The Adventure of the Gloria Scott (Annotated) - a Sherlock Holmes short story

Sherlock Holmes Chronicles #20

by Arthur Conan Doyle

"The Adventure of the 'Gloria Scott'” is a detective short story written by Arthur Conan Doyle (1865-1930). First published in 1893, it tells one of the best-known and most intriguing adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

It is also one of the earliest tales in the life of Holmes. The case relates to his friend, Victor Trevor. "He was the only friend I made during the two years I was at college." Victor had invited Sherlock to his family home in Norfolk for the college holidays, and it was there that our soon-to-be detective heard the tragic story of the sailing ship, a freight-carrying barque, the "Gloria Scott."

This edition also contains a choice of Conan Doyle’s best aphorisms and an essay on the invention of the Sherlock Holmes’ character written by Harold Emery Jones (1875-1909) in 1904.

Genres: Mystery, Classics, Short Stories, Fiction, Crime, Detective, Audiobook

38 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1893

About the author

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for A Study in Scarlet, the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Holmes and Dr. Watson. The Sherlock Holmes stories are milestones in the field of crime fiction.
Doyle was a prolific writer. In addition to the Holmes stories, his works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger, and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels. One of Doyle's early short stories, "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement" (1884), helped to popularise the mystery of the brigantine Mary Celeste, found drifting at sea with no crew member aboard.

Reviews

[Aishu Rehman · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Adventure of the ‘Gloria Scott’ is different from most other stories in the original Sherlock Holmes canon, for it is a story is told from the perspective of Holmes, rather than Dr Watson, and has the detective telling his friend about his very first case.

The story allows Conan Doyle to introduce new information about Sherlock Holmes, despite the character having appeared monthly in the Strand Magazine for two years. We find out that Holmes had been at university, but had been virtually friendless there, in a similar vein to his adult life. Holmes though does acknowledge that this was his own fault, and recognises it as a fault, having put too much time into his work.

As with many of the short stories, Conan Doyle provides the framework for the storyline, but the reader has all the details required to use their own imagination to expand on the story itself. The reader can imagine the people, the buildings, and in this story, the ship, in their own way.

There are common features between The Boscombe Valley Mystery, and The Adventure of the ‘Gloria Scott’, which does mean, that for regular readers of Sherlock Holmes, there is no great surprise in the story.

Sherlock Holmes’ youth is a theme taken up by many writers, but there is a problem of incorporating Watson into that storyline. Some stories introduce a young Dr Watson, whilst others do away with the friend altogether. This issue might be the reason why The Adventure of the ‘Gloria Scott’ was story not adapted by Granada TV for Jeremy Brett to play Holmes; although the concept of the code from the story does appear in Sherlock in the Empty Hearse.

[Razvan Banciu · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of Sherlock's early cases, in fact a story in which he was a student and plays a minor role. Gloria Scott was a ship, Holmes didn't meet Watson by the time of the events, so he's remembering the story for his friend, in order to record it.
Too much violence, for my taste...

[Isa Cantos (Crónicas de una Merodeadora) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este también es un relato bastante diferente en cuanto la estructura, pues no llega un cliente nuevo a pedirle ayuda a Sherlock, sino que él narra lo que cree que fue más o menos su primer caso, que involucró a un amigo de su universidad y unos secretos que tenía el padre de esa persona, que en realidad era un convicto que se había escapado y había formado un motín en un barco de prisioneros. Es un caso con muchas cosas locas, es sangriento y tiene más acción que muchos otros.

Ahora, lo que me frustró un poco es que este relato no tiene una resolución exacta y queda un poco ambiguo, aunque Watson ya lo había advertido.

[Razvan Banciu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing special, average is the name of the story. Gloria is not a lady, but a ship, Holmes is in his early college years and pays a visit to one of his colleagues. Now, he narrates the story to Watson.
Well, he didn't make anything special, besides of his usual educated guesses, but Doyle's fans can always enjoy a story involving their favorite hero...

