Chapter one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Hound of the Baskervilles” introduces us to Dr. James Mortimer, a friend of the great detective Sherlock Holmes. Mortimer gives Holmes and Dr. Watson a weird narrative about the Baskerville family curse, which is claimed to be brought on by a monster hound that stalks the Dartmoor moorlands.

Mortimer shows the two men an antique manuscript containing the legend of the Baskerville curse. The text narrates the narrative of Sir Hugo Baskerville, a wicked and dissolute man who kidnapped a young woman from a nearby village and brought her to his home on the moors. The woman fled, and Sir Hugo pursued her into the moors, where he was ambushed and murdered by a gigantic hound. The dog then vanished into the mists, and the tradition goes that it still haunts the Baskerville family to this day.

Mortimer informs Holmes and Watson that the present head of the Baskerville family, Sir Charles Baskerville, died lately in unexplained circumstances. His body was discovered on the moors, and it looks that he died of a heart attack; yet, there were footprints around the body that appeared to belong to a massive hound.

Mortimer is concerned that Sir Charles’ nephew and heir, Sir Henry Baskerville, who is visiting from Canada to take over the family estate, may be in danger from the curse. He requests that Holmes and Watson examine the situation and protect Sir Henry from harm.

Holmes agrees to take on the case, but is too preoccupied with other problems to leave London. He sends Dr. Watson to Dartmoor to conduct an investigation in his place, with instructions to report back on a regular basis. Watson visits Dartmoor and meets Sir Henry, who is staying at a hotel in the adjacent town of Coombe Tracey. Sir Henry is a youthful and energetic man, anxious to take up his inheritance and explore the wild and rough terrain of Dartmoor.

Watson travels with Sir Henry to his family’s ancient house, Baskerville Hall, a big and imposing estate on the moors. They meet the house’s personnel, which includes the butler, Barrymore, and his wife, the housekeeper. Watson also meets a local naturalist named Mr. Stapleton, who lives close with his sister.

The chapter concludes with Watson feeling uneasy and suspecting that something nefarious is lurking in the dark recesses of Baskerville Hall. The hound’s mythology haunts him, and he wonders if it’s true.