Posted by Peter in Japan (forwarded by Ian) on September 17, 1997 at 09:50:25:
This is my catalogue of background data which provides information about
relationships between Nancy's and Peggy's natives. Obvious "foreground"
data, like well-known passages about the GA are not included, only
snippets that might be hard to find. Shorthand style, punctuation esp
apostrophe's, and some other bits ommitted
SA ch 10
Peggy: He's nothing to do with us. he's a native and very unfriendly
Nancy: The knife was given us by our Uncle Jim for polishing the cannon
on the houseboat
... I thought you said he was your enemy...
P: He's only our uncle sometimes. He was last year but this year he's in
league with the natives, and the natives are very unffriendly
N: That was last year... He was friendly last year. This year hes in
league with the natives
P: We are sick of natives. And we wanted to be allies at once, if only we
hadnt promised to be home for lunch... there wasnt time for anything
else. Then we went home.
N: ... broadside for broadside...even if it had made us late for lunch
P: ....I was sick of enemies, what with natives and Uncle Jim being no
good this year
SA ch 11
He brought the parrot from Zanzibar. hes been all over the world. Mother
says he was the black sheep of the family when he was very young, so he
went to South America.... Mothers his sister...
...we used to sail with him in Amazon...he gave us Amazon...
Theres a motorboat which you mustnt touch -- it belongs to the natives.
SA ch 13
Old Billy: I mind well when Mrs Blackett, little Miss Turner she was
then, came to see me and my hut when she was no bigger than what you are
now miss [susan] She and master Jim.
SA ch 16
Mary Walker: Mrs Blackett called on me yeterday ... couple of tomboys...
Their Uncle lives on that houseboat. Mrs Blackett says hes busy with some
writing...shes afraid her tomboys lead him a terrible life...
SA ch 22
N: We must get home in time to get up for breakfast... weve got leave to
come and camp on the island. Mother had a party last night... people
coming today, the sort we have to be best-frocked for...
SA ch 24
[Sammys] mother used to be Mothers nurse, and our nurse too when we
were very young
SA ch 31
Mrs Blacket jumped ashore into her brothers arms
Capt F: Nancy when shes a pirate, my dear
SD ch 1
Note: NATIVE TROUBLE. CAPTAIN FLINT IS STUCK TOO.
SD ch 3
Mrs Dixon: She never did hold with them rampaging around in a boat
N: Aunt maria doesnt like tobacco
P: He isnt allowed to live there [houseboat]
SD ch 9
Old MrsSwainson: ... it seems no time since your mother came in ... no
bigger than you... I was a grown woman then too.
Neddy Swainson: 60, 65, 70 years, [been married]
... They dont look like Blacketts or Turners
What do you think of my youngest grandchild?
SD ch 13
N: As soon as she heard you had gone [GA --> head of lake] ...to tell the
vicar how things should be done
N: If only it werent for the Great Aunt.
N: [grimly] Did you? [see us in the carriage]
P: Hes as much afraid of the GA as we are
N: Much more.
Titty: I think the GA must be horrid
Captain Flint said neither "yes" nor "no" to that.
SD ch 15
CF: But Im not living in the houseboat just now
Roger: Why not?
[Capt Flint said nothing for a moment ...at last:] Look here Roger, the
very first minute...
R: Lets go and do it now
T: He cant... its the Great Aunt
CF: She isnt going to stop forever
John: Perhaps its a good thing they cant come [mast work]
CF: They dont think its a good thing
T: I think its horrid that they cant come
CF: So do I ... but it cant be helped
MW: Poor dears ...terrible time
MW: I wouldnt say she came to make friends ... curiosity call... to know
what we were like
T: Didnt she make friends when she saw how nice you are?
MW: Perhaps she didnt think so
[She would say no more about the GA]
SD 17
P: Lets come here and hide [PDs cave]
N: No good... because of Mother
N: ... shove her in, wall her up
N: It isnt as if it was only us. We can stand it. But she will go for
mother. And when Uncle Jim's not there, she's even worse.
Last night she made mother cry. It was about us of course. She dragged
father in. We knew because we heard Uncle Jim...
"Bob would have liked them just the way they are" ... "Mops"
[Nancy walked away suddenly. But she came back with her face very red]
N: If only we could get her to go... cod liver oil...stones...
but it would only make it worse for Mother
[wax doll discussed]
You could use it as a pincushion...
She'll go... shes only stopping now because she knows Mother would let us
come and camp with you...
P: There must be no mistake about supper
N: Therell be a dreadful shivering of timbers
[dog trail scene, describes Nancy's knowledge of the lake country etc]
N: all 3 meals...
P: and we really did mean to be back at dinner
T: but you can tell her
N: She'd only look at Mother
SD 24
CF: Betwixt and between [etc] Casabianca...
N: [describes heathen Goddess scene]
SD 25
Once when we were little and Nurse... [describes hiding under the oak
where they hid the native canoe, presumably Nurse is Mrs Lewthwaite]
N: [mother] wanted you to come but... [GA prevented]
SD 17
...housemaid dancing... Cook said "Now we can breath again." And it wasnt
any good Mother and Uncle Jim pretending
Uncle Jims so sick of being a nephew hes going to be a first-rate uncle
for a change
------------------------------------------
August 2nd 1901 We climbed the Matterhorn
Molly Turner
J. Turner
Bob Blackett
-----------------------------------------
"That's Mother and Uncle Jim" said peggy in a queer voice.
"Who is Bob Blackett" asked Susan
"He was Father" said Nancy
Nobody said anything for a minute...
P: I wonder how Mother and Uncle Jim escaped from the great aunt to come
up here... she was looking after them you know
N: Probably father rescued them
N: Perhaps in another 30 years... she broke off, but presently laughed.
SD 30
[Old? Young?] Billy: Theres old Miss Turner staying at Beckfoot. Youll
not be seing so much of the lasses I reckon
SD 36
Molly B: [...children friends of elders vs terrified subjects...]
N: We'll pretend its great aunt steak
[Mrs B pretended not to hear]
Mary Walker: was she really as bad as all that?
Susan: She probably didnt mean to be but she was
CF: Cook's nearly as bad [as GA]
-----
and finally:
Cook is 2nd cousin to Tom's [Jack's brother's] wife
ie Mary Swainson's boyfriend's wife's 2nd cousin