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The Buccaneer Chief
The Buccaneer Chief

Chapter XXIV

Chapter 24 of The Buccaneer Chief is here in full — 185 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/37 · 5 lines
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PORT MARGOT.
We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.
According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.
This was exactly what happened.
The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Buccaneer Chief

Chapter XXIV

Chapter 24 of The Buccaneer Chief is here in full — 185 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/37 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
PORT MARGOT.
Line 2
We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.
/wiː wɪl naʊ rɪˈtɜːrn tuː ðə ˈfɪləbʌstərɪŋ floʊˈtɪlə wɪtʃ wiː left ˈseɪlɪŋ ˈfriːli təˈwɔːrd ðə ɡreɪt nɔːrθ kiː ə ˈrɑːndɪvuː ˈædmərəbli səˈlektɪd ˈoʊɪŋ tuː ɪts prɑːkˈsɪməti tuː seɪnt doʊˈmɪŋɡoʊ ənd ɪɡˈzæktli ˈfeɪsɪŋ ðə ˈaɪlənd ʌv ðə ˈtɔːrtəs/
Line 3
According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.
/əˈkɔːrdɪŋ tuː ðer ˈhæbət weˈnevər ðeɪ ˌʌndərˈtʊk æn ˌekspəˈdɪʃən ðə ædˈventʃərərz hæd ˈoʊnli ˈtrʌbəld ðemˈselvz wɪð ˈleɪɪŋ ɪn ə stɑːk ʌv ˌæmjəˈnɪʃən ənd ˈoʊnli tʊk tuː deɪz prəˈvɪʒənz wɪð ðem æz ðeɪ ˌɪnˈtendɪd tuː meɪk dɪˈsents ɑːn ðə ˈaɪləndz wɪtʃ ðeɪ nuː ðeɪ mʌst pæs ənd ˈpɪlɪdʒ ðə ˈspænɪʃ ˈkɑːlənɪsts ˈsetəld ɑːn ðem/
Line 4
This was exactly what happened.
/ðɪs wɑːz ɪɡˈzæktli wʌt ˈhæpənd/
Line 5
The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

descents noun US /dɪˈsents/

plural of “descent” — a movement downward

From this reading “According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.”

Domingo noun US /doʊˈmɪŋɡoʊ/

Spanish operatic tenor noted for performances in operas by Verdi and Puccini (born in 1941)

From this reading “We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.”

filibustering verb US /ˈfɪləbʌstərɪŋ/

-ing form of “filibuster” — obstruct deliberately by delaying

From this reading “We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.”

filibusters noun US /ˈfɪləbʌstərz/

plural of “filibuster” — a legislator who gives long speeches in an effort to delay or obstruct legislation that he (or she) opposes

From this reading “The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.”

flotilla noun US /floʊˈtɪlə/

a United States Navy fleet consisting of two or more squadrons of small warships

From this reading “We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.”

murdering verb US /ˈmɜːrdərɪŋ/

-ing form of “murder” — kill intentionally and with premeditation

From this reading “The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.”

pillage noun US /ˈpɪlɪdʒ/

goods or money obtained illegally

From this reading “According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.”

Tortoise noun US /ˈtɔːrtəs/

usually herbivorous land turtles having clawed elephant-like limbs; worldwide in arid area except Australia and Antarctica

From this reading “We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

on the islands preposition + article + noun counted as “on … island”

In this reading “According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.”

at the sight preposition + article + noun counted as “at … sight”

In this reading “The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.”

All words in this reading · 95

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

AccordingadjectiveUS /əˈkɔːrdɪŋ/

(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

admirablyadverbUS /ˈædmərəbli/

in an admirable manner

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

adventurersnounUS /ædˈventʃərərz/

plural of “adventurer” — a person who enjoys taking risks

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

ammunitionnounUS /ˌæmjəˈnɪʃən/

projectiles to be fired from a gun

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

bloodnounUS /blʌd/

The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

cattlenounUS /ˈkætəl/

domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

colonistsnounUS /ˈkɑːlənɪsts/

plural of “colonist” — a person who settles in a new colony or moves into new country

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

defencelessadjective

lacking protection or support

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

descentsnounUS /dɪˈsents/

plural of “descent” — a movement downward

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

DomingonounUS /doʊˈmɪŋɡoʊ/

Spanish operatic tenor noted for performances in operas by Verdi and Puccini (born in 1941)

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

exactlyadverbUS /ɪɡˈzæktli/

indicating exactness or preciseness

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

expeditionnounUS /ˌekspəˈdɪʃən/

a military campaign designed to achieve a specific objective in a foreign country