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. This story has interesting value as the beginning of Sherlock’s career—the adventure that determined him to be a consulting detective. The quiet country setting is an enjoyable background, and the characters are interesting. Victor Trevor sounds like a nice young man, and his father at least did his best to expunge his sins. But Hudson and Prendergast are really terrible villains. Yet short, and violent, as it is, the story of the Gloria Scott is striking, and many of the characters caught my interest—they are so alive, so human, and their individual decisions all move the ship towards her terrible fate. The deductions were as fascinating as always, the moral is thought-provoking, and—although it’s not really tied at all to this story—I enjoy how Watson begins this tale.

Content: several mentions of drinking & smoking; a tattoo; 4 instances of swearing; 2 ugly descriptions of murder. Violence/Disturbing Level: 5/5 (high)

A Favourite Quote: ‘But what is the meaning of these “head-keepers” and “hen-pheasants”?’
‘It means nothing to the message, but it might mean a good deal to us if we had no other means of discovering the sender. You see that he has begun by writing “The...game...is,” and so on. Afterwards he had, to fulfill the prearranged cipher, to fill in any two words in each space. He would naturally use the first words which came to his mind, and if there were so many which referred to sport among them, you may be tolerably sure that he is either an ardent shot or interested in breeding.’

[Janete on hiatus due health issues · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adv...
"The Adventure of the Gloria Scott ", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. It was first published in The Strand Magazine in the United Kingdom in April 1893, and in Harper's Weekly in the United States on 15 April 1893.

It is chronologically the earliest case in Sherlock Holmes canon. This story is related mainly by Holmes rather than Watson, and is the first case to which Holmes applied his powers of deduction, having treated it as a mere hobby until this time. This is one of numerous Sherlock Holmes stories in which a protagonist is haunted by an old acquaintance for an old crime. The others include "The Boscombe Valley Mystery" "Black Peter", "The Sign of Four", "The Five Orange Pips", "The Resident Patient", etc. It is also one of his many stories that deal with the fate of characters who return to England after having spent time abroad in the colonies of the British Empire.

[Jim Ef · Rating 4 out of 5]

7.7/10
This might not be the most exciting case that Sherlock has ever faced, however it is a very important one.
The events of "The adventure of the Gloria Scott" take place back when Sherlock Holmes, was still at college. It is this case that made that made young Sherlock to turn his deduction skills into a career.

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 3 out of 5]

5 Words: Perfect length for a cuppa.

There was a nice little twist with this one, both with the story and how it was told.

Rather than Watson telling Holmes' story, we have Watson telling Holmes' telling of his own story. Quite clever and a subtly different narrative style.

[Jack Heath · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars. More of an adventure than the anticipated Sherlock Holmes detective story. One interesting point, it seems to be Holmes' earliest case. It takes place when he was in 2nd year college - which in the 19th century meant university. The place of learning is not stated nor, since he does say that he only did two years, is graduation mentioned. Victor Trevor, his only college chum which is surely true with what we know of Holmes' later life, invited him to the family home in Norfolk where Holmes met Victor's father, a local Justice of the Peace. An amiable month was had by all. Holmes even exhibited his detection skills by deducing that the initials J.A., a partially-erased tattoo on Mr. Trevor's arm, had meaning he wanted to forget. The father was so shocked that he fainted. Other than that, all was well until a visitor appeared. A seaman named Hudson. Distasteful, even sinister. Mr. Trevor exhibited such anguish that Holmes felt he should leave and did so the next day. Victor soon urged him back. Criminal detection? Holmes does decipher a letter of warning but that's it. In fact, the story relates to the tragedy of the merchant ship, Gloria Scott, and mutiny. (April 2022)

[Amira Mahmoud · Rating 3 out of 5]

لم تكن قضية , كانت مجرد سرد للأحداث
لم تظهر فيها قدرات هولمز الا قليلاً !
ولكنها كانت شيقة للحد الذى تدرك معه أنها جديرة لأن تكون هى الدافع الذى يجعل هولمز يتخذ من حل القضايا وفك تعقيداتها , مهنته :)

[Dhia Nouioui · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've been very disappointed of these books. All stories have always the same dynamic and the characters are never in danger.

