The West Virginia University Press will publish an important piece of West Virginia writing that has been forgotten both by West Virginians and the world at large.
First published in 1853, The Blackwater Chronicle, an account of an 1851 fishing expedition, provides an example of the literary traditions of the mid 19th century. At its sesquicentennial anniversary, this publication remains, to the modern reader, both a significant resource and an interesting tale.
Originally published in New York, London and Germany, the book has become a lost treasure, forgotten by almost all except those with an interest in the environmental observations that are found throughout the text. Last printed on a small scale by the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, it has become a rare book with used copies selling at the rate of $199.
However, the text has much more to offer than historical observations of the unspoiled landscape. While these are of vast importance, the literary context from which it stems is of equal significance.
WVU Professor of English, Timothy Sweet, who has edited this new edition to retain the text as it was presented in the original printing, discusses the literary value of The Blackwater Chronicle in his introduction.
"We can trace its lineage from 17th century exploration and settlement narratives by the likes of Captain John Smith and Thomas Morton through William Byrd's History of the Dividing Line and Secret History of the Line to Washington Irving's A Tour on the Prairies--or Henry David Thoreau's The Maine Woods," Dr. Sweet wrote.
The text is also full of literary allusion, and the characters quote from sources such as the Bible and the Iiliad. Also, allusions to the style of Chaucer can be found on the title page where the author identifies himself as the "The Clerke of Oxenforde." The style of Chaucer can later be observed in the text as well when Kennedy provides descriptions, albeit humorous descriptions, of the travelers as they begin their journey into the unexplored Canaan. This type of reference makes the text useful to both the student and scholar of 19th century literature.
Sweet argues that this type of allusion "provides significant insight into antebellum literary culture, reminding us that literature was as great a presence in Kennedy's daily life as photographs, television or film are in ours."
Kennedy's humor and wit sets Blackwater Chronicle apart from other writings in its genre. His comparisons of the Blackwater expedition with famous historical expeditions such as those of Caesar in Gaul create a tongue in cheek tone that he sustains throughout the writing.
Furthermore, the quotation of songs and ballads that the party sings while they are on the expedition augment the comradeship that is an essential part of the text. Dr. Sweet writes, "--few writers capture so well as Kennedy the genial banter of male camaraderie."
Blackwater Chronicle is a text that has remained too long out of print, offering not only the first documented expedition to the Blackwater region, but also an important piece of literature that all students should be reading.
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