I’ve been reading Moby-Dick again, one of my all-time favourite gloomy novels (of which I have a surprisingly large number). But what I didn’t know was that academics have recently discovered an early draft, an unfinished manuscript in which Melville evidently first set the novel in the herring fishing, and not that of the whale. In this extract Ahab addresses the skipper of another boat:
“That ship ahoy! This is Captain Ahab of the Pequod out of Nantucket!” “The who of the what now?” “The Pequod! Out of Nantucket.” “It says ‘Saucy Sue’ on the side.” “Aye, well, I’ve been meaning to get that painted.” “And the registration’s a Wick number.” “Avast there! Hast seen the White Herring?” “The what?” “The White Herring! Hast thou seen Spotted Dick?” “Look, mate, herrings are sort of silvery and scaly. You know, as in that’s why they’re called the silver darlings?” “This one has a snow-white head, a crooked jaw and a hump shaped like a pyramid on his back.”
Contrejour phragmites
“We’re still talking about a herring, here? Thing about the size and shape of a large carrot?” “Aye, and we’re on a damned cruise to hunt him down.” “But what on earth dost thou—I mean, do you—want with him?” “Seest thou this leg? That devil in piscine form dismasted me off Japan.” “Now, when you say he dismasted you…?” “Took this leg clean off.” “A herring did that?” “They’re vicious beggers when you arouse their hunting instincts.” “And this herring took off your leg?” “Aye.” “That leg you’re standing on, you mean?” “Aye.” “But, and I want you to follow me closely here, it looks fine.” “No it doesn’t.” “Yes it does. Look, there’s a great big tear in your trousers! I can see your leg clean through it.” [An awkward pause ensues]
Glowing in the afternoon
“Ahahaha, well, when I say he dismasted me, I mean he gave me a nasty nip on the finger once. Broke the skin and everything.” “Really.” “Stung rather a lot, I can tell thee. For, oh, at least a minute. And so I’m hunting him down in his capacity as God’s agent in order to wreak my vengeance on God himself!” “Um, no offence but has it ever occurred to you that you might be over-thinking this?” “Bah! I see thou canst tell me nothing.”
[Other skipper to himself, muttering] “Thou’rt a looney, I can tell thee that much.” “Avast!” [Ahab turns to his crew] “Ship oars, Queequeg.” “I keep telling you, my name’s Sebastian and I just paid for a short cruise around the harbour.” “Hush, Queequeg, never be ashamed of who thou art. Now, Starbuck, where’s my coffee..?”
Sadly the manuscript breaks off there; and so it remains one of the great, tantalising what-ifs of literature…
Afternoon walk by the river
================================
TECHNICAL STUFF
I’ve finished the back, my standard eight inches from dividing front and back to the start of the shoulder straps. And now we can see it whole, the simple repetition of the pattern really pays off; and very striking it looks.
I usually divide each side into threes at the shoulders, one-third each for the two shoulders and the collar. As there are 179 stitches per side I’d intended to make the shoulders 60 stitches each and the collar 59, but owing to taking my eye off the ball at the crucial moment (reader, I just lost concentration) I have 58 stitches on each shoulder and a slightly wider collar of 63; not that it matters, especially as I don’t like tight necklines. Next week we turn it over and do it all again for the front.
If you remember, I had my flu and covid shots last week, one in each arm (from a nurse who apparently developed her technique driving in fence posts back on the farm) and unfortunately one of them—I’m guessing the flu vaccine, from the symptoms—gave rise to minor complications. They’re passing slowly, for which relief much thanks, but it did suck most of the life out of me for a few days, as though Harry Potter’s Dementors now come in a soluble liquid. It’s brought my cough back too, so that I now sound like a cross between a fox barking and someone trying to clear a blocked drain with a plunger, or an extra in a Victorian drama set in opium den. Meanwhile I’ve amended my entry in Who’s Who with my new hobby, “trying not to cough”.
Flooded path
Now, some months back, you may recall, Deb Gillanders of Propagansey in Whitby had the happy idea that I could knit a gansey which could be raffled in aid of the local Fishermen’s Mission. I agreed at once, for the sea runs deep in my veins—no, wait, that’s caffeine—anyway, I was delighted to help. Hence the navy blue gansey I knitted back in the autumn, based on that worn by George Bremner of Wick and taken from his portrait in the Johnston Collection held by Wick Museum. The gansey knit up as a men’s extra large, and is a nice, comfortable fit on me.
Riverside near sunset
The week before last I had the very great pleasure of meeting Jackie Dodds of the Mission at Scrabster, to formally hand over the gansey. She told me something of the work of the Mission in helping fishermen through these difficult times, financially and (equally importantly) mentally, and I have to say I had no idea. One of the biggest challenges Jackie faces is getting on the radar of many fishermen, and we talked about other things that might be done to help, including talks on the herring fishing and ganseys aimed at fishermen. So we’ll see. The gansey will be raffled sometime in the new year. I’m already fully booked up with gansey projects for 2023, but if the raffle is a success I might try to make this an annual thing.
