WCP1332

[1]

Haaf Cottage

Yelverton

RSO

S. Devon

Dec 22. 1903

My dear Sir

Your letter, no doubt rather takes away from my claim to priority in the identification of the Islands of Wak-Wak;¹ but at the same time it adds to the solidity of that identification. I certainly knew nothing of that any one else having done it. It came to me in a flash when reading your description of the cry of the Birds of Paradise,² as I have said in my paper.³ The tracing of Hassan[']s⁴ route was a more laborious affair and took me a year or two.

My knowledge of the A. Nights, which [2] is pretty intimate, happened in this way: When beginning practice, as a Dentist, I had not much, to do, so I occupied my spare time with reading; and Lanes A. Nights⁴ was one of the books at hand.

Hassans itinerary, until he arrives at the "[illeg.]” in the first of the islands of Wák-wák, I adhere to as solid; but the subsequent route, through the lands of Birds, Beasts & Fairy Djin, I must confess I am in some doubt about; but I gave in my paper the best explanation I could arrive at. I shall be interested in seeing how you explain it, if you do not accept the one I have given.

It is rather curious that you should feel inclined "to enlarge upon the truths almost always [3] underlying the stories of Savages". Because, after working out Hassans story, I also had the same idea and worked it up for a Lecture which I delivered, at our Institute, "On the natural history of the Arabian Nights"! Though I should certainly should not include muslims as savages.

I quite accept your explanation about writing, in your own name.⁹ I was afraid the other plan would prove impracticable, and should not have proposed it if you had not first done so.

You may not have noticed my touch about flying serpents and Dragon flies, in the opening sentences of the paper, and so I will hazard a few word[s] in explanation. I was walking on the moor here one day, when a remarkable [4] flying affair passed me and settled on the wall. On examining it I found it to consist of two of the largest size dragon flies attached to each other, not in coitus; but the claspers at the tail of the foremost embracing the neck of the hinder one; and on asking our entomologist about it; he told me that, amongst these insects that is a common preliminary. Now the story in the A. Nts. <Arabian Nights> turns upon how a wealthy lady finds herself alone in the desert when two flying serpents alight by her and one has the tail of the other in its mouth, trying to devour it, the lady kills the devourer and the other flies away: but being a fairy comes back and delivers the lady from her peril. The startling appearance I had seen; the fact of the narrator being a Lady; and the name Dragon fly sufficiently account for the story in my mind.

Yours truly | F H Balkwill⁴ [signature]

D^r. Wallace