[Jaksen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best Sherlock Holmes out there, though it was probably received as very good or excellent in its time.

This is more of a 'tell' story than a 'show.' We listen (read) as Holmes relates the 'tale' of what first set him out on his mission/journey/career using his remarkable skills of observation, analysis and theory to help solve puzzles, crimes and what-have-you. He tells this story to Watson...

Which is about how, as a young man, Holmes went to stay with his only friend from school, and there learns that his friend's father had a rather interesting - perhaps feloniously interesting? - past. Holmes does not get involved with this man. He returns to school - but just after upsetting the father with his observations. Things lie fallow for a while. And then...

Things are uncovered. Secrets and erased histories. A figure from the father's past who suddenly and nefariously appears. Very slowly, we are told what the father's 'great secret' was. For current readers of vast amounts of mystery fiction, most of what is revealed here is not surprising; it's almost a well-worn and oft-tedious trope, but...

It's a Holmes story and I needed to read it.

Three stars.

[Fay AlFalah · Rating 4 out of 5]

اسم الكتاب: سفينة غلوريا سكوت - The Adventure of the Gloria Scott
اسم الكاتب: السير آرثر إغناتيوس كونان دويل - Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle
عددالصفحات: 66 صفحة


~نبذة عن القصة،،
نشرت لأول مرة في مجلة الستراند بشكل منفرد في أبريل 1893، قبل ان يعاد نشرها لاحقا مجمعة مع باقي قصص سلسلة مذكرات شرلوك هولمز. وعلى خلاف العديد من قصص هولمز، كان شرلوك هولمز هو الراوي الرئيسي للقصة وليس الدكتور واطسون و هي من أولى قضية التي قام هولمز بحلها عندما كان شاباً في الجامعة والتي جعلته يدرك مدى رغبته في أن يصبح محقق خاص.
~ مختصر القصة،،
في أحد الأيام الباردة وفي جلسة هادئة قرب المدفأة يبدأ هولمز بإخبار واتسون عن أول قضية قام بحلها على الإطلاق، يبدأ هولمز بسرد قصة مع صديقه الوحيد في الكلية فيكتور تريفور، والذي دعاهه لقضاء إجازة لمدة شهر في منزله في قرية دونبثورب وبعدها ينطلق لبيته في لندن وبعد مرور شهرين يتلقى هولمز برقية من صديقه يطلب فيها عودته للشمال لمساعدته، ليجد إن والد صديقه يحتضر بسبب أحد الأشخاص المدعو هدسون كان يعرفه الأب سابقاً وجعل منه رئيس للخدم ولكنه تمادى كثيراً واصبح مصدر إزعاج لكل من يسكن بالمنزل! لدرجة إن الأب أصاب بجلطة دماغية من شدة التوتر ويموت قبل وصول هولمز!
مالذي حدث؟ ما هو ماضي تريفور الأب؟ ما الذ يجعل رجلاً ورحّالة و باحثاً عن الذهب يضع نفسه تحت رحمة الغوغائي هدسون؟ ما سبب موته رعباً حين تسلم خطاباً من فوردنغهام؟ هذا ما سنكتشفه مع هولمز.
~مراجعتي،،
جميلة ومشوقة بطريقة ذكية كبقية القصص التي يقوم هولمز بحلها.
~اقتباسات،،
1- "لا أعرف كيف تمكنت من ذلك يا سيد هولمز، يبدو لي إنك تتفوق على كل المخبرينالحقيقيين منهم والخياليين، إن هذا هو طريقك في الحياة يا سيدي، ولتعتبرها نصيحة من رجل عنده خبرة كبيرة بالحياة!"
2- "... فأشباح المحبين السابقين هي الأسوأ على الإطلاق"
3- "..... لقد أخفت الحاكم لدرجة أنه لن يكون متأكداً أبداً بعد الآن مما تعرفه أولا تعرفه"!
4- "....إذا لم نستطع الإستيلاء على هذه السفينة وطاقمها إلى جانبنا فقد حان الوقت لنذهب إلى مدرسة للبنات!!"
5- كان كثير منا فرحين بإستعادتنا حريتنا مرة أخرى لكنهم لم يرغبوا بالقتل، فقد كان قتل الجنود وبنادقهم في أيديهم شيئاً والقتل بدم بارد شيئاً آخر.

