Aug 29 Thursday

Money from L. [Laura] letter1, just clearing expenses.
Gelat came to make things right about the signing. Talked of possibility of extending Canellun beyond the grotto & above the viejo camino 2: possible, if Bernardo takes over part of the land that is for sale from Ca l'Abat.
Did Chapter XVI of A.F.T. [Almost Forgotten Times] Heavy day, went to the Piñets to the top: a few olives there, after all. Gelat burned down some carritx3 grass & set fire to an olive tree: he didn't think it would burn but it was one of the twisted sort & had a central flue and there was no earth so no chance of quenching the flames. A number of seedling pines which Gelat says he will let grow train[RG] up for the looks. The top olive trees only useful for firewood. It made a nice torch at night.
Laura drank several whiskeys (difficulty with work) & then we went to Str [Strenge] & Sch. [Schwarz] who gave us punch (hot water, muscatel, cognac & lemon peel) & then we went to the two cafés & the Fonda & the Fábrica, drinking and spreading alegria4.

Editorial Notes

2old path. KG
3 esparto. KG
4joy. KG

Hands Referenced

    • Annotation: ink correction
    • Character: regular
    • Ink: black

Places Mentioned

  • Fábrica

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    Home of Juan (Gelat) and his wife, the Madora. K.G. The ground floor was a nave extended over the equivalent of two more lots. This originally was a factory with an oil press, a flour mill and a soap making machine all run by a steam engine. Gelat replaced steam by fuel-oil and installed an electricity generator. When he put in the turbine at Ca'n Madó he removed the machinery and built a Café in its place (the Sala Concordia). WG

  • Ca l'Abat

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    Beautiful farm with watch-tower on the way to Llucalcari. WG

  • Canellun

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    Laura Riding and Robert Graves' house. Also Canellun (private) road. WG, KG

  • Camino viejo

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    The old road - the original mule-track to Soller. Bordered the back of the Canellun property. WG

  • Piñets, Es

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    Part of Es Molí estate purchased by RG & LR along with the Posada and part of Ca'n Madó. WG

  • Fonda

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    Inn next to Margarita's Café. Occasionally ate there. WG

People Mentioned

  • Laura

    Riding, Laura
    (1901-91) American poet. Laura Riding (née Reichenthal; then Laura Gottschalk).

  • Swartz

    Schwarz, Georg
    German Jew. Deyá neighbour. Antique dealer. Lived with Frau Emmy Strenge, his house keeper, in Can Caballo some hundred yards from Canellun. RG and LR translated his "Almost Forgotten Germany." WG

  • Gelat

    Más, Juan Marroig
    Juan Marroig Mas, called Gelat: Landowner on Deyá and friend of Robert Graves and Laura Riding (L.R. & R.G.'s factotum. W.G.)

  • Strenge

    Strenge, Frau Emmi
    Schwarz's house keeper and ? mistress. WG

  • Bernardo

    Colom, Bernardo
    Ex Cuban, previous owner of 'Son Canals', and former owner of 'Luna land' (on the other side of the road) cf. Married to a Cuban lady. Sons: Marcos (married to Gelat's daughter Magdalena) and Pancho. KG & WG

Bibliography

    • Title: Almost Forgotten Germany [Almost Forgotten Times]
    • Author: Schwarz, Georg
    • Editor: Trans. Graves, Robert/ Riding, Laura
    • PubPlace: Deyá & London
    • Publisher: Seizin & Constable
    • Idno: A45
    • Date: 1936
    • Title: Majorcan Letter [poem: was called "Letter from Majorca"]
    • Title: Focus
    • Author: Riding, Laura/ Graves, Robert
    • PubPlace: Deyá
    • Publisher: Seizin
    • BiblScope: IV. December, pp.1-9
    • Idno: C291.2
    • Date: 1935