Great Northern? (1947)
Synopsis and Further Information on Great Northern?
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Synopsis The Swallows, Amazons and D's have joined Captain Flint for a fortnight's cruise around the Hebrides. As they prepare to return their pilot cutter, the Sea Bear, to her owner, they persuade Captain Flint to visit a deserted cove on an unnamed island. Their charts show that the Sea Bear's owner once scrubbed her there, and they feel it would be a sign of their gratitude if they do likewise. Whilst Nancy, Peggy, John and Susan join Captain Flint scraping the Sea Bear, Titty, Roger, Dick and Dorothea are given the chance to explore inland. Separating from the others, Dick sees a pair of birds nesting. He is sure they are Great Northern Divers, but is confused because his text books say that Great Northerns do not nest in Britain. When they reach the nearest port, Dick goes to ask for advice from the owner of a motor cruiser, the Pterodactyl, who they have heard spends his life studying birds. Unfortunately, Dick discovers that this man, Mr Jemmerling, is not a bird-protector, but an egg-collector. But by then Dick has said too much and Mr Jemmerling is convinced that Dick has indeed seen the first ever Great Northern nest in the UK. Mr Jemmerling is determined to find the nest, kill the birds and steal their eggs. The crew of the Sea Bear realise that they must protect the birds from him, but also that Dick has to try and photograph them, in order to prove his discovery. Somehow, they have to give Mr Jemmerling the slip, return to the cove, and put Dick into a hide next to the Great Northerns - all without disturbing the local inhabitants or the birds, and without leading Mr Jemmerling himself to their nest. |
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For a more detailed synopsis of the Swallows and Amazons series, see Approaching Arthur Ransome by Peter Hunt. ISBN 0-224-03288-7. Jonathan Cape, 1991. | ||
| Further Information It is a subject of some debate whether Great Northern? is a "real" story, within the identifiable historic timeline started in Swallows and Amazons, or whether it is a "fantasy" made up by Ransome's fictional characters. Ransome himself included a note in the published book that gives the impression the story is true, and that he is trying to keep the precise location of the Great Northerns' nest secret. Arguments in favour of the "fantasy" storyline are that there is no identifiable position for the story in "real time". Also, it involves a cruise at sea, as did Peter Duck and Missee Lee. Arguments for it being a "real" story, taking place some time after The Picts and the Martyrs, include the fact that a fortnight's cruising around the Hebrides was a feasible activity, whereas sailing a schooner to the Caribbean or China was not. This is especially so given that the children were growing older and that John, at least, now had serious sailing experience (from We Didn't Mean to go to Sea) under his belt. |
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| For a more detailed study of the background to the Swallows and Amazons Series, see Amazon Publication's The Best of Childhood, 2004. The Best of Childhood is available to current TARS Members from the Society Stall. | |||
| The Picts and the Martyrs (1943) | |
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