Chapter 4: iv

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Group: History Assessment Project “Huge Appreciators of the Past”

jacob [10:04 4/8/08]: @wes did u do the correlation analysis against the DB?

migizi [10:10 4/8/08]: he’s taking medical leave today, @jacob 

migizi [10:18 4/8/08]: have we learned anything about the Indiaman @pyotr?

pyotr [10:24 4/8/08]: It was a merchant freighter captured from the French in 1759, but that’s all the detail I can find on that end. From there, I found a record of sale to a “Royal Brotherhood of Sailors and Shipwrights” in 1764. I did find a contract of affreightment from around the correct time, early march, but there weren’t any manifests.

migizi [10:25 4/8/08]: ok thank you

migizi [10:25 4/8/08]: any luck with vital statistics, court records etc @jacob?

jacob [10:28 4/8/08]: yes. sending documents with report by fri. can find parish records for several arthur wickhams around this time, and church records for a portollo of that name but not everyone. can’t find anything for a “christian stuller” but there’s a lot of stullers. lots of details to go over

migizi [10:29 4/8/08]: ok thank you

jacob [10:33 4/8/08]: do u think he actually has parts of john dees diaries

pyotr [10:33 4/8/08]: He didn’t say they were his diaries. He just said he had objects which are alleged to come from John Dee’s house.

jacob [10:33 4/8/08]: which was actually looted

pyotr [10:34 4/8/08]: Yeah, and he actually kept diaries, but it doesn’t mean this is anything more than an allegation until we have evidence to the contrary. Both were known.

jacob [10:34 4/8/08]: or they could be books from his library

pyotr [10:34 4/8/08]: The list of things it *could* be is literally infinitely long.

migizi [10:34 4/8/08]: I think it’s a detail we shouldn’t get hung up on @jacob but it would be cool

pyotr [10:34 4/8/08]: Agreed that it’s not worth getting hung up on.

jacob [10:34 4/8/08]: it would be dope, i saw one of his mirrors he used in rituals that he said was from ancient egypt

pyotr [10:35 4/8/08]: He was a fraudster and the mirror wasn’t from Egypt. It was simply styled after an Egyptian one out of the dual motivations of “fetishizing the Ancient East” and “ignorance of archaeology”.

jacob [10:36 4/8/08]: i’m allowed to think history is cool [edited]

pyotr [10:36 4/8/08]: Allowed*

migizi [10:36 4/8/08]: let’s refocus @pyotr @jacob please. I am looking forward to reading your full report, Jacob. Pyotr, try to help him find any vital records, contracts, court records, organization minutes, etc that can possibly corroborate some of our characters here

migizi [10:37 4/8/08]: then we can start to look at some of these specific trade deals and territorial holdings and stuff and look a bit higher level. but until then let’s just see if there’s any obvious issues with the authenticity narrative

pyotr [10:37 4/8/08]: Sorry Migizi, but you don’t need to tag us every time.

pyotr [10:37 4/8/08]: But yes, you’re understood loud and clear.

jacob [10:37 4/8/08]: sorry to ask a stupid question but are we trying to figure out if this document is authentically from 1769 or are we trying to figure out if it is authentically happening to this guy “arthur wickham”

migizi [10:39 4/8/08]: @pyotr sorry my bad. @jacob above our pay grade, we’re not trying to preclude autofiction or anything here, not our job – we’ve already been given rough dates and we’re trying to achieve the highest degree of corroboration with those dates with as diverse of data as possible.

migizi [10:39 4/8/08]: @jacob we are just evaluating historicity based on historical facts, established social models/memes/motifs, etc. we are not evaluating for “authenticity” in a broader sense

pyotr [10:40 4/8/08]: It’s worth noting that our notion of “authenticity” as opposed to “hoax” in literature is a fairly modern distinction. It’s also worth noting that Wickham talks to god later, so I don’t think it’ll be a big time commitment disentangling that.

jacob [10:40 4/8/08]: not so modern they wouldnt be entirely familiar with it tho. ossian was 5 years prior

migizi [10:41 4/8/08]: well, it’s like pyotr said, we need to believe what the evidence compels us to, nothing more nothing less

pyotr [10:41 4/8/08]: Thanks for not tagging me, Migizi. And yes, I’m familiar with Ossian.

jacob [10:41 4/8/08]: bro shut up lol @pyotr @pyotr ill email u the Teuton documents im working on right now

pyotr [10:41 4/8/08]: Okay.

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A Journal. October 1, 1769.

