DCML Digest Issue 23

Don Rosa donrosa at iglou.com
Thu Apr 8 16:00:30 CEST 2004


> From: "Dyer, Sonia" <sonia.dyer at hp.com>
> Subject: Cowboy Captain of Cutty Sark
> I've always been intrigued about the level of detail you included about
> life in Indonesia and especially about what the eruption of Krakatoa was
> really like to experience from on board a ship.

Well, I don't think anyone who experienced that was ever able to tell the
tale. They'd be in Davy Jones' Locker. That was all made up! I mean, the
various aspects of the explosion were accurate... the noise, the pyroclastic
flow, the tidal wave, the rain of rocks and ash... but any ship nearby was
simply never heard from again... it didn't surf the curl.
One detail I was surprised to learn was (since you ask) saying "the eruption
of Krakatoa" is a bit of a misnomer for the event. Krakatoa was not the name
of the volcano (can't recall what that was without going and checking) so
Krakatoa can't erupt, and what happened was not an "eruption" as in bubbling
forth lava like a normal lil' eruption. What happened was a type of volcanic
explosion deep underground, that's why there was so much noise and violence!
A similar island-explosion would be that of the Greek island of Thera about
3,000-4,000 years ago. I'm sure you heard about it -- it was in all the
papers.

> May I ask what
> source material you found most valuable when you did your research?

Sorry, I did that story too many years ago to recall the books I got from
the local library or wherever. I should write down reference book titles in
my notes because sometimes I need to go back and check details for annotated
texts for special editions, or to do a sequel or such. And I never know
where I got all the research (even though I still have my reams of notes,
whether used or not).

> Also, with regard to Capt. Moore, was there a real Capt. Moore, or is he
> a composite?  The way you drew him reminds me very much of Gregory Peck
> as Capt. Ahab in the movie "Moby Dick".

I see someone gave you a link to a site where someone else posted my answer
to that very question when I was asked once before. I can't improve on that
answer --  did you manage to find the site?




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