To-day I read the latest issue of Sirenia Digest. It includes the first part in a serialised version of Caitlin R. Kiernan's upcoming book, Living a Boy's Adventure Tale. Though so far the protagonist is a woman, a scientist wandering among dinosaurs in prehistoric times. Not even a naked bombshell as depicted in the Richard Corben art borrowed for the cover. So it promises to be a recontextualising of the "boy's adventure tale" concept, a surprisingly postmodern idea for Caitlin. But it is good so far, concentrating as it does on the raw meat of a time travel journey. It actually does remind me a bit of Tarzan. I really liked a comparison Caitlin draws between triceratops and cattle. Somehow it really reminds me of late '70s and early '80s David Bowie.
I've been very much in the mood for jungle stories lately. What else have I been reading? Well, I've been reading William Dampier's journal again, also a sort of boy's adventure tale, even if it is non-fiction. I've come to the pirate scientist's adventures in and around Peru of 1683:
November the 3rd, at 6 a Clock in the Morning, our Men landed about 4 Miles to the South of the Town, and took some Prisoners that were sent thither to watch for fear of us; and these Prisoners said, that the Governour of Piura came with 100 armed Men to Payta the Night before, purposely to oppose our landing there, if we should attempt it.
Our Men marched directly to the Fort on the Hill, and took it without the loss of one Man. Hereupon the Governour of Piura with all his Men, and the Inhabitants of the Town ran away as fast as they could. Then our Men entered the Town, and found it emptied both of Money and Goods; there was not so much as a Meal of Victuals left for them.
The Prisoners told us a Ship had been here a little before and burnt a great Ship in the Road, but did not land their Men; and that here they put ashore all their Prisoners and Pilots. We knew this must be Captain Eaton's Ship which had done this, and by these Circumstances we supposed he was gone to the East-Indies, it being always designed by him. The Prisoners told us also, That since Capt. Eaton was here, a small Bark had been off the Harbour, and taken a pair of Bark-logs a Fishing, and made the Fishermen bring aboard 20 or 30 Jars of fresh Water. This we supposed was our Bark that was sent to the Lobos to seek Capt. Eaton.
In the Evening we came in with our Ships, and Anchored before the Town in 10 Fathom Water, near a Mile from the shore. Here we staid till the sixth Day, in hopes to get a Ransom from the Town. Our Captain demanded 300 Packs of Flour, 3000 Pound of Sugar, 25 Jars of Wine, and 1000 Jars of Water to be brought off to us; but we got nothing of it. Therefore Captain Swan ordered the Town to be fired, which was presently done. Then all our Men came aboard, and Captain Swan ordered the Bark which Capt. Harris commanded, to be burnt, because she did not sail well.
Alongside casual accounts of pillage and plunder, Dampier describes the geography and wildlife:
This Island at Sea is of an indifferent height, and appears like Lobos de la Mar. About a quarter of a Mile from the North-end there is a great hollow Rock, and a good Channel between, where there is 7 Fathom Water. The 15th Day we went ashore, and found abundance of Penguins and Boobies, and Seal in great quantities. We sent aboard of all these to be drest, for we had not tasted any Flesh in a great while before; therefore some of us did eat very heartily. Captain Swan, to encourage his Men to eat this coarse Flesh, would commend it for extraordinary Food, comparing the Seal to a roasted Pig, the Boobies to Hens, and the Penguins to Ducks; this he did to train them to live contentedly on coarse Meat, not knowing but we might be forced to make use of such Food before we departed out of these Seas; for it is generally seen among Privateers, that nothing emboldens them sooner to Mutiny than want, which we could not well suffer in a Place where there are such quantities of these Animals to be had, if Men could be persuaded to be content with them.
Have you been eating any coarse meat to dissuade you from mutiny lately?
Twitter Sonnet #1604
With meaning, apps delay the rise of blue.
To proof a coffee, triple suns appear.
The strength to ape is weak but really true.
A lizard asks a wasp to brew a beer.
Another useless paper grew above.
Beneath the house an ant could dwell alone.
An itchy hand imbued the soulless glove.
And so the finger bath its paths atone.
A pretty orc creates an axe of gems.
A flying word could send a sentence up.
A special spider grew a thousand limbs.
An ancient brew could crack the golden cup.
A jungle journey ends in sugar fields.
A keg of rum is all the harvest yields.
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