All 6 Uses of

cleave
in
Treasure Island

We pulled easily, by Silver's directions, not to weary the hands prematurely, and after quite a long passage, landed at the mouth of the second river—that which runs down a woody cleft of the Spy-glass.†
Chpt 31 *

Already the others had begun to lend an ear to this encouragement and were coming a little to themselves, when the same voice broke out again—not this time singing, but in a faint distant hail that echoed yet fainter among the clefts of the Spy-glass.†
Chpt 32

clefts = splits or cracks

Uses with a meaning too rare to warrant foucs:

"You're a good lad, Jim," he said; "and you're all in a clove hitch, ain't you?†
Chpt 15

clove = a dried flower bud or section of a garlic plant

Would you think it likely, now, that your squire would prove a liberal-minded one in case of help—him being in a clove hitch, as you remark?†
Chpt 15 *

Definitions:

(1) (cleave as in: cleave through)
to split or cut through something

Ironically, this word can mean to split in two or to hold together.

Note that you may see cleaved, cleft, clove, or cloven as the past tense of this sense of cleave.
(2) (cleave as in: cleave to)
to hold firmly to something -- such as an object, a person or idea

Ironically, this word can mean to split in two or to hold together.

Note that you may see cleaved, clove, or clave as the past tense of this sense of cleave.
(3) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)
meaning too rare to warrant focus:

a proper noun or other word too rare to warrant focus