Chapter 25

Summary

Jim continues his story, telling of his meeting with Allang. He explained to the Raja why he had come to Patusan and asked to be taken to Doramin. Since the Raja and Doramin did not get along, Allang did not grant Jim's request; instead, Jim was imprisoned in a stockade and carefully watched. The Raja was afraid that he, himself might be killed by white men, if more of them followed Jim to Patusan.

Jim understood that his life was in danger. In a brave move, he fled from imprisonment and ran to the edge of the river, which he swam across even though it was filled with crocodiles. After crossing the river safely, he rested for a while before heading towards Doramin's village. When he finally arrived, the native folk carried him to Doramin. Upon arrival, Jim told Doramin about Stein. Jim learned that Doramin was the second chief in Patusan, elected by his people who were immigrants from the West Indies. Another chief of the island was Sherif Ali, a half-breed Arab, who incited the tribes to warfare.

The natives under Doramin were Bugis. They were fierce rivals with Raja Allang, the third chief of Patusan. Allang, who wanted a monopoly on all commerce on the island, would fight any native who would attempt to trade with the outside world. The people were tired of the rivalry and terror of the Raja and the guerrilla tactics of Sherif Ali.

Marlow and Jim travel to meet Raja Allang. Marlow is surprised that the Raja treats Jim with such respect. He is equally amazed that Jim calmly drinks the coffee offered by Allang, with no apparent thought that it might be poisoned. Later Jim explains that by drinking the Raja's coffee, he has earned the trust of the natives.

This chapter is mostly a flashback of what happened to Jim two years earlier. It gives an account of Jim's arrival on Patusan and compares him to a hunted animal, sought and captured by Tungku Allang's men. He escapes from Allang and leaps into the unknown, muddy water of the Patusan river. He emerges safely, but is covered with mud and slime. It is a comparison to his jump from the Patna, which was also a leap into unknown waters, from which he emerged covered with shame.

Jim symbolically escapes the mud, slime, and shame of both jumps when he reaches Doramin, who offers him shelter and protection, as arranged by Stein. The Bugis, Doramin's men, quickly learn to love and respect Jim; the hostile rulers, however, consider him a threat to their supremacy. Both Raja Allang and Sherif Ali resent his presence on the island. The hostility brewing in Patusan is clearly developed in the chapter.

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