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

facingnounUS /ˈfeɪsɪŋ/

a lining applied to the edge of a garment for ornamentation or strengthening

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

filibusteringverbUS /ˈfɪləbʌstərɪŋ/

-ing form of “filibuster” — obstruct deliberately by delaying

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

filibustersnounUS /ˈfɪləbʌstərz/

plural of “filibuster” — a legislator who gives long speeches in an effort to delay or obstruct legislation that he (or she) opposes

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

firingnounUS /ˈfaɪrɪŋ/

the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

flotillanounUS /floʊˈtɪlə/

a United States Navy fleet consisting of two or more squadrons of small warships

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

freelyadverbUS /ˈfriːli/

in a free manner

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

habitnounUS /ˈhæbət/

an established custom

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

happenedverbUS /ˈhæpənd/

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading This was exactly what happened.

housesnounUS /ˈhaʊsəz/

plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

intendedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtendɪd/

resulting from one's intentions

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

islandnounUS /ˈaɪlənd/

a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

islandsnounUS /ˈaɪləndz/

plural of “island” — a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

KeynounUS /kiː/

metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

layingnounUS /ˈleɪɪŋ/

the production of eggs (especially in birds)

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

MARGOT

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PORT MARGOT.

murderingverbUS /ˈmɜːrdərɪŋ/

-ing form of “murder” — kill intentionally and with premeditation

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

NorthnounUS /nɔːrθ/

the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

owingadjectiveUS /ˈoʊɪŋ/

owed as a debt

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

passverbUS /pæs/

go across or through

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

pillagenounUS /ˈpɪlɪdʒ/

goods or money obtained illegally

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

pitynounUS /ˈpɪti/

a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

plunderedadjectiveUS /ˈplʌndərd/

wrongfully emptied or stripped of anything of value

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

PORTnounUS /pɔːrt/

a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country

From this reading PORT MARGOT.

provisionsnounUS /prəˈvɪʒənz/

a stock or supply of foods

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

proximitynounUS /prɑːkˈsɪməti/

the property of being close together

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

rendezvousnounUS /ˈrɑːndɪvuː/

a meeting planned at a certain time and place

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

sailingnounUS /ˈseɪlɪŋ/

the work of a sailor

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

SaintnounUS /seɪnt/

a person who has died and has been declared a saint by canonization

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

seizingnounUS /ˈsiːzɪŋ/

small stuff that is used for lashing two or more ropes together

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

selectedadjectiveUS /səˈlektɪd/

chosen in preference to another

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

settledadjectiveUS /ˈsetəld/

established or decided beyond dispute or doubt

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

sightnounUS /saɪt/

an instance of visual perception

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

SpaniardsnounUS /ˈspænjərdz/

plural of “spaniard” — a native or inhabitant of Spain

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

SpanishnounUS /ˈspænɪʃ/

the Romance language spoken in most of Spain and the countries colonized by Spain

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

stocknounUS /stɑːk/

the capital raised by a corporation through the issue of shares entitling holders to an ownership interest

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

terrifiedadjectiveUS /ˈterəfaɪd/

thrown into a state of intense fear or desperation

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading This was exactly what happened.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

TortoisenounUS /ˈtɔːrtəs/

usually herbivorous land turtles having clawed elephant-like limbs; worldwide in arid area except Australia and Antarctica

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

trainverbUS /treɪn/

create by training and teaching

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

troubledadjectiveUS /ˈtrʌbəld/

characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

undertookverbUS /ˌʌndərˈtʊk/

inflected form of “undertake” — enter upon an activity or enterprise

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading This was exactly what happened.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading This was exactly what happened.

wheneverconjunctionUS /weˈnevər/

at any time that; every time that

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island of the Tortoise.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading The filibusters left behind them a long train of fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing their houses after they had plundered them.

Chapter 24 of The Buccaneer Chief by Gustave Aimard holds 185 sentences, grouped into 37 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 24 of The Buccaneer Chief contain?

Chapter 24 holds 185 sentences of The Buccaneer Chief, unabridged, divided into 37 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 24 of The Buccaneer Chief by Gustave Aimard exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 185 sentences, grouped into 37 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 24 of The Buccaneer Chief?

Work through the 37 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 37 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 24 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 24 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading The Buccaneer Chief

Common questions about reading The Buccaneer Chief by Gustave Aimard on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Buccaneer Chief?

Yes. All 4938 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #44380 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Buccaneer Chief is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #44380, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Buccaneer Chief take to read?

About 411 minutes of reading across 988 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through The Buccaneer Chief section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Buccaneer Chief

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Buccaneer Chief, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Romance
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Buccaneer Chief; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Spanish
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Buccaneer Chief; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Buccaneer Chief; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Smuggler
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Buccaneer Chief; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.