UTTER frustration abounds. Hours spent binding canoes with provisions, salted meats, et cet. yet nothing to show for the trouble. For all the learned men in this company of at least two-dozen now, it appears not one has the surest understanding of who has invited us or for what purpose we are even gathered. I was certain it was Balmetti who had already met our gracious host, but it appears it was another bluster of his which collapsed under the lightest pressure of inquiry. The humblest of us admit a patron simply motivated us (as I), the prouder admit a summons of mysterious origin but particularly and uniquely compelling enticement (as Stüller and the Italians), those seeing opportunity simply claimed revelation (as with the musty Qaballists… I am quite certain the Comte would, too, have claimed such).

No-body received the same invitation. We crossed the waters, arrived at the shore, and the Qaballist “Baal-Shem” Falk quite urgently stormed off into the thick forest. We clamoured to follow him, but his pace only grew quicker. We could hardly dwell upon the primaeval beauty of the leeches filling our mud-packed boots and the frigid wind! I, of course, apologise for any unprompted sarcasm… it is, I believe, a reaction to sensations of melancholia. This Baal-Shem did not get too far, for we, having never lost sight of him, found him at an impasse on a trail, utterly unsure of where to go. It was only here that we, as a company, realised that not one of us knew where we were going, and we retired back to the canoes to return to the fort.

Warmed by hearth, we huddled at candlelight around the same table, stacked three-layers back, hunching over shoulders for risk of missing the same iota of information that one Brother might receive instead. A great, growing grumble was let-out as we collectively realised that we each had only one puzzle-piece. Different arms, draped in red or blue or purple or brown, point and dart across the table, arranging the letters in different ways, finding an order here or there.

The content of the invitations does us no favours. They are clearly directions, but make coded reference to land-marks with which we have no familiarity. Notches were cut into the corners of the pages, but there were gaps that rendered simple numerical order impossible. Although the most simple solution, it demanded conflict, as we would have no complete riddle, no complete map, no possible solution. There are ten and three invitations in total, a fact which was lost on no-one.

Sidia, a man whose wit receives no fair measure, was naturally the first to see the solution. One here, two there, three, but no four. We were at each other’s throats, such rancour! There must be a rogue who has not admitted his invitation, or perhaps some were invited but had not arrived. Sidia, I clearly hear him behind me and to Balmetti’s flank, speak of “primes”. The Italian of course waves him off, and Brother Portollo grasps Sidia quite roughly by the neck. As every other Brother at the table is engaged in the debate, I see Portollo lean in close, and Sidia, bearing a demeanour of dignity and pride, without a glimmer of fear, repeats himself. It is primes. It is only then that Portollo speaks gently into the ear of Balmetti.

“Gentlemen!” he shouts, with such a smile. It is clear he is ready to accept the praise for solving the puzzle. He arranges them in numerical order, as before, but then grabs roughly at my shoulders and those of the Gentleman on his right, and lifts with great vigour while exclaiming, “Primes!”. I was utterly stunned, and my widened eyes fell to meet Sidia’s behind me, lingering there, seeing what he saw, before darting back in amazement at the Italian. So willing to claim it as his invention! Such Pride! I thank the Gentleman there, one Creole Brother from a French Lodge in Accordance and Allegiance with the Grand Orient. He rose, a smallsword hanging elegantly on his hip, and must possess an acuity of sense as he had heard Sidia, too, but from well across the rancorous scene. In the moment’s silence following in the awe-struck wake of Balmetti’s declaration, he speaks. “Your man’s idea. Give him credit.”

Let me tell you, reader, I was dazzled. This man possessed the courage I wish for myself, the bravery to advocate for the ideas of others. I admit, although I challenge myself to see all Brothers as Equal as Guided in our Truths passed down from Hiram and the Rational Inquiry of my Enlightened Friends, but I do struggle to demand a voice in such a crowd to speak of what I worry others will see as small. This man, this French Brother, who I came to know later as a Chevalier named Bologne, saw no other Brother as small. What a wonder. Let this reflection serve as my admonition!

Ignorant Balmetti, he looks quizzically at Portollo and points. Bologne points too, at Sidia, which causes Balmetti to laugh (although Portollo’s eyes simply narrow). There is another slight pause before everyone’s attention is clearly pulled back to the documents at hand and their exegesis (I can feel, in my periphery, Sidia release a gentle smirk).

The Baal-Shem had only the first letter; he had spent months studying the invitation, and could spot right-away the paper-birch trees it had referred to; or rather, the “moulting dryads of the shore”. He claims it was a great sense of urgency which compelled him to leap into action, but many are still treating him with a great suspicion, although I am not sure it is warranted. The impasse was next; Balmetti’s letter. He could not open it without a curse directed at the Baal-Shem, although in my short time knowing him, I have not once estimated Balmetti to waste an opportunity to insult another. In brief, his riddle asked which direction all men should follow, and declared this to be the direction of our destination; the right path, of course. We all mutter in agreement. These are not Oriental Meditative Koans, after-all, simply codes to ensure that those who do not Know what to Seek do not harm themselves with Knowledge they are not adequately prepared for. Worthy of note is that the invitations include such wordplay and double-entendre in the language of those they invite, so some translation is necessary; Balmetti’s was not in Italian.

