'Translated and made better' is a 19th C. Jewish literary formula for works of this nature, that raise the questions: who is the author? who made the book?
A re-presentation, it was decided, is a renewal, a transformation, and that is at the least a useful thought, even if it may not be accurate.
In this instance the text of Joseph Sowry's diary has not been changed at all, apart from one or two possible errors during the act of transcription. The whole thing is presented here. In the accompanying poems the text is used again, and only rarely are my own words interspersed in any way.
The purpose of this work is to make poetry from the diary.
Joseph Sowry settled in the Wairarapa, and was three times elected Mayor of Woodville. He died in 1904, aged 66. His descendents are numerous and widespread.
Leicester Kyle
•
Contents:
The Log of Joseph Sowry
(February 1st - June 8th 1862)
1. off we set to go
[2]
[3]
[4]
2. Like the rest they fell
[5]
[6]
3. poor sons
[7]
[8]
4. Left
[9]
[10]
5. suckcide
[11]
[12]
6. about a good bit
[13]
[14]
7. We have A Minister of the church
[15]
[16]
8. Down the hatchway
[17]
[18]
9. This morning the child
[19]
[20]
10. the stars
[21]
[22]
[23]
11. get up A compney
[24]
[25]
12. devil of the single wemon
[26]
[27]
13. all saile out
[28]
[29]
[30]
14. Not asleep
[31]
[32]
15. it was A very good time
[33]
[34]
16. on-one never gave us one
[35]
[36]
[37]
17. fudge and Judge
[38]
[39]
18. I forgot
[40]
[41]
[42]
19. It is verry hot today
[43]
[44]
20. to day as been A day of life
[45]
[46]
[47]
21. I have been thinking
[48]
[49]
22. know
[50]
[51]
23. we had service at 1/2 past 10
[52]
[53]
24. This morning we see
[54]
[55]
25. At 3AM
[56]
[57]
26. at 6 O
[58]
[59]
27. A good sise ship.
[60]
61]
28. and now the bark before the wind
62]
[63]
29. A outward bound
[64]
[65]
30. we have
[66]
[67]
31. rowling About
[68]
[69]
32. dark and gloomy
[70]
[71]
33. the drink to die
[72]
[73]
34. from Christ
[74]
[75]
35. to
[76]
[77]
36. every appearance
[78]
[79]
37. Lattude 41-0-
[80]
[81]
38. sea rowlls
[82]
[83]
[84]
39. the whole truth
[85]
[86]
40. going out
[87]
[88]
41. All sail reefed Except
[89]
[90]
42. and of a sound mind
[91]
[92]
43. A broked down women
[93]
[94]
44. part rain
[95]
[96]
45. A dead dry tale
[97]
[98]
46. very Cold today
[99]
[100]
47. lookers out for land
[101]
[102]
48. plenty
[103]
[104]
49. that every I saw in my life
[105]
[106]
[107]
50. the pritest place
[108]
[109]
51. bailey
[110]
[111]
52. 1st
[112]
[113]
53. we Left our native Land and
[114]
[115]
54. Song of the Wooding Houses
[116]
•
© Leicester Kyle, 1997
•
Editorial Note
The copytext for both facsimile and transcription is my own copy of Leicester's original photocopied text.
- Jack Ross,
Mairangi Bay, March 2012.
•
© Leicester Kyle Literary Estate, 2012
•
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