Long John Silver's character based on Welsh adventurer, claims research

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ANI

London

Tue, 02 Aug 2011: 

London, August 2 (ANI): A new research has suggested that Long John Silver's character in 'Treasure Island' was based on a Welsh adventurer in the West Indies.

 

Researchers said that Robert Louis Stevenson in his classic novel depicted the lives of Owen and John Lloyd, brothers born in the town of Rhuddla North Wales.

 

After investigating for more than 9 years, author John Amrhein has insisted that Stevenson's famous book was inspired by the brothers, who were born near the resort of Rhyl.

 

In fact John had a wooden leg - just like the book's famous character.

 

According to Amrhein, the men initially started as merchant captains, but took to piracy when a Spanish galleon, struck by storm and filled with booty, came to seek refuge in the American seaport of Ocracoke in 1750.

 

Amrhein revealed that the date on the 'Treasure Island' map matches the month and year of the Ocracoke raid.

 

"There would be no Pirates of the Caribbean without Treasure Island, and there would be no Treasure Island without the daring theft of Spanish treasure at Ocracoke," the Daily Mail quoted him as saying.

 

"I re-read Treasure Island and was reminded that Stevenson's Treasure Island contained a map dated August 1750 - it was in August of 1750 that the hurricane brought the galleon of Juan Manuel Bonilla to Ocracoke," he added. (ANI)