11 The Cataract of Lahore - The Sandy Cove Atlas

11 The Cataract of Lahore

The Marks

There are at least 20 marks on Plate 24 India. Four are in blue crayon, 14 in orange, one place (Lahore) is underlined in both colours, and the Portuguese enclave of Goa is underlined in pencil. I suggest the blue marks were made by Joyce.

Someone, presumably a teacher, has marked both Lahore and Amritsir in red. Someone else, possibly Joyce, has marked Lahore and three neighbouring rivers (Ravee, Chenab and Indus) in blue.

The Texts

Penelope
God I remember one time I could scout it out straight whistling like a man almost easy O Lord how noisy I hope theyre bubbles on it for a wad of money from some fellow Ill have to perfume it in the morning dont forget I bet he never saw a better pair of thighs than that look how white they are the smoothest place is right there between this bit there how soft like a peach easy God I wouldnt mind being a man and get up on a lovely woman O Lord what a row youre making like the jersey lily easy easy O how the waters come down at Lahore

A street in Lahore, the centre of India’s wheat region.

Discussion

‘Oh how the waters come down at Lahore!’ Molly is misquoting only slightly a poem Robert Southey wrote for his children. It describes “The Cataract of Lodore” in the English Lake District with onomatopoeic brilliance.

Our attribution of the blue mark under Lahore to Joyce is greatly strengthened by the fact that of the other four blue marks on Plate 24, three are made beside rivers – the Ravee, the Chenab and the Indus. Some more water-courses are marked on Plate 3 Europe and Plate 19 Russia. River names and puns are a feature of Finnegans Wake. If the scenario is correct, Joyce was already charmed by them in 1904.