Summary of The Treasure in the Forest by H. G. Wells
‘The Treasure in the Forest’ is an adventurous story in which two Englishmen search for a hidden treasure on a tropical island. The story shows how power and greed can corrupt humans.
Two tired Englishmen, Evans and Hooker, are rowing a canoe to a tropical island. They have a stolen, old map. The map shows the place where Chinese sailors buried gold ingots. Evans is very weak and thirsty. He falls asleep and dreams. In the dream, he remembers how they got the map. They had attacked and killed a Chinese man named Chang-hi after hearing him talk about the treasure.
When they reach the island, they drink water from a river. Then they enter the thick forest, following the map. They see a dead Chinese man near a freshly dug hole. They realize he was Chang-hi’s partner who tried to take the treasure alone. Near the body, the gold bars are lying uncovered.
They are happy and start collecting the heavy gold. While doing this, they feel small pricks on their hands but ignore them. As they carry the gold, Evans suddenly becomes very sick. He has severe pain, spasms, and then collapses. Hooker finds a poisonous thorn in his own thumb.
Hooker understands the truth. The marks on the map were warnings. Chang-hi had booby-trapped the treasure with poisonous thorns. Hooker tries to suck the poison out of his thumb. But soon he feels the ache spreading in his body. He sits beside the gold and the two dead men, waiting for his own death in the dark forest.
Answer the following questions.
a. Describe the expository scene of the story.
The story begins with Evans and Hooker approaching a tropical island in a canoe. The sea is calm, the sky is hot, and the forest looks thick and green. They are following a worn map to find hidden treasure.
b. What does the map look like and how do Evan and Hooker interpret it?
The map is old, yellow, and worn with folds and creases. It shows the reef, a gap, a river, a clump of palm trees, and a star marking the treasure. Evans and Hooker use the map to follow a straight line to the treasure.
c. How did Evan and Hooker know about the treasure?
They knew about the treasure from Chang-hi, a Chinese sailor. They had attacked and killed him after overhearing him talk about the gold ingots and its hiding place.
d. Describe Evan’s dream.
In his dream, Evans remembers the night when they learned the secret of the treasure. He sees Chang-hi and his companions, the story of a shipwreck, and the hidden gold. The dream also shows the cleverness and safety measures of Chang-hi.
e. What do the two treasure hunters see when they walk towards the island?
They see the river mouth and the thick forest. They notice a clump of bushes that aligns with the map. Then they discover the dead body of a Chinese man near a freshly dug hole.
f. In what condition did the treasure hunters find the dead man?
The Chinese man is lying face down, dead. His neck is puffed and purple, and his hands and ankles are swollen. He was killed by a poisonous trap.
g. How did the treasure hunters try to carry gold ingots to the canoe?
They lifted the heavy gold ingots onto a coat. They tried to carry them carefully through the forest toward the canoe.
h. How were Evan and Hooker poisoned?
The treasure was protected with poisonous thorns. Evans and Hooker touched the thorns while handling the gold. Evans collapsed and died, and Hooker felt the poison spreading through his body.
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