bones is a fictional character
, a pirate in the first section of Robert Louis Stevenson's
novel Treasure Island
.
Billy Bones appears at the very outset of the story with a mysterious sea chest, looking for a wayside inn with a view of the sea but little traffic. Bones decides upon the Admiral Benbow Inn where he asks to be addressed merely as "Captain". Though his down-payment for lodgings is adequate, even generous, he stays for many months and browbeats Jim Hawkins
's father out of asking for more money even when his deposit has been spent. He does, however, pay Jim fourpence a month to keep watch for "a seafaring man with one leg". Though he seems sometimes on the verge of deciding this a waste of money, he invariably repents. Most of the daytime is spent walking the cliffs and looking out to sea.
A habitual drunkard, the Captain terrorizes the customers of the Benbow with his swearing, singing and general bullying. Yet he begins to attract customers by his very notoriety and earns some admiration from locals who consider him a "real old salt". The winter after his arrival the Captain is visited by Black Dog, a villainous-looking man with two fingers missing from his hand. There is a noisy argument between the two which turns into a sword fight and the Captain drives off a wounded Black Dog. As soon as the unwelcome visitor is gone, the Captain suffers a stroke
. He is tended to by Dr. Livesey
who discovers the real name of the Captain to be Billy Bones when his arm is bared as a prelude to a surgical bloodletting
and finds the name tattooed there.
The doctor saves his life and warns him to lay off rum or it will be the death of him. Bones does not heed Livesey's warning over his excessive drinking. He is plainly weakened by his stroke and the shock of Black Dog's visit, and at one point Hawkins even hears him sing a country love-song, a gentle relic of his innocent days as a youth. He admits to Jim Hawkins that he sailed with Captain Flint, the notorious pirate and was first mate on his ship. This explains much of the mysterious circumstances and solitary behaviour of the early part of the story.
A few days later, a blind
pirate known only as Pew reaches the inn, and Bones is plainly terrified. Pew slips a "black spot
" into Bones's hand and departs. Immediately, Bones suffers a second stroke and dies. Bones was in possession of Flint's map showing the island and exact location on the island where his buried treasure would lie: this is found by Hawkins when the chest is searched. Captain Flint
gave it to Bones on his deathbed.
, voiced by Patrick McGoohan
. One day, a spaceship crashes near Jim's mother's inn. The dying pilot is a turtle-like alien called Billy Bones, who gives Jim a sphere and tells him to "beware the cyborg" (referring to Disney's portrayal of Long John Silver
). Shortly thereafter, a gang of pirates raid and burn the inn. Bones dies in the process.
"Billy Bones and the White Bird" is the final song on the Elton John
album Rock of the Westies
.
Bill Bones was mentioned in the song "Time for Heroes" by the British rock band The Libertines
.
As well as the song "Filipino Box Spring Hog" by American songwriter Tom Waits
.
Bill Bones was mentioned in one line in the movie "Football Factory."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a pirate in the first section of Robert Louis Stevenson's
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
novel Treasure Island
Treasure Island
Treasure Island is an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, narrating a tale of "pirates and buried gold". First published as a book on May 23, 1883, it was originally serialized in the children's magazine Young Folks between 1881–82 under the title Treasure Island; or, the...
.
Billy Bones appears at the very outset of the story with a mysterious sea chest, looking for a wayside inn with a view of the sea but little traffic. Bones decides upon the Admiral Benbow Inn where he asks to be addressed merely as "Captain". Though his down-payment for lodgings is adequate, even generous, he stays for many months and browbeats Jim Hawkins
Jim Hawkins (character)
James "Jim" Hawkins is a fictional character in Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island. He is both the protagonist and narrator of the story.-Appearances:...
's father out of asking for more money even when his deposit has been spent. He does, however, pay Jim fourpence a month to keep watch for "a seafaring man with one leg". Though he seems sometimes on the verge of deciding this a waste of money, he invariably repents. Most of the daytime is spent walking the cliffs and looking out to sea.
