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Loch Katrine

From: Ian Thompson <ian.thompson~at~ges.gla.ac.uk>
Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:57:54 +0000
To: Jules Verne Forum <jvf~at~gilead.org.il>

Yesterday was a cold sunny day in Glasgow and I took advantage of this
for a stroll in Kelvingrove Park which Jules Verne had traversed by
coach on the morning of 30th August 1859. I paused for a moment in front
of the magnificent Stewart Fountain. This superb edifice was built to
celebrate the arrrival of Glasgow's clean water supply from Loch
Katrine, replacing the previous supply of filthy water direct from the
Clyde. Two thoughts came to mind;
1.The aqueduct transporting the water to Glasgow was opened by Queen
Victoria on the 14th October 1859, just a couple of month's after Verne
and Hignard sailed the length of Loch Katrine. Yet Verne makes no
mention of the construction in Voyages à reculons even though the works
were visible and there was even a temporary worker's village in this
extremely remote location. Nor does he take into account the function of
Loch Katrine in Les Indes Noires....the draining of the Loch at the
climax of the novel would have deprived the huge city of Glasgow of its
water supply! Perhaps his eyes were diverted to the north of the loch
(the lands of Rob Roy) or perhaps he was absorbed in the thoughts of
Scott's the Lady of the Lake and of the legends of fairies and
goblins...the question of urban water supply was perhaps too prosaic a
preoccupation in this magical setting and superb scenery.
2 Looking at the detail of the huge fountain, which represents aspects
of the Lady of the Lake, the base consists of sculptures of nine birds
of prey, including two owls. This immediately brings to mind the Harfang
(Snowy Owl) from Les Indes Noires and the episodes involving owl attack
in Nodier's travel guide. A direct link cannot be made other than that
Loch Katrine and the Trossachs were renowned for the proliferation of
birds of prey (an owl is mentioned in the poem Lady of the Lake) and
Verne's use of a raptor in Les Indes Noires is consistent with an
ornithological reality.
My conclusion at the end of my walk is that for the well informed
Vernian it is impossible to walk within central Glasgow without
encountering echoes of Jules Verne.
Ian Thompson
Received on Wed 17 Feb 2010 - 14:57:58 IST

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