The Riddle of the Sands · Chapter
VII: The Missing Page explained
Davies recounts his harrowing experience navigating the treacherous sands alone in his yacht, the Dulcibella, after being misled by a pilot.
What happens
Davies recounts his harrowing experience navigating the treacherous sands alone in his yacht, the Dulcibella, after being misled by a pilot. He describes being driven onto a lee shore, surviving a series of bumps and near-wrecks, and being rescued by Bartels. Later, he reveals a chart and tells Carruthers about his encounter with Herr Dollmann and his daughter aboard the Medusa, leading to a three-day stay and a joint voyage.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This scene marks the dramatic climax because it forces the long-simmering confrontation into the open, with Ca…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- The Sea and Nature
Davies' detailed account of battling the storm, navigating the sands, and the raw power of the sea highlights the theme of nature's danger and indifference.
- Deception and Appearance
Davies suspects the pilot was playing his own game, and Dollmann's initial coldness followed by sudden friendliness suggests hidden motives and deceptive appearances.
- Adventure and Self-Discovery
Davies' solo struggle and survival on the sands, as well as his decision to engage with Dollmann, reflect a journey of personal challenge and discovery.
Characters to notice
- Arthur H. Davies
Narrates his perilous solo sailing ordeal and his subsequent meeting with Dollmann.
- Carruthers
Listener to Davies' story; observes Davies' unusual behavior and examines the chart.
- Dollmann
Owner of the Medusa; described as tall, thin, with greyish hair and a bulging forehead; initially cold but later friendly.
- Fräulein Dollmann
Dollmann's daughter; mentioned as being present during Davies' later visits.
- Bartels
Schiffer who rescues Davies and his yacht after the grounding.
Key passages
“I knew perfectly well that what I should soon see would be a wall of surf stretching right across and on both sides.”
Davies anticipated being surrounded by a barrier of breaking waves.
Davies describes his grim expectation as he approached the dangerous sands.
“I was like a drunken man running for his life down a dark alley, barking himself at every corner.”
Davies felt he was blindly and chaotically escaping danger, suffering damage at every turn.
A vivid metaphor for his desperate, uncontrolled passage through the narrow channel.
“He seemed to be taking stock of me all the time, as though I were some new animal.”
Dollmann scrutinized Davies with analytical curiosity, as if observing a strange creature.
Davies recalls Dollmann's intense and uncomfortable gaze during their first meeting.
