Who is Black Dog in Treasure Island?
Black Dog is a pirate most characterized by his unsettling physical appearance. He is missing two fingers on his left hand and sports a remarkably pale complexion, giving off a sinister demeanor and an unhealthy look. Upon first seeing him, Jim notes that he does not seem particularly "sailorly" or much like a fighter, but Black Dog proves to be a dangerous character, often prefiguring the violence of the pirates.
In the grand scheme of the story of Treasure Island, Black Dog is a minor character who is most significant in two scenes. Black Dog first appears in the book's early chapters. He comes to the Admiral Benbow Inn in search of Billy Bones. When the two encounter one another, Billy attacks Black Dog, causing the latter to flee from the inn in alarm.
However, this is not the last of Black Dog: his presence at Long John Silver's...
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tavern acts as aforeshadowing of Silver's true identity as a pirate. Jim recognizes Black Dog there, but Silver denies knowing such a person. Jim is suspicious, but Silver's charm and appearance strike a strong contrast with the more sordid Black Dog, causing Jim to trust in the one-legged sea cook.
Who are Black Dog and Pew in Treasure Island, and what effect do their visits have on the "captain"?
Black Dog and Pew are two veteran pirates of Captain Flint's old crew. Black Dog comes to the Admiral Benbow Inn looking for Billy Bones, (a.k.a. the Captain) in chapter 2. We do not know exactly what they talk about, but it certainly is not a friendly conversation. Their interaction ends in an altercation which results in the Captain chasing Black Dog out of the inn (but not before wounding him with his cutlass). Billy Bones is clearly shaken up by this encounter.
After Black Dog is gone, Billy Bones demands that Jim bring him rum and mutters that he needs to leave the inn, presumably because it is no longer safe for him there. A moment later, still shaken up by this incident, the Captain collapses from an apparent stroke.
Unfortunately for the Captain, things get worse. In chapter 3, the old blind pirate called Pew arrives at the inn. When Billy Bones sees him:
the rum went out of him and left him staring sober. The expression of his face was not so much of terror as of mortal sickness.
Clearly, the Captain is none too pleased to see his old shipmate. When Pew delivers the black spot to the Captian, the pirate is so horrified that he drops dead of a heart attack.
These two consecutive visits by the Captain's old crew mates show us that he is on bad terms with the other pirates and has been trying to avoid them for some time. It also shows us that he has been living in fear of his former life catching up to him and that he is in such bad health that the shock of these visits eventually kills him.