3 December 2021

I take it all back about Kidnapped. Truth is stranger than fiction. It is a matter of historical fact that Alan Stewart (aka Stewie the Poohie, aka Mr Cauldron) was no relation to Charles Stuart, the Chevalier (aka Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Young Pretender – beg pardon for the English barbarism), and he was indeed blamed for the assassination of the Red Fox. It does, however, seem contrived that his rowboat runs into the ship so he can rescue Davey boy (also known as David, Davie, Livingstone, Deadstone, the Cabin Boy, the Pocket Rocket, the Jackboot Jacobite, the Bite-sized Jacko…). But enough about me.

Nevertheless I think Kidnapped is less “scientific” and therefore a lesser novel than Treasure Island. But I haven’t read it for many years.

Has anyone read Midwinter – man, is that a weird book! Riffing off Waverley, but not a patch on 39 Steps for action…!!! What a disappointment. But perhaps that’s the point…

What a disappointment!

Anyhow, here’s another photo:

John Buchan became Governor General of Canada in camera or Camelot. He rode a camel on camera like Peter O’Toole. Like? I don’t mind him? Buchan? That’s a Scots name, och aye! Och och och, there’s a monster in the loch, and we dinna want Polaris. Scapa flow, the policeman said. Shantih shantih shantih. Peace on the villages, peace on the palaces, peace off comrades!

The Society of Eastern Australia is not affiliated with the Ladies of the Eastern Star, the Witches of Endor, or the Masons. We don’t accept free paving or free retaining walls etc. That’s the end, little girl!

I don’t know what Buchan’s views on Jacobitism were, but he seems in Midwinter to promote the notion that Jacobitism is opposed to the Sassenach swine – but that ain’t necessarily so. Back in the ’45 there were many Jacked-up Jacobite Southrons, including Samuel Johnson who supported the Jacobite cause…

I've never been to Derby, to Derby in the Midlands, but when I get the dough I'll live and die in Derby, to Derby I will go!
I've never been to Edinburgh to Dunedin in the Snow, but when I get the money to the Fringe Festival I will go!
I never been to Culloden of which I'm very gung-ho, but when I get the dough I'll fight to the death to visit, you never never know!
I've never been Skye diving - just between you and I - be if it have the money I'll spend it on something more precious than scaring myself still and shitting on people from a great height - hey nonny no!!!