Cover of The Ship of Coral

The Ship of Coral

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  • 6 hours to read
  • 48 chapters
  • Reading level: 7th grade

"The Ship of Coral" by H. De Vere Stacpoole is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story unfolds in a tropical setting where the main characters, Gaspard Cadillac and his companion Yves, find themselves shipwrecked on a deserted islet after the catastrophic explosion of their ship, the "Rhone". As they adapt to their new reality, themes of survival, isolation, and the complexities of human relationships emerge, highlighted by Gaspard's inner turmoil and emotional struggles. At the start of the narrative, Gaspard and Yves are depicted in peaceful but precarious circumstances on the islet, grappling with their thoughts and the past. Surrounded by the pristine beauty of the sea and its mysteries, Gaspard reflects on his feelings for Anisette, a woman who had caused tensions between him and Yves. When they discover a hidden shipwreck in a lagoon—a ghostly remnant of a past voyage—curiosity intertwines with foreboding. As the story progresses, their contrasting personalities lead to conflict, culminating in tragedy when Gaspard accidentally kills Yves during a heated argument. This pivotal moment thrusts Gaspard into a harrowing journey of loneliness and guilt, setting the stage for a struggle not only against the elements but within himself as he navigates the consequences of his actions.

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  • Shipwreck survival
  • Sea stories
  • Caribbean Area

Read the opening

Chapter I: Jean FranÇOis De Nantes

JEAN FRANÇOIS—JEAN FRANÇOIS

The sea lay blue to the far horizon. Blue—Ah, blue is but a name till you have seen the sea that breaks around the Bahamas and gives anchorage to the tall ships at Port Royal; that great sheet of blue water stretching from Cape Catoche to the Windward Islands, and from Yucatan to beyond the Bahamas, studded with banks and keys and reefs, the old sea of the Buccaneers shot over with the doings of Kidd and Singleton and Horne.

On the salt white sand in the blinding dazzle of sunlight the waves were falling, clear-green, crystalline, each lovely as a jewel. The crying of the gulls, loud all the morning, had died down with high afternoon and high tide; the wind had faded as though withered by the sun. Just at the moment of high tide the sea makes a pause in its eternal labour, the great act of systole has been accomplished and, break the waves as they may, the profound languor of the ocean makes itself heard and felt.

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Contents

Show all 48 chapters
  1. Front Matter
  2. Chapter I: Jean FranÇOis De Nantes
  3. Chapter II
  4. Chapter III
  5. Chapter IV
  6. Chapter V
  7. Chapter VI
  8. Chapter VII
  9. Chapter VIII
  10. Chapter IX
  11. Chapter X
  12. Chapter XI
  13. Chapter XII: Rum
  14. Chapter XIII: La Belle ArlÉSienne
  15. Chapter XIV
  16. Chapter XV
  17. Chapter XVI
  18. Chapter XVII
  19. Chapter XVIII
  20. Chapter XIX
  21. Chapter XX
  22. Chapter XXI
  23. Chapter XXII
  24. Chapter XXIII
  25. Chapter XXIV
  26. Chapter XXV
  27. Chapter XXVI
  28. Chapter XXVII
  29. Chapter XXVIII
  30. Chapter XXIX: The Sailing of La Belle ArlÉSienne
  31. Chapter XXX
  32. Chapter XXXI
  33. Chapter XXXII
  34. Chapter XXXIII
  35. Chapter XXXIV
  36. Chapter XXXV
  37. Chapter XXXVI
  38. Chapter XXXVII
  39. Chapter XXXVIII
  40. Chapter XXXIX
  41. Chapter XL
  42. Chapter XLI
  43. Chapter XLII
  44. Chapter XLIII
  45. Chapter XLIV
  46. Chapter XLV: Mount PelÉE
  47. Chapter XLVI
  48. Chapter XLVII

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About this edition

This free edition of The Ship of Coral by H. De Vere Stacpoole comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #54437, released 2017-03-26. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Adventure, Novels.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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