Meanwhile, if you’re looking for inspiration this Christmas, Judit has knitted up a hat to brighten all our weeks. The pattern is Betty Martin, and the colour is fireman red, as red as the breast of an easily-embarrassed robin who’s been standing too close to the fire in his thermal long johns, and will add some festive cheer to somebody’s Christmas this year. Many thanks as ever to Judit for sharing, and for the inspiration.
Waves from autumn winds
================================
TECHNICAL STUFF
It’s been slow going this week—it’s hard to knit with a Dementor sitting on your chest—but even so I’m about halfway up the back. I left the front half on the circular needle I’d been using for the body and am using a second needle the same size (80cm) to knit the back. The half-gussets I’ve strung on some old yarn ends to keep them ready for when I start the sleeves—although it’s a bit of a faff getting them on and taking them off later, I haven’t found a stitch holder that didn’t get in the way, so stringing the stitches on old bits of yarn is still my preferred method.
Well, it’s been quite a week: a CT scan of my sinuses, handing over a gansey to the Fishermen’s Mission (more on that next week), a talk on ganseys, and the double-header of a flu and covid jag on Saturday, all in the teeth of the sort of wind and rain I usually associate with Snow White fleeing a wicked stepmother. (There’s a character in the novel Catch-22 who’s worked out that time passes more slowly when you’re bored, and who as a result decides to spend his whole life bored out of his mind on the grounds that it’ll make his life seem longer; at this stage all I can say is, hmm, sounds like a plan.)
Rushing waves
The CT scan was mercifully uneventful. This time last year I had a scan of my throat and chest, and that lasted far longer than I found comfortable. This time I could just about have recited Gunga Din in the time it took. You have to keep perfectly still while this things zips above your face making a noise like a hair drier having a panic attack. I’ve developed this technique where I lie on the couch and pretend the device is an enemy drone with a motion sensor, and the slightest movement would give me away: the only downside is that I keep forgetting to breathe, with the result that when the air finally rushes back in I leap like a gaffed salmon experiencing an attack of cramp, which rather ruins the effect. The test results will now be sent to the consultant in Inverness, and then we’ll see.
The gansey talk was a lot of fun. We went down to the seaside townette of Brora with our friend Elizabeth on Thursday night to meet the lovely people of Clyne Heritage Society. (And I must apologise, I hadn’t realised that it would also be on Zoom, or I’d have posted a link.) I talked about the history of the fishing, the fishermen and gutters, showed some photos from the Johnston Collection and laid out some ganseys for people to pore over. Anyway, I had a blast, as I often do. Someone mentioned that the knitters would often knit some of their hair into a “Sunday best” gansey, personalising it, a lovely idea which caused me to reflect ruefully on my own shining pate and realise, as the saying goes, that that particular herring boat has sailed; and wondering if dandruff counted instead?
Finally, I had my flu and covid jags on Saturday. I started out being impressed at the rapid throughput, then slightly alarmed; with good reason, it turned out. Previous vaccinations involved about the same degree of precision as Tiger Woods lining up an approach shot to the 18th green; this was more like Professor van Helsing hammering a stake into Dracula’s chest. I must have flinched, for the nurse asked “All right?” in much the same tone, and degree of menace, as the enquiry, “What you lookin’ at, pal?”, delivered by someone called Spud at 11.00pm on a Saturday night in Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street. I squeaked something that might have been audible to a bat with a new hearing aid and fled. Next time I’ll be prepared, and will just scream hysterically at the top of my lungs.
=================================
TECHNICAL STUFF
The pattern is slowly establishing itself, though I haven’t got a lot of knitting done, what with all the social whirling this week. It’s a simple combination of two panels: an 11-stitch chevron and a sort of 5-stitch moss stitch border. (The original can just about be seen here, in the gansey worn by the lad sitting in the right with his arms crossed.)
The yarn is a flecked, tawny colour, so the pattern definition isn’t always as obvious as it would be if the colour was flat and uniform. But this is exactly the subtly dappled effect I was hoping for with this yarn—the pattern is clearly visible when the light catches it, as in the photo above, and if you look for it; otherwise it’s more of a texture than a pattern, which relies on simple repetition for its effect.
Come gather round, O best beloveds, for to hear the story of how the Norse gods of old stole the mead of poetry from the jötunn (or giant) Suttungr, and why there are so many bad poets in the world. Like so many Norse myths it’s a dark tale of deception, betrayal and murder; but unlike most of the other myths this one also involves bird poo. So let’s begin (and no, I’m not making this up, though you might wish I was by the time we reach the end).
Falmouth, MA Congregational Church
At the end of the war between the gods of Asgard (the Aesir) and the Vanir, the two sides made peace. This they sealed by each spitting into a vat (as you do). Out of all this spittle they created a man, whose name was Kvasir, who was full of wisdom. Kvasir roamed the world, dispensing wisdom and knowledge to all who asked. But one day Kvasir came to the hall of couple of very wicked dwarfs called Fjalar and Galar, who killed him and drained his blood into three great vessels. They mixed the blood with honey and brewed a magical mead, which turned anyone who drank it into a skald, or poet, and a scholar, but they kept it for themselves.
