Treasure Island is Cocos Island

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During the early days of Spanish colonization where bulks of gold were transported from one Spanish colony to another, Piracy was then the fad to get an instant wealth and live a life like Royalty. But as pirates themselves know that they are being chased by fellow pirates potentially losing all their loot, burying the treasure in a hard-to-find place is the most logical thing to do.

Secluded Islands were the depository banks back then where pirates bury themselves their treasure and not through an account executive or financial institution where your wealth can earn interest. Choosing an island back then is similar on how we choose a bank today where you know your money is safe and the place is strategically located.

But why did Robert Louis Stevenson choose Cocos Island?

This question is also applicable to Captain William Thompson, Benito Bonito and Captain Bennett Grahame who all buried looted treasures in Cocos Island.

Photo courtesy from YooniqImages

But for Scottish-born Robert Louis Stevenson, his case was different. He did not loot nor bury a treasure in Cocos island or hid something special that others may become interested to possess. He simply wrote an adventure novel that all started when he drew an imaginary map of a treasure island that is supposedly made just to amuse his 12-year old stepson. Seeing how amazed his stepson was, Stevenson quickly wrote a pirate story that will accompany the sketch of his map. He then named the entire story plot “Treasure Island” where it was first published in 1881 and became one of the most popular books of the decade. The story of Treasure Island was inspired by the Treasure of Lima buried in Cocos Island and that the pirates who bury them found paradise in this offshore island where they can indulge in food, freshwater and alcoholic beverages made from coconuts all without spending a fortune.

If only Stevenson can personally share to us his thoughts on how he made the novel, then most probably he will say: the whole story plot is perfect for a blockbuster hit where pirates and stories of their treasures was the big thing back then and until now. Despite being a fictional story, Stevenson’s novel has further supported the legendary treasure stories of Cocos Island which are all based on a true story.

Movie Adaptation of Treasure Island

Due to the popularity of Stevenson’s novel, various movie adaptations have been produced where both young and adult have patronized it.

The whole story plot revolves around the main character named Jim Hawkins. This young, impulsive and impetuous boy being a son of an innkeeper, was able to meet Billy Bones who is one of the crew of Captain Flint believed to possess a map leading to a great treasure hidden in a secret island. But when Billy Bones died, Jim Hawkins had the map in his possession and when he consulted Livesey, who is a local Doctor and a Magistrate, the sketch was confirmed to be a treasure map.

With the intent to find the treasure, Jim Hawkins and Dr. Livesey together with the help of Squire Trelawney who is a wealthy landowner and Captain Smollett, set sail on the Hispaniola going to the Treasure Island. But as the possibility of finding the treasure is becoming more clear, uprising within the crew has boiled up in hopes for a share of the treasure led by Long John Silver who was later discovered of his ties with the former of Captain Flint and his being a cook on the voyage is not his real intent.

Here are some of the Movie Adaptation based on Stevenson’s Novel:

Disney’s Treasure Island (1950)

Photo courtesy from Walt Disney

Produced by: Walt Disney Productions
Directed by: Byron Haskin
Written by: Lawrence Edward Watkin
Cast: Bobby Driscoll (Jim Hawkins), Robert Newton (Long John Silver) Basil Sydney (Captain Smollett), Walter Fitzgerald (Squire Trelawney), Denis O’dea (Dr. Livesey) and Finlay Currie (Billy Bones)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Treasure Island (1990)

Photo courtesy from Alchetron

Produced by: Fraser Heston and Robert Steadman
Directed by: Fraser Heston
Written by: Fraser Heston
Cast: Charlton Heston (Long John Silver), Christian Bale (Jim Hawkins), Oliver Reed (Billy Bones), Richard Johnson (Squire Trelawney), Julian Glover (Dr. Livesey) and Clive Wood (Captain Smollett)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Treasure Island (2012)

Photo courtesy from IMDb

Produced by: Alan Maloney and Lorie Borg
Directed by: Steve Barron
Written by: Stewart Harcourt
Cast: Eddie Izzard (Long John Silver), Toby Regbo (Jim Hawkins), Rupert Penry-Jones (Squire Trelawney), Daniel Mays (Dr. Livesey), Philip Glenister (Captain Smollett) and Donald Sutherland (Captain Flint)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is even a Muppet Movie Adaptation of Stevenson’s novel:

Muppet Treasure Island (1996)

Photo courtesy from The Pirate Empire

Produced by: Brian Henson
Directed by: Brian Henson
Written by: Jerry Juhl, James Hart and Kirk Thatcher
Cast: Tim Curry (Long John Silver), Billy Connolly (Billy Bones), Kevin Bishop (Jim Hawkins), Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog

 

 

 

We hope you enjoy our shortlist of various Treasure Island movie adaptation for we will now proceed to the serious stuff: the list of real treasure in Cocos Island and famous treasure hunters who set foot in Cocos Island in search of this elusive wealth.

Finale

We think that this is enough evidence to show to you that Cocos Island is really a treasure island. While the actual hoard of treasure has not yet been found, other forms of wealth have already been found in Cocos Island. You may not really need to search for the actual treasure, but the bounty of resources in Cocos Island will speak for itself and may surpass the current estimated value of all the treasures buried in Cocos Island. Go diving in Cocos Island and you will understand what we mean.

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Reference

Wikipedia: www.wikipedia.org

The Guardian: www.theguardian.com

Undersea Hunter Group: www.underseahunter.com

Video courtesy from Atlantic Film

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