Toilers of the Sea
Introduced as a solitary dreamer and outcast, living on the margins of society.
Book I: The History of a Bad Reputation
Introduced as a dreamer and solitary figure, living on the margins of Guernsey society, with a reputation shaped by local superstition.
A Word Written on a White Page
A young man, part workman and part sailor, who observes Déruchette from a distance and later finds his name written in the snow.
The Bû de la Rue
Gilliatt lives in the Bû de la Rue, a haunted house, and is disliked by his neighbors due to superstitions.
For Your Wife: When You Marry
Introduced as a child brought to Guernsey by a mysterious woman; grows up in isolation, inherits her property and a bridal trousseau; becomes moody and solitary after her death.
An Unpopular Man
The protagonist, whose eccentricities and mysterious background make him an object of local antipathy and suspicion.
V: More Suspicious Facts About Gilliatt
Regarded as a marcou or cambion; refuses to perform miraculous cures but offers practical remedies; saves Sieur Landoys from drowning.
The Dutch Sloop
Described as a skilled but solitary fisherman and craftsman, nicknamed 'Malicious Gilliatt,' who wins the Dutch sloop in a regatta.
A Fit Tenant for a Haunted House
Portrayed as a dreamer and visionary, whose solitude fosters a mystical and observant nature, leading him to speculate about invisible life in the atmosphere and the significance of dreams.
The Gild-Holm-’Ur Seat
Gilliatt knew the Gild-Holm-’Ur seat well and often sat there, but was never trapped by the sea.
A Certain Predilection
Mentioned briefly as a child of Nature, setting a contrast with Lethierry.
Book IV: The Bagpipe
Introduced as a dreamy, solitary figure who plays the bagpipe and is viewed as an outsider by the community.
Streaks of Fire on the Horizon
Gilliatt is the focal point of the chapter, experiencing a profound emotional reaction to Déruchette's act of writing his name in the snow.
The Unknown Unfolds Itself by Degrees
Gilliatt becomes increasingly obsessed with Déruchette, watching her from behind the garden wall and listening to her voice.
The Air 'Bonnie Dundee' Finds an Echo on the Hill
Spends the summer watching near the Bravées garden, lost in thought about Déruchette and his own poverty.
IV
Has been secretly in love with Déruchette for four years, serenading her with his bagpipe, but has never spoken to her.
How an Idler Had the Good Fortune to Be Seen by a Fisherman
Rescues a stranger from the Gild-Holm-'Ur rock, refuses payment, and receives a Bible; then is lost in reverie about Déruchette.
Book V: The Revolver
Gilliatt is the central figure, enduring isolation and physical hardship on the Douvres rock while working to salvage the Durande's machinery.
The Birds’-Nesters
Mentioned as having interfered in the matter of the birds'-nesters for the sake of the birds and children.
VI: The Jacressade
Gilliatt is not directly mentioned in this chapter, but the setting of the Jacressade in St. Malo is part of the world he inhabits.
The Pearl at the Foot of the Precipice
Arrives in St. Sampson, troubled and anxious, and enters the Bravées to learn of the Durande's loss.
Part II: Malicious Gilliatt
Referred to as 'Malicious Gilliatt' by the community, highlighting his reputation as a solitary and enigmatic figure.
Book I: The Rock
Introduced as a solitary, enigmatic figure living near the Gild-Holm-'Ur rock, rumored to have supernatural powers and a connection to the sea.
The Place Which Is Difficult to Reach, and Difficult to Leave
Sails the sloop through dangerous channels to reach the Douvres, surveys the wreck of the Durande, and begins preparations for salvage.
A Catalogue of Disasters
Gilliatt surveys the wreck, climbs to the poop, and begins securing his salvage equipment.
III: Sound; But Not Safe
Gilliatt assesses the wreck of the Durande, noting the intact machinery and the difficulty of salvage.
IV: A Preliminary Survey
Ascends the right paddle-box of the Durande to survey the Douvres group and plan his salvage operations.
V: A Word Upon the Secret Co-Operations of the Elements
Implicitly referenced as one who might be condemned to a temporary habitation upon a rock in mid-ocean, facing the elemental forces described.
A Stable for the Horse
Navigates the Douvres reefs, anchors the sloop in a sheltered creek, and assesses his own shelter options.
A Chamber for the Voyager
Works on the wreck, scales the Great Douvre, and establishes a shelter in a rock hollow.
VIII: Importunæque Volucres
Sleeps in the cave, dreams of Déruchette, wakes cold, loses his provisions to the wind and birds, and breakfasts on limpets.
The Rock, and How Gilliatt Used It
Works alone on the rock, salvaging and organizing wreckage from the Durande with astonishing tenacity and perseverance.
X: The Forge
Constructs the forge, masters natural elements, and experiences visionary moods while working.
Discovery
Gilliatt ventures into the dangerous caverns of the Douvres rock, exploring for salvage and food, unaware of the rock's connection to Clubin's fate.
The Interior of an Edifice Under the Sea
Explores the submarine cavern, observing its strange beauty and perilous pools.
XIII: What Was Seen There; and What Perceived Dimly
Gilliatt is the observer and dreamer, perceiving the cavern's sublime beauty and sensing an otherworldly presence, before glimpsing a monstrous creature.