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It was late, so we packed-up what we could and resolved to rise early. The following piece will be the Prussian’s, which we will consult upon crossing the threshold of our journey proper.

Already I have devoted too much time to this journal, as I am tired and have exhausted all my vitality on the intrigue and adventure of the day. To-morrow, I know questions will receive their due answer.

I do hope the melancholia finds its egress alongside my ignorance of the coming Truths.

In search of meaning.

Arthur Wickham

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[207 comments]

[3/02/2008 14:05]: Sup all,

 

I appreciate the outpouring of concern. I’m ok. Things are obviously confusing but that’s what life is all about, isn’t it? Things happen that we couldn’t expect or plan for, and we’re forced to react anyway.

 

I still don’t have all the answers I’m looking for, and obviously, the answers might not exist in the first place. This is the real world and questions don’t always have answers. Sometimes things just happen a certain way, and there aren’t options other than to respond.

 

I’ve answered some questions, though.

 

In the past few weeks, I’ve done the “dive” about 3 times, with similar doses (between 90-125μg) and 100μg definitely seems to be the breakthrough amount. At that dose, I’ll consistently arrive at the mangrove. From there, I have a choice between the seemingly infinite variety of rivers. Some are large and some are small… not enough data to make a strong correlation on that matter. Each river is a life, stretching from their wellspring (birth) to their terminal point (death). It’s like perceiving time, visually. The further out you go, it represents further in the past. The rivers grow larger, but more sparse.

 

Then, you choose, and get “entangled”. That’s the only way I can describe it, like spilling together and crystallizing into a knot.

 

The furthest back I could go and spend any reasonable amount of time was 1066. A brilliant, shining, white mosque was being erected. I was surrounded on all sides by shrines with domed roofs, and Turkish knights, Seljuks, were stampeding through the city square. A man is reading an edict, I can barely hear it over the thunder of the horses. Something about a new school for jurisprudence or something. I don’t know where it was or who I was, I could only look down at the hammer in my hand before my ticket got called. Iran? Iraq? Turkey?

 

Swedenborg’s river was closer. At the time, it felt like a random choice, but I swear I can recognize it. It’s familiar. I was able to pick it out every time I passed it, or at least I think I could. Things persist in the mangrove. They don’t change. That means the rules don’t change. That means, ipso facto, I can deduce a way to control where and when I go. If the rules don’t change, they’re prone to observation.

 

I hate to say it, but I think a larger dose will give me a longer clock. A longer clock means I can go further back. Imagine witnessing the first sermon of Buddha in the lush emerald parks at Sarnath. Imagine seeing the crucifixion. If you could go back and change one thing, what would it be?

 

I have little interest in modern or contemporary events, frankly. I have an interest in many things, but I have an interest in history insofar as we can use it to make a better today. You can go back and change one thing. 9/11? Come on. You’re thinking small. It was 7 years ago, you really think that’s a “turning point of history”? Did everything bad happen after the year 2001?

 

So, what? JFK? MLK? The CIA? The Holocaust?

 

Well, I don’t know. But, I do know I’m a “treat the cause, not the symptom” type of guy… I don’t know if I could stop the Library at Alexandria from burning or even stop one guy from getting crucified, but as long as I’m only considering things from a strictly America-centric point of view, I think the whole Manifest Destiny crap was pretty awful. And, without showing my hand too much, I’ll just say this… researchers in my field of work are often given remote access to vast databases of Colonial-era documents and records, and I’m hearing rumors of an upcoming project at work where “some” researchers “might” be given access. Then, that Swedenborg weirdo is sitting around in 1760, I know where his river is, it’s easy. It all lines up.

 

You know, a lot of people think the United States declared independence because of tea taxes, or because of political representation, or this or that. The United States declared independence for two reasons: to maintain the institution of slavery, and to provide for westward expansion in violation of Native treaties. Look at the reaction to Somerset v. Stewart! Slavery could’ve been abolished a century sooner. Look at the reaction to the 1763 Proclamation! Imagine if everything west of Buffalo was Native land.

 

If I could go back in history and change one thing, I would change the one thing that I believe would have the greatest return of positive consequences on the most people living in the present and future.

 

If I could go back in history and change one thing, I would prevent the United States from being created.

 

I just need to make one last darknet order for malachi. I need a reserve before I set out on anything wild, and I’m convinced this stuff is going to get INCREDIBLY difficult to obtain with any consistency, INCREDIBLY soon.

 

Signing off

e-x-t-r-e-m-o

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