Post #37073 by Kailuageoff on Tue, Jun 3, 2003 8:10 AM

Under a different topic ( http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=2752&forum=1&start=45&45 )I posted about a book called "Confessions of a Beachcomber", by E. J. Banfield, first published in 1908.

It was written after the author and his wife fled civilization for the simplicity of island living off the coast of Australia.

If Hanford will indulge me, I thought I would use this topic to post whatever interesting passages I stumble across. The idea is not to solicit replies, but to publish some of the text for those that are interested.

From the forward by A.H. Chisolm, 1933 edition:

"The author was a man who, falling desperately ill through overwork, had retreated to a tropic Isle, where, on regaining his strength, he had discovered a new interest in life; and there he and his wife had carved for themselves a home in the wilderness; there they had made friends of aborigines; and, above all, together they had placated the Spririt of the Isle, so that as the years passed they became more and more attached to their insular kingdom and had no desire to return to the haunts of men. Much of the Beachcomber's warm affection for the Isle -- for the untrammeled life which it afforded, and for its novelty, beauty and interest -- welled out in his CONFESSIONS, and at once the imagination of a considerable audience was captured."

From the text, page 10 -- "Had we not cast aside all traditions, revolting from the uniformity of life, from the rules of the bush as well as the conventionalities of scociety? Here we were to indulge our caprices, work out our own salvation, live in accordance with our own primitive notions, and, if possible, find Pleasure in haunts which it is not popularly supposed to frequent.

"Others may point to higher ideals and tell of exciting experiences, of success achieved, and glory and honor won. Ours not to envy superior qualifications and victories which call for strife and struggle, but to submit oursleves joyfully to the charms of the 'simple life."

page 14 -- "This was our very own life we were beginning to live; not life hampered and restricted by the wills, wishes and whims of others, but life unencumbered by the domineering wisdom, unembarassed by the formal courtesies of the crowd."

page 43 (subtitle to Chapter II) -- "For the Beachcomber, when not a mere ruffian, is the poor relation of the artist."

page 45 -- "The Beachcomber of tradition parades his coral islet barefooted, bullying guileless natives out of their copra, coconut oil and pearl-shell; his chief diet, turtle and turtle eggs and fish; his drink, rum or coconut milk -- the later only when the former is impossible. When a wreck happens he becomes a potentate in pajamas, and with his dusky wives, dressed in bright vestiture, fares sumptuously. And though the ships from the isles do not meet to 'pour the wealth of ocean in tribute at his feet,' he can still 'rush out of his lodgings and eat oysters in regular desperation.' A whack on his hardened head from the club of a jealous native is the time-honored fate of the typical Beachcomber."

[ Edited by: kailuageoff on 2003-06-03 08:11 ]

[ Edited by: kailuageoff on 2003-06-03 08:12 ]

[ Edited by: Hanford_Lemoore on 2003-06-05 21:24 ]