Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0022823, Fri, 11 May 2012 16:28:17 +0300

Subject
Severn Tories
Date
Body
Dolly, an only child, born in Bras, married in 1840, at the tender and wayward age of fifteen, General Ivan Durmanov, Commander of Yukon Fortress and peaceful country gentleman, with lands in the Severn Tories (Severniya Territorii)... (Ada, 1.1)

In his hilarious "Географические изучения" (Geographic Studies, 1860) I. Nivolog (penname of Ivan Golovin) mentions the Severn River that flows in Canada and connects Lakes Simcoe and Couchiching with Lake Huron. Some place names in the book are russified. E. g., the Fever River becomes reka Goryachka, Nebraska, Nebrashka, etc.

Nivolog also mentions Gudson (sic) who, sent by the Moscow Company, reached the NW extremity of Spitsberg (sic) in 1607.

Dr Krolik was swiftly running on short legs after a very special orange-tip above timberline, in another hemisphere... (1.8)

Dr Krolik (whose name means "rabbit") probably collected butterflies in Africa. Nivolog mentions hares that inhabit hot Africa: "наш соотечественник заяц живёт и в этом знойном климате." The author (who, incidentally, was mad) notes that Africa resembles an ear (Африка походит на ухо).

Grizzly bear - ursus ferox - не оправдывает молву о лютости своей ("does not justify its rumored ferocity")

According to Nivolog, in Australia ("New Holland") the flowers have no smell and the birds no voice. The cannibals of African nem-nem and tangal tribes have tails (люди с хвостами). The animal Ayu is human to a half, of the whales family (manatus). Palmerstone and Wellington are Irish. England hugged (облапила) her brother island (своего брата-остров). There are other gems.

Alexey Sklyarenko

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