[Kristen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I ended up zoning out the entire time

[Diamond Cowboy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a narative from Sherlock instead from Watson's eyes. It is about Sherlock Holmes first case which made up his mind to be a consulting detective.

[Andrew Stepke · Rating 4 out of 5]

imagine reading the final problem (sherlock's final mystery) and then reading his first one (gloria scott)

[Tamanna Binte Rahman · Rating 4 out of 5]

অনেককাল পরে আবারো শার্লক হোমস নিয়ে বসা হল। এবারে যাত্রাপথে। কাহিনীতে শিপ আছে আর আমিও একটা বড় বোটে করে সমুদ্র পাড়ি দেবার জন্য বসে আছি। এটাই যা চমৎকার বিষয়।

কাহিনী ছোট এবং সুন্দর। রহস্যর চাইতে রোমাঞ্চকর বেশি। ঝটপট পড়ে ফেলবার জন্য ভাল বই।

[Joop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een echt oudje van voordat SH Watson leerde kennen. De eerste stapjes van onze speurneus worden hier beschreven. Goed verhaal maar nog geen echte SH.

[midnightfaerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gloria Scott was not, like most may think, a woman, but, in fact, a boat. Said boat tells the story of some underhanded going ons surrounding Holmes friend from his past. This story is unusual in that we get to hear a little about Holmes and his past. I also noticed he's a little more melodramatic when hearing of the disheartening facts of the case and what happens to the people in the case whereas usually, to me, Holmes seems so stoic, and rarely shows any real emotion. All, in all, it was an interesting case, and an enjoyable read.

[رومولا الن emmajain-book · Rating 3 out of 5]

مغامرة ممتعه للمحقق الذكي شارلوك هولمز
احب هذا المحقق الذي افتتن به كل من قرأ قصصه او شاهد افلامه
اجاد آرثر كونان دويل رسم شخصية شارلوك
حتى انك تكاد تصدق انه سخص حقيقي لا من نسج خيال كاتب بارع
في هذه المغامره نكتشف لغز الرجل الذي قتلته رساله غير مفهومه ارسلها له صديق قديم
سنكتشف السر في احداث هذه القصه
انصح بها

[Meg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Holmes' first case, although I don't see that he actually did anything other than work out a very simply coded letter. Holmes had a friend at university, Trevor, who invited him to his family's country estate during break. Trevor's father was a lively chap who enjoyed spending time with the boys until one day when a salty seaman showed up and instantly Trevor's father was frightened. Holmes left the next day but was asked back just weeks later because Trevor's father was dying. When he arrived, the man was already dead but left papers for his son. The first was the letter he received the day before he died. It is the letter that Holmes decoded which said that that game was up, Hudson was telling all and to flea for his life. The next letter was from Trevor's father explaining who Hudson was. He was a seaman upon the ship that was taking Trevor's father and other prisoners to Australia. Trevor's father and the other prisoners led a revolt that killed or captured most of the crew. But then the boat exploded and only Trevor's father, another prisoner and Hudson survived. They arrived in Australia, changed their names and went their separate ways. Somehow Hudson tracked them down and blackmailed them after decades. Like I said, not much detection in this one.

