Dover Whale
Getting the right computer graphics is always problematic, particularly if you don’t want to pay for them, don’t know what you want, don’t really have any great flair in graphic design.
The Dover Clipart Collection is very interesting, though, as was the time we spent browsing through the Dover Bookshop in Covent Garden this afternoon. Interesting too that their business model revolves around selling CD-ROMs. They could make a fortune if they had a good online system for browsing and buying. Then again, they could lose a fortune too through sharing and piracy. I suppose as long as they can charge £10 or more for a book and CD-ROM, they should do it.
As the web matures, it’s increasingly unreasonable these days to expect a really professional resource to be completely free. I’m prepared to pay a modest amount to Flickr for their photo service. I pay a sub to my ISP, as well as my web-hosting provider, and for a couple of domain names that I’ve adopted over time. If I really want quality ready-made images, maybe I should subscribe to something like Clipart.com. A few years back, with slow connections, low quality printing, I’d have baulked, but now it seems more reasonable.
So anyway, I’m looking for a free clipart image of a whale. Before you know it I’ve hit on Mediæval Woodcut Clipart - lots of ugly fishes and antique behemoths, but nothing truly whale-like. Then I remembered that the image already in my mind was the great illustration on the cover of John Tavener’s Apple LP, The Whale. So, I thought, why don’t I just use that. So I did.
Why am I looking for a picture of a whale? Because I’m indebted to a letter in the Guardian today that managed to connect the suprise appearance of a whale in the Thames, with the great William McGonagall, who was also featured in a long article last weekend, a sort of antidote to Burn’s Night. McGonagall himself witnessed the appearance of a whale in, guess where, the silvery Tay, and you won’t be surprised to hear me say, he wrote a poem about it, and here it is in full (until I get round to editing it), in case you doubt it:
The Famous Tay Whale
by William McGonagall
‘TWAS in the month of December, and in the year 1883,
That a monster whale came to Dundee,
Resolved for a few days to sport and play,
And devour the small fishes in the silvery Tay.
So the monster whale did sport and play
Among the innocent little fishes in the beautiful Tay,
Until he was seen by some men one day,
And they resolved to catch him without delay.
When it came to be known a whale was seen in the Tay,
Some men began to talk and to say,
We must try and catch this monster of a whale,
So come on, brave boys, and never say fail.
Then the people together in crowds did run,
Resolved to capture the whale and to have some fun!
So small boats were launched on the silvery Tay,
While the monster of the deep did sport and play.
Oh! it was a most fearful and beautiful sight,
To see it lashing the water with its tail all its might,
And making the water ascend like a shower of hail,
With one lash of its ugly and mighty tail.
Then the water did descend on the men in the boats,
Which wet their trousers and also their coats;
But it only made them the more determined to catch the whale,
But the whale shook at them his tail.
Then the whale began to puff and to blow,
While the men and the boats after him did go,
Armed well with harpoons for the fray,
Which they fired at him without dismay.
And they laughed and grinned just like wild baboons,
While they fired at him their sharp harpoons:
But when struck with,the harpoons he dived below,
Which filled his pursuers’ hearts with woe.
Because they guessed they had lost a prize,
Which caused the tears to well up in their eyes;
And in that their anticipations were only right,
Because he sped on to Stonehaven with all his might:
And was first seen by the crew of a Gourdon fishing boat
Which they thought was a big coble upturned afloat;
But when they drew near they saw it was a whale,
So they resolved to tow it ashore without fail.
So they got a rope from each boat tied round his tail,
And landed their burden at Stonehaven without fail;
And when the people saw it their voices they did raise,
Declaring that the brave fishermen deserved great praise.
And my opinion is that God sent the whale in time of need,
No matter what other people may think or what is their creed;
I know fishermen in general are often very poor,
And God in His goodness sent it drive poverty from their door.
So Mr John Wood has bought it for two hundred and twenty-six pound,
And has brought it to Dundee all safe and all sound;
Which measures 40 feet in length from the snout to the tail,
So I advise the people far and near to see it without fail.
Then hurrah! for the mighty monster whale,
Which has got 17 feet 4 inches from tip to tip of a tail!
Which can be seen for a sixpence or a shilling,
That is to say, if the people all are willing.