Cape Cod autumn colour
Fjalar and Galar (for whom now I think about it the word wicked seems insufficient, and perhaps serial killers would be more appropriate) next killed a jötunn called Gilling, and his wife. But Gilling’s son Suttungr came after them, and as compensation for the death of his parents took from the dwarfs the Óðrœrir, the mead of poetry. He also refused to share it with anyone, and hid it under a mountain where it was guarded by his daughter Gunnlod. Now, Odin, Allfather and ruler of the gods of Asgard, came to learn of all this. By various disguises he tricked his way into the mountain where he assumed a handsome shape and seduced Gunnlod, persuading her to let him sip of the mead so he could be inspired to sing her praises. But instead he drank it all and, transforming himself into an eagle, flew away. Suttungr heard Gunnlod’s lament and at once changed into another eagle and set off in hot pursuit. Odin barely reached the walls of Asgard ahead of Suttungr, and regurgitated the mead into vessels the other gods had prepared. Meanwhile the gods had built a great fire which they now caused to blaze up, and Suttungr, unable to stop in his flight, flew into the flames and was destroyed.
And that’s the tale of how the gods stole the mead of poetry—or almost. For Odin, as he was nearing the walls of Asgard and terrified at finding Suttungr so close on his tail, let squirt some drops of mead from his bottom, and these fell into Middle Earth, where we humans dwell. And that’s why, when you hear an exceptionally fine poet, you know that Odin has let him or her drink of the true mead of poetry; but if what you hear is doggerel, then the poet has only drunk of skáldfífla hlutr, or the “rhymester’s share”, which came from Odin’s behind…
Fireworks, Wick riverside
=============================
TECHNICAL STUFF
I was away last week on a training course, so I wasn’t sure how much knitting I’d get done. But I’m delighted to say that I have indeed reached the pattern. I’ll say more about this next week, and hopefully post a chart; for now I’ve just established the foundations, and it’s not really enough to make out the pattern clearly yet. As is my usual custom these days, I started the gussets four rows early by increasing a second purl stitch onto the existing purl “fake seam” stitch that divides back and front. It’s not necessary, but I’ve found it looks neater and makes the first knit stitch increase to start the gusset slightly easier.
It’s November and autumn has arrived with all the subtlety of Mike Tyson landing a right uppercut (a punch once happily described as having the ability to fell an opponent like a redwood in a forest: when people ask me why I decided to become an archivist I usually tell them that this was because so few of the people I meet wish to knock me unconscious, at least until they’ve known me a few minutes). It’s dark, too, in the evenings, though most mornings are just as dark, and wet, it being hardly worth drawing the curtains since the view from the windows is basically what you’d see from inside a submarine submerging during an eclipse.
Flying a kite at South Cape Beach
Wind, rain, dark, cold. You can see why the pagan people of the north adopted Odin and the Norse gods, angry deities bearing a grudge and longing for thermal underwear. You can understand why Ragnarok, the cataclysmic end of the world, would appeal, too: at least it’s something to look forward to. I always liked the description in the Old Norse poem Völuspá, when the Seer is foretelling the end of all things to Odin: it will be a vindǫld, vargǫld: “a wind age, a wolf age”. And I think: oh, you’ve been to Caithness, then.
Trees by the road
I’m typing this on Bonfire Night—remember, remember, the fifth of November, gunpowder treason and plot—harking back to the occasion 417 years ago when a group of Catholics tried to blow up the entire government, king and parliament together, with gunpowder. Guido (“call me Guy”) Fawkes was the one caught in possession of the explosives in the basement, and so he’s the one we all remember. I was interested to read that the word “guy” is probably derived from his name, since effigies of him known as “guys” were burned on Bonfire Night (a mandatory holiday 1605-1859); by the 19th century the word had evolved to cover any shabbily pressed person, before becoming a general word for a man; it’s still evolving, and seems now to be taking on a happily gender-neutral meaning (“hey, you guys”). I’m a pacifist, so I deplore the potential carnage that the Plot would have caused. But, given the often disappointing nature of politics and politicians, I do have a sneaking affection for the description of Fawkes as “the only person ever to enter Parliament with honest intentions…”
Autumn colour on the Cape
==============================
TECHNICAL STUFF
After the rather intense gansey production line of recent months I’ve been taking my time with this one: I’m just doing an hour or so an evening, and focusing more on the knitting-as-relaxation-therapy side of things. As a result, four weeks in I’m just over the nine-inch mark. The yarn is nice and soft, and the body as a whole is rather floppy, so that it almost feels with this colour as though I’m knitting a luxury mail sack. At the current rate I’ll maybe just reach the start of the yoke pattern and gussets this week, or I may not. But it’s surprising how even just a few rows each night build up over time. It’s supposed to be a Christmas present to myself; but if it’s not ready by Christmas, that’s perfectly OK too.
I’ve been reading Moby-Dick again, one of my all-time favourite gloomy novels (of which I have a surprisingly large number). But what I didn’t know was that academics have recently discovered an early draft, an unfinished manuscript in which Melville evidently first set the novel in the herring fishing, and not that of the whale. In this extract Ahab addresses the skipper of another boat:
Contrejour phragmites
Glowing in the afternoon
Afternoon walk by the river
