J. R. Carpenter

Issue 14 · Fall 2014

I. Generative (Classical)

II. Quotidian (1775)

1 January: entered the Southern Atlantick Ocean. landed on Staten Island

6 January: the Carpenters at work upon a spar we got at Norfolk Island

9 January: many dread to fall in with land. I am quite impartial

14 January: an island of ice turned out to be land wholly covered with snow

16 January: named an island Bird on account of the vast number upon it

17 January: not a tree or shrub to be seen, not even big enough to make a tooth-pick

20 January: this isle cannot produce ten thousand part of the ice we have seen.
either there must be more land, or else ice is formed without it

23 January: after two hours of thick fog, clear weather gave us a sight of 3 or 4 rocky islets

27 January: farther I did not intend to go, unless some certain signs of soon meeting with land

28 January : the ice islands which surrounded us showed a flat even surface.
some were two or three miles in circuit

31 January : the fog cleared away a little and we discovered land ahead.
3 rocky islets of considerable height, the outer-most terminated in a lofty peak like a Sugar Loaf

2 February: no more Cape Brandy or Arrack on board.
named an island Southern Thule, the most southern land yet discovered

6 February: set our course North. we were now not in a condition to undertake great things

8 February: this wind seems to conduct us nearer & nearer to the end of our career

21 February: it was no longer to be doubted. the ice hills had deceived us

 

III. Minimal (Recently)

don’t fret
sea wet

mist and haze
come inland

come hell or
high water

come home sick
come house wreck

come sea wrack and
ruin strewn ashore

wind lift
spin drift

gale blown
spray sown
storm seeds

spoon drift
moon lifts

far flung
low slung
sea lung

a frozen tide
a breath suspended

a plant of the borage family
sea lung wort

leaves with an oyster-like flavour
neither land nor sea nor vapour

impassable
impossible
impenetrable