the bones are

The Bones Are

Sutherland_TheBonesAreThere_interior04.indd 2Sutherland_TheBonesAreThere_interior04.indd 2 2020-09-03 4:56 PM2020-09-03 4:56 PM

The Bones Are

ThereKate Sutherland

Book*hug PressToronto


FIRST EDITIONcopyright © 2020 by Kate SutherlandALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Title: 1 e bones are there / Kate Sutherland.Names: Sutherland, Kate, 1966– author.Description: Poems.Identi5 ers: Canadiana (print) 20200294989 | Canadiana (ebook) 20200295055

ISBN 9781771666251 (so; cover) | ISBN 9781771666268 (EPUB)ISBN 9781771666275 (PDF) | ISBN 9781771666282 (Kindle)

Classi5 cation: LCC PS8587.U795 B66 2020 | DDC C811/.54—dc23

Printed in Canada

1 e production of this book was made possible through the generous assistance of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council. Book*hug Press also acknowledges the support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund and the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Book Publishing Tax Credit and the Ontario Book Fund.

Book*hug Press acknowledges that the land on which we operate is the traditional territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippawa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples. We recognize the enduring presence of many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples and are grateful for the opportunity to meet and work on this territory.


· 3 ·

Signal Codes

If it should be decided to sail in foggy weatherIf it should be necessary to anchorIf the anchor should not hold If you should see landIf the ship should run agroundIf the ship should spring a leakIf we should become separatedIf a;er separating we should not meet again

Hoist a pennant from the topmast and 5re one gunA wide pennant, a blue @ag, a red @ag, a tricolour @agHang two lanterns on the @agstaAShow a light at the stern, ring bells and beat drumsStop and 5re two guns, keep on 5ringExplode a cask of powder, light a fuse


· 4 ·

The St. Paul

Topgallantsail wind, cold, cloudy Unsteady wind and little of it. Clearwith passing clouds. Topsail wind. Light rain Foggy. Heavy fog. Gale blowing1e oBcers wished to speak with us1e Captain said it was not safe to send a manin the small yawl. We drew near and talked through the trumpet. We changed our courseso that the two ships might not become separated1e St. Paul was astern of us about ¼ mile, 1 mile, 1½ miles awayNot in sight. We beat the drum and rang the bell hung a lighted lantern over the stern1e St. Paul disappeared at 10 o’clock


· 5 ·

The Map

We were led astray by the unreliable mapHad we sailed E by N instead of SE by Ewe should have reached the American mainlandin eight days. 1e map must have been false We must have skipped across the so-calledJuan de Gama’s land. I suspect the gentlemenwho drew up these charts obtained their knowledgefrom visions. It is an easy matter to sit in a warm roomsetting down on paper distorted accountsand guesswork. If they must exercise imaginationlet them keep their reveries to themselvesWe did not 5nd land there, not the least trace of itNot birds, dri;wood or seaweed. By July 14thhalf our water was gone


· 6 ·

Signs of Land

Red and white sea nettles, a large mass of reed grass, various species of seaweedadri;. Rock ducks and @ocks of gulls1e frequent occurrence of animalsnot commonly met in the open sea: sea otterscompelled by the shape of their heartsto keep close to shore. We should have made itin three or four days, ten at the mosthad we taken advantage of the plainest signsof nearness of land. We saw land as early as July 15thbut because I was 5rst to announce itand it was not clear enough to make a picturethe announcement was dismissed. Six weeksa;er leaving Avacha we reached land


· 7 ·

Observations and Collections

Of strange and unknown birds, I noted manyeasily distinguished from Siberian and European species by their bright colours. I sent my Cossack out to shootsome rare birds. Good luck placed in my handsa single specimen of which I remember seeing a likenessin the latest account of the birds and plants of the Carolinas1is bird proved to me we were in AmericaOf fruit-bearing shrubs and plants, I met with a newand elsewhere unknown species of raspberry. A few bushesshould be taken in a box with soil and sent to St. Petersburgfor further propagation. Dead tired, I penned descriptionsof the rarer plants I was afraid might wither. At sunsetI betook myself with what I had collected to the shipwhere, to my astonishment, I was treated to chocolate


· 8 ·

Meeting Americans

A 5replace, human tracks, a fox on the run A cellar concealed beneath cut grassA summer hut of hewn boardsTook: bundles of smoked 5sh, thongsof seaweed, bows and arrows, a wooden basketa shovel, a small copper-stained stoneLe;: a piece of green silk, 2 iron knives, 2 smokingpipes, a pound of leaf tobacco, 20 glass beads1e shout of human voicesAmericans in sealskin kayaks 1ey would not accept our gi;sspat out Russian liquorWe 5red two shots in the airAll these islands are uninhabited


· 9 ·

Language Di!culties

A long speech in a loud voiceWe construed it as an incantation, a prayer or a ceremony to welcome us as friendsWe assumed most cordial expressionscovered our lances, sabres, and gunsNo one could understand their languageOur interpreter called to them in Chukchi and Koriakbut they could not understand him and pointed to their ears

I talked to them using an English bookthat had American words with English translations I questioned them about waterI asked them about wood

воды water nibi taangâx

дерево wood mittik yâgaq


· 10 ·

Water Water

!e mate was sent to the largest island to fetch water I made eAorts at once to locate a watering place He returned speedily bringing a small sample I found several springs with good and wholesome water We did not "nd it particularly good 1e sailors chose the 5rst and nearest stagnant puddle It had a faint #avour of salt I pointed out that by using their water the scurvy would quickly increase Such water was always better than nothing Its lime content would cause people to dry up and lose strength We could at any rate use it for cooking 1e answer was: ‘Why, what is the matter with this water?’ We would have to continue using the supply we already had for drinking ‘1e water is good, 5ll up with it!’ Being very sparing with it, we ought to be able to make it see us through I ought to have been listened to in my capacity of physician We had no time to lose In the meantime I had found a still nearer watering place than the beloved salty puddle We made arrangements to bring as much water as possible on board I returned to the vessel to once more present my opinion on the bad water We worked through the night My opinion was again spurned Our ship was not lying at all safely I resolved in the future I would see to the preservation of my own self alone Almost any southerly wind could pounce down without us being able to


· 11 ·

run for shelter 1e oBcers sent ashore a few barrels to be 5lled from the place I had indicated for their own consumption !at was why we wished to replenish our supplies of water in all haste In the great hurry the barrels of spring water were le; behind on shore


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