Book II: The Labour
The central figure of the chapter, engaged in the arduous salvage operation.
The Resources of One Who Has Nothing
Gilliatt labors alone in the cavern, forging tools, repairing tackle, and removing the paddle-wheels of the Durande, driven by sheer will and instinct.
Wherein Shakespeare and Aeschylus Meet
Alone and untaught, Gilliatt measures his sloop and the Durande's engine-room, daring to attempt the salvage of the machinery despite the overwhelming odds.
Gilliatt's Masterpiece Comes to the Rescue of That of Lethierry
Engineers a complex hoisting apparatus between the Douvres, working alone with great effort and ingenuity.
Sub Re
Endures extreme privation—hunger, thirst, cold, and physical wounds—while maintaining an indomitable will to complete the salvage.
Sub Umbra
Gilliatt is the solitary figure whose mind is weighed down by the immensity of night and the cosmos, feeling the pressure of darkness and the mystery of existence.
Gilliatt Places the Sloop in Readiness
Gilliatt is the central figure, executing the complex salvage operation with remarkable skill and determination.
Sudden Danger
Demonstrates remarkable ingenuity and physical prowess by building a barrier to shield the sloop and Durande from the incoming westerly swell.
VIII: Movement Rather Than Progress
Executes the complex operation of transferring the Durande's machinery into the sloop, showing immense strength, ingenuity, and control over the elements.
A Slip Between Cup and Lip
Gilliatt faces an unexpected obstacle with the chimney, experiences forced inaction, and sleeps on the sloop after his labor.
X: Sea-Warnings
Awakens to the phosphorescent sea, frees the sloop from the wreck, and reinforces his anchorage and barrier with extra chains.
A Word to the Wise Is Enough
Works tirelessly to build a breakwater, sensing an approaching tempest despite the deceptive calm.
Book III: The Struggle
Protagonist who single-handedly salvages the Durande's machinery, fights a devilfish, and ultimately drowns after seeing Déruchette married.
III: The Noises Explained
Gilliatt observes the phosphorescence and the murmuring of the wind, recognizing the warnings of the approaching equinoctial tempest.
Turba Turma
Mentioned as constructing his breakwater on the Douvres rock while the winds gather.
Gilliatt's Alternatives
Gilliatt perceives the sea's long-meditated trap; his position has shifted from impregnable to critically endangered.
The Combat
Gilliatt fights desperately against the storm, using ingenuity and physical strength to reinforce the breakwater and prevent the destruction of the sloop and machinery.
Book IV: Pitfalls in the Way
Gilliatt is central to the chapter, facing the perils of the sea and the moral challenges of the salvage operation.
He Who Is Hungry Is Not Alone
Hungry and exhausted after the storm, Gilliatt searches for food and is attacked by a devilfish in a submarine cavern.
The Monster
The chapter sets the stage for Gilliatt's upcoming confrontation with the devilfish, establishing the creature's fearsome nature.
Another Kind of Sea-Combat
Engages in a life-or-death struggle with a giant devilfish, using his left hand to decapitate it.
Nothing Is Hidden, Nothing Lost
Discovers the skeleton and the hidden treasure after killing the devilfish.
V: The Fatal Difference Between Six Inches and Two Feet
Discovers the leak in the sloop, works frantically to find and staunch it, and reflects on his earlier discovery of Clubin's skeleton.
De Profundis Ad Altum
The solitary hero who battles the leak in his sloop, using a tarpaulin and his own clothes to staunch the breach, and ultimately prays for mercy in his exhaustion.
The Appeal Is Heard
Found motionless on the rock, near death, but revived by the sun and sea; repairs his sloop and departs for Guernsey.
Book I: Night and the Moon
Introduced as a solitary dreamer, deeply attuned to the night and the sea.
The Harbour Bell Again
Returns to St. Sampson after a slow passage, secretly observes Déruchette from a hidden corner, and witnesses her receiving a marriage proposal.
Gratitude and Despotism
The object of Lethierry's gratitude, having successfully salvaged the Durande's machinery.
Joy Surrounded by Tortures
Returns the salvaged machinery and the stolen banknotes to Lethierry, but refuses the offered marriage to Déruchette, claiming he does not love her, and appears pale and distressed.
The Leathern Trunk
Referenced by his nickname 'malicious Gilliatt'; Lethierry sends him a note about the marriage.
Book III: The Departure of the Cashmere
Watches the Cashmere depart, experiencing the pain of losing Déruchette.
The Havelet Near the Church
Mentioned as the 'nobody' who performed the miraculous salvage of the Durande's machinery, causing the town's excitement.
Despair Confronts Despair
Appears transformed, clean-shaven and dressed in new sailor's clothes; he urges Déruchette and Caudray to marry and leads them to the church.
III: The Forethought of Self-Sacrifice
Provides the forged letter and his own ring, silently giving away Déruchette.
IV: For Your Wife: When You Marry
Acts as the silent guide and benefactor, having arranged the marriage and provided a trunk of clothing; delivers a heartfelt, subdued farewell speech revealing his unrequited love.
The Great Tomb
Walks along the shore avoiding others, climbs to the Gild-Holm-’Ur seat, watches the Cashmere depart, and drowns as the tide rises.