A habitual drunkard, the Captain terrorizes the customers of the Benbow with his swearing, singing and general bullying. Yet he begins to attract customers by his very notoriety and earns some admiration from locals who consider him a "real old salt". The winter after his arrival the Captain is visited by Black Dog, a villainous-looking man with two fingers missing from his hand. There is a noisy argument between the two which turns into a sword fight and the Captain drives off a wounded Black Dog. As soon as the unwelcome visitor is gone, the Captain suffers a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
. He is tended to by Dr. Livesey
Dr. Livesey
Dr. David Livesey is a fictional character in the novel Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. As well as doctor he is a magistrate, an important man in the rural society of south-west England where the story begins; his social position is marked by his always wearing a white wig - even in...
who discovers the real name of the Captain to be Billy Bones when his arm is bared as a prelude to a surgical bloodletting
Bloodletting
Bloodletting is the withdrawal of often little quantities of blood from a patient to cure or prevent illness and disease. Bloodletting was based on an ancient system of medicine in which blood and other bodily fluid were considered to be "humors" the proper balance of which maintained health...
and finds the name tattooed there.
The doctor saves his life and warns him to lay off rum or it will be the death of him. Bones does not heed Livesey's warning over his excessive drinking. He is plainly weakened by his stroke and the shock of Black Dog's visit, and at one point Hawkins even hears him sing a country love-song, a gentle relic of his innocent days as a youth. He admits to Jim Hawkins that he sailed with Captain Flint, the notorious pirate and was first mate on his ship. This explains much of the mysterious circumstances and solitary behaviour of the early part of the story.
A few days later, a blind
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
pirate known only as Pew reaches the inn, and Bones is plainly terrified. Pew slips a "black spot
Black Spot (Treasure Island)
The Black Spot is a literary device invented by Robert Louis Stevenson for his novel Treasure Island. In the book, pirates are presented with a "black spot" to officially pronounce a verdict of guilt or judgment. It consists of a circular piece of paper or card, with one side blackened while the...
" into Bones's hand and departs. Immediately, Bones suffers a second stroke and dies. Bones was in possession of Flint's map showing the island and exact location on the island where his buried treasure would lie: this is found by Hawkins when the chest is searched. Captain Flint
Captain Flint
Captain J. Flint was the fictional captain of a pirate ship, the Walrus, in the novel Treasure Island of the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson...
gave it to Bones on his deathbed.
Other media
Billy Bones appears briefly in Disney's animated film Treasure PlanetTreasure Planet
Treasure Planet is a 2002 animated science fiction film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, and released by Walt Disney Pictures on November 27, 2002...
, voiced by Patrick McGoohan
Patrick McGoohan
Patrick Joseph McGoohan was an American-born actor, raised in Ireland and England, with an extensive stage and film career, most notably in the 1960s television series Danger Man , and The Prisoner, which he co-created...
. One day, a spaceship crashes near Jim's mother's inn. The dying pilot is a turtle-like alien called Billy Bones, who gives Jim a sphere and tells him to "beware the cyborg" (referring to Disney's portrayal of Long John Silver
Long John Silver
Long John Silver is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of the novel Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Silver is also known by the nicknames "Barbecue" and the "Sea-Cook".- Profile :...
). Shortly thereafter, a gang of pirates raid and burn the inn. Bones dies in the process.
"Billy Bones and the White Bird" is the final song on the Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
album Rock of the Westies
Rock of the Westies
Rock of the Westies is the tenth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1975 .Like Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, Rock of the Westies also debuted on the United States Billboard charts at # 1, the only two albums at that time to have done so...
.
Bill Bones was mentioned in the song "Time for Heroes" by the British rock band The Libertines
The Libertines
The Libertines were an English rock band, formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty . The band, centred on the song-writing partnership of Barat and Doherty, also included John Hassall and Gary Powell for most of its recording career...
.
As well as the song "Filipino Box Spring Hog" by American songwriter Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
.
Bill Bones was mentioned in one line in the movie "Football Factory."