Some lives are untold for a good reason. Several years ago Asian
and African Studies added to the stock of their Reading Room a
four-volume Encyclopaedia of Exploration compiled by Raymond
Howgego (OIA 910.903). What was remarkable about this was that it
included a note in the first volume stating that one of the thousands of
entries was completely fictitious, and a case of champagne was offered
to the first reader diligent enough to identify the spoof. I recognized a
kindred spirit in Mr Howgego, but quailed at attempting to comb through
well over 3000 pages of text.
The champagne has been claimed (and no doubt drunk). The indefatigable winner, a German gentleman living in Nice, proved correct in recognizing that his putative fellow countryman, Friedrich Spassvogel - born in Hildesheim in 1606, lost an eye in battle during the Thirty Years' War, went to sea in the 'Treibend' in 1632 in an attempt to break the Anglo-Dutch monopoly in trade with the East, captured and taken to Nova Scotia, escaped to Maine, tried to establish a colony in Georgia, captured for a second time by Spaniards and imprisoned along with his native American wife in Madrid, freed after the payment of a ransom, published his memoirs in Leipzig in 1658 which were later translated into Dutch, French and English, died in Cologne in 1672 - never actually existed. A clue is provided by his surname, which means 'wag'.
Map of the southern part of the coast of Maine c. 1680. (Add. 13970 A)
© The British Library Board
Mr Howgego has just completed a fifth volume of his Encyclopaedia, and appropriately enough this is about imaginary travel narratives.
Meanwhile, I believe that the film rights to 'The Adventures of Friedrich Spassvogel' are still available ...
Hedley Sutton
Asian and African Studies Reference Team Leader
The champagne has been claimed (and no doubt drunk). The indefatigable winner, a German gentleman living in Nice, proved correct in recognizing that his putative fellow countryman, Friedrich Spassvogel - born in Hildesheim in 1606, lost an eye in battle during the Thirty Years' War, went to sea in the 'Treibend' in 1632 in an attempt to break the Anglo-Dutch monopoly in trade with the East, captured and taken to Nova Scotia, escaped to Maine, tried to establish a colony in Georgia, captured for a second time by Spaniards and imprisoned along with his native American wife in Madrid, freed after the payment of a ransom, published his memoirs in Leipzig in 1658 which were later translated into Dutch, French and English, died in Cologne in 1672 - never actually existed. A clue is provided by his surname, which means 'wag'.
Map of the southern part of the coast of Maine c. 1680. (Add. 13970 A)
© The British Library Board
Mr Howgego has just completed a fifth volume of his Encyclopaedia, and appropriately enough this is about imaginary travel narratives.
Meanwhile, I believe that the film rights to 'The Adventures of Friedrich Spassvogel' are still available ...
Hedley Sutton
Asian and African Studies Reference Team Leader