[raa. · Rating 3 out of 5]

the adventure of the gloria scott is one of sherlock holmes short stories written by sir arthur conan doyle. the story mainly focused at how holmes story telling to watson about his ability to observe, analyze and theory as well as problem solving and treated it as a mere hobby until now.

in his university days, holmes was a friendless student just until he met victor treyor by accident and they became a close friend after that cause they're both have a lot in common. holmes spent a month with his new friend at victor's father's state who was a justice of peace and landowner.

and there he realized his friend's father had an interesting and full of mystery history. he doesn't get involved with him though, cause this story main focus is his friend's father secret and erased history that slowly solved (even though it's too late).

for mystery fiction readers, the story doesn't have any suprising elements, even the plot is very predictable (perhaps the well-worn and oft-tedious trope).

but still, it's a 🌟🌟🌟 for me, cause i'm in love with everything abt sherlock holmes 😽☝🏻

[Elysa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story is notable because it is formatted in Watson's perspective as normal (beginning in his voice), but the story is primarily the narrative of Holmes as he tells Watson about a very early case in his career. Actually this may be the case which led him to consider detective work as a profession rather than just a hobby.

Through this case, we learn about Holmes long before he met Watson when he was a university student. He states that he was nearly friendless during that time as he focused on his work and studies, but to me that makes his friendship with Watson a little more endearing. Other than that, I felt the case itself was pretty standard. Recommended if you want to read more about the character Sherlock Holmes, but not if you're reading for the mystery, investigation and cases as there are better ones.

[Heba books · Rating 3 out of 5]

قصتان من مغامرات شارلوك هولمز أحدهما هي لغز سفينة غلوريا سكوت وهي قضية تخص والد أحد أصدقاء هولمز القدامى، يقصها على صديقه واطسون وهي قصة لم أجدها مثيرة جدا .
.
القصة الثانية هي لغز اختفاء المعاهدة البحرية التي أُمر أحدهم وهو عميل هولمز بنسخ المعاهدة ولكن بعد تركه المكتب للحظات يرجع ليجدها وقد اختفت ويبدأوا رحلة البحث عن السارق الذي من مصلحته بيعها والكسب من وراءها ، كانت جيدة نوعا ما..
قصص قصيرة مسلية . .

[AhmEd MokhtAr · Rating 5 out of 5]

سرد أحداث وفلاش باك وليس بها أي شئ لـ إبراز قدرات هولمز إلا القليل
لكن وما كل ذلك أعجبتني بـ شدة .. ^_^



جزء من الفكاهة :)



جزء من الرعب :(

[أيمن قاسمي · Rating 4 out of 5]

قصتين جميلتين الأولى بعنوان غلوريا سكوت و الثانية وثائق المعاهدة البحرية

أخشى أن أدمن القراءة في الروايات مرة أخرى
على كل فقراءتي للروايات هاته الأيام لسببين ،الأول كنوع من التسلية التي تبقيني قريب من المطالعة وإعمال الفكر والإبتعاد عن وسائل التواصل في نفس الوقت
و السبب الثاني هو تطوير أسلوبي في الكتابة من خلال الإكثار من القراءة و خاصة في المجال القصصي

[Darinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fourth short story in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. As usual, Dr. Watson starts the story, but this one is different because it's of Sherlock Holmes recalling his first mystery. An interesting addition to the Sherlock Holmes stories.

[Riley G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can’t say as this was a favorite Holmes story, I found it a bit hard to follow (although I did keep getting distracted by outside sources, so there is that.)… But it was interesting to see what inspired him to start a career of his observation and deduction skills.

[Montserrat Esteban · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historia muy buena y que nos muestra el poder de deducción de Holmes, aunque sea una historia con pasado oculto

[Miriam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somehow, the stories in the first 3 books were more interesting, mysterious and well written. But still a nice story which I definitely would recommend reading it.