what does this mean?

Question

I'm studying English, so want to know what this means:

Bill tells Jim that Black Dog was "a bad 'un" and "mind you, it's my sea chest they're after". (quoted from Treasury Island)

That BLACK DOG is A what? The 'un' looks like a slang. But what's it?

Answer 1

"Un" is a slang for "One".
He a bad one.
This is taken in context of what being said.
If the dog fights and wins; "He a bad un".
If the dog smells bad; "He a bad un and needs a bath"
Remember with American English (Different from British). We use a lot of "Slang". The best way to understand is by the context of the sentence (What we are talking about). My woman is Polish and I learn her language, but, it not what I learned until I met her. So, when she talk Polish, I take the words I do understand and can figure out what she say from "Context".
The book Treasury Island is written along the lines of a person from the South of the United States, not South America. Here in USA depending where a person from, we have a different way of talking. If, I am from the North the "Dog is a bad one" if I from the South the "Dog is a bad un"
Also, say we speak of a writing pen. Hard to explain here, but; In the North we will say "Write with a Pen", and in the South we will say "Write with a Pin" (Like a pin used for sewing). But by the context of "Write" we understand the person speak of a writing instrument and not a sewing needle.
Hope this helps you.

Answer 2

Black dog was slang for and old sea dog (sailor) who liked male company. Un is short for Unlawful, referring to his male ideal being under age (14 in those days). So he was basically a dirty old homosexual who liked 11 - 12 year old boys. While explaining this to Jim, Bill is boasting about his "sea chest" because after many years at sea he had developed a large strong chest and it is well documented that the excess of salt air and poor, rough clothing of that era made sailors nipples elongated and very firm, almost starched.

Answer 3

It has nothing to do with the slang,
especially with modern American slang...
Robert Luis Stevenson is just trying to imitate a Scottish pronunciation of English in his time....
Blag Dog, was a person, and a really dangerous one...
"Bad'un" is indeed, the "Bad One"

Answer 4

That Black Dog is a bad one.

Answer 5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_dog--

Black Dog is a minor character in the story Treasure Island
see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_Island
for sea chest see--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_Island#Plot_summary
I hope it helps

Answer 6

A bad one.
Rotten to the core.
Nasty.

Answer 7

a bad one, not a good person to be involved with.