MDMD(5): Unreadable Map-Scape

[Michel Ryckx]

The first paragraph of Chapter 7 keeps on puzzling me.  Each of all
those vague mentions; giving, as I stated, a dreamy atmospere is well
worth a discussion.  I won't stop you.  But I like one of these
especially:

"Unreadable Map-scape of Africa" (58.5)

One can read this Map-scape in several ways.  Picking two:

1. Historical: there is the fascinating history of creating maps and
globes. From the 16th century on, there were a lot of scientists who
were trying to make maps and globes.  But many of these maps did not go
further than describing the coasts.  It was only when the Continent
Inner Africa was discovered from a European point of view, during 19th
century, more complete maps became available; up till then many maps and
globes contained white patches and/or conjectures, quite often based on
old legends.  'Unreadable' meaning thus: not providing information.

2. Metaphysical: our Surveyors  come to continent largely unknown.  As
everybody needs a map to read the signs (map being a symbol, or a
substitute for reality), they will not be able to unravel the Cape
reality, as they are puzzled by most things at the Cape, their only
strongholds being Magick, Food & Drink.

But there is more, much more:

The sea is, as always, rough when nearing the Cape: the two places in
the world where Atlantic and Pacific meet (Cape Horn in Patagonia, and
Cape of Storms, as it was originally called, in now South Africa) are
known for their dangerous maelstrom.  It seems as a camera takes over,
all the while going up and down on the waves: from the sea, they see
first the unreadable Map-scape, giving the continent a magical
impression or at least a dreamy one. Tops of mountains follow.  But are
they mountains?. Then the first buildings become visible --the
fortification in the first place--, they become more and more clear
(cristalline), ending in ev'ry detail, 'including the Invisible' in all
its 'violent chastity', which is, I think, the human presence, last to
be discovered; they will indeed come into a small society, ruled by a
Calvinist pureness, or chastity, and under the surface there's only
oppression, violence and death.  It is already the 'Siege' becoming
present, mentioned a bit later.

I had two echoes in my head when reading, and reading again this
passage:

1. From a rather literary-technical point of view: this camera eye
reminded me of a passage in Homer's Iliad where there is a description
of the plain before Troy; and seven (nine? eleven?) of those cursed
homeric comparisons describe an ever nearing the army, up 'til a
close-up of the story's protagonist; it was hard to translate, I
remember.  Check our own copy.

2. The other one I found  thanks to Terrance who more or less asked us
to pay attention to Melville's Reminiscences.  It is the Encantadas.
This description of the Galapagos Isles is surrounded by a magical
atmosphere not unlike this paragraph.

But we're nearing the presence of the 'Heren XVII' . . .

Michel.