The Ballad of the Salty Sea

The Ballad of the Salty Sea is a graphic novel, the first episode of Corto Maltese's adventures, a Maltese sailor. This story was written and drawn by the Italian comic book creator Hugo Pratt. It was published for the first time between 1967 and 1969, in the magazine "Sergente Kirk". It takes place in Melanesia (Western Oceania), shortly before the World War I, between 1913 and 1915. It introduces many future important characters from the serie, such as the romantic Corto, the crazy Russian sailor Rasputin, the young cousins Pandora and Cain...
Abstract.
October 31, 1913, Halloween Day (called "Tarowean Day" in this story): the Pacific Ocean is calm after a terrible storm. Rasputin, a Russian pirate, sails aboard a Fijian catamaran, when his second Cranio spots two young unconscious castaways in a lifeboat, off the Bougainville Island (Solomon Islands). They are brought on board, Rasputin hoping to obtain a ransom from their family. After waking up, they explain that they are two cousins, Pandora and Cain Groovesnore. They were sailing aboard their yacht when it burned down, leaving them as the only survivors. Their family, Groovesnore, of Sydney (Australia), is an important dynasty at the head of the South Seas.
A few later, under a beating sun, the crew this time sees a man tied to a raft: it is the Maltese pirate Corto Maltese! The latter has endured this torture since the day before. Because he refused to marry a young woman, when he had to, his crew mutinied against him and punished him in this way (read the story "All Saints Day"). The Russian, with whom he is an accomplice, agrees to take him on board, after making fun of him. Together, they discuss their project to accomplish their mission, in the service of the "Monk", a mysterious pirate ruling on the Pacific Ocean, whose identity is unknown.
Their mission is to loot coal ships of various nationalities on behalf of the German Empire, as the World War I approaches. Thus, they attack a Dutch cargo ship near Malaita and board a member of his crew, a young Maori sailor called Tarao.
During the following times, all this world sail together in Melanesians islands. At first, they go to Kaiserine (German possession in New Guinea). There, the pirates must discreetly meet their customer, Amiral Von Speeke. While Rasputin deals with the Germans, Corto keeps the catamaran on the Ottilien-Fluss (Ramu River), with the cousins who are prisoners and the crew. Then, they are victim of a storm and sink near the Sepik River.
Corto and Pandora, who survived, hide in a cave. A dispute began between them: in rage, she shoots him, making him unconscious. Then, they are taken prisoner, with Tarao and Cain, by cannibals Seniks (Papuans). Then, the Fijian Cranio success to liber everyone and they board in a boat.
Finally, they are saved near the New Britain (Bismarck Archipelago) by the German soldier Christian Slütter, in his submarine. Inside, they meet Rasputin and a Japanese sailor, nicknamed Taki Jap. Together, they set a course for the hidden island of Escondida, the Monk's lair. The latter could be very old, trafficking for over one or two century. In the same time, several people have become attached to them, in particular towards Pandora, such as Corto or Slütter.
On the spot, the Monk announces to his henchmen a news dating from August 4, 1914: England declares war on Germany. Therefore, they themselves are also at war. So he prepares plans for the future. Also, he hears about Pandora and Cain and seems curiously interested in them. In fact, he wants to protect them and questions them a lot about their family. Likewise, he orders Rasputin to be responsible for their safety, over his life. Recently, Pandora was the victim of an accident and become unconscious. Thus, the Monk meets her and, seeing her asleep, strangely enters a crisis of dementia. He feels sad and alone: the Maltese tries to support him.
Then, he decides to advance his departure, leaving with Slütter and Corto, whom he considers his only friend. But by a new act of madness, he pushes him from the top of a cliff, before leaving without him, believing him dead. At the same time, Cranio is responsible for the management of the island during his absence and must closely monitor Rasputin.
The Fijian talks to Pandora and reveals that Corto survived his fall and is hiding in a shelter. Likewise, he reveals to herwhat he knows about the Monk. This mysterious figure is a former Protestant pastor, replacing another monk who once ruled this island. The latter trafficked in slaves (which earned him his excommunication), until he became ill with leprosy. When he died, he was replaced by the current monk. And the natives relatively accept to be led by him. Indeed, they are freer than other natives of Oceania, who are colonized.
Latter, a conflict breaks out between Rasputin and Cranio: the former kills the latter. Cain cares about Corto. Meanwhile, Pandora embarks in an outrigger boat with Tarao, who uses his seafaring skills to seek help. Guided by the shark Mao, they arrives in Bura Nea island (Admiralty Islands), where they meets New Zealanders soldiers.
Gradually, the conflicts of the First World War began. The Australians and the Japaneses discover the plans of the Germans. Rinald Groovesnore, Royal Australian Navy Officer and cousins' uncle, was notified and arrived on Bura Nea. Thanks to Tarao and Pandora, he discovers Escondida. The Monk, informed by Corto of the departure of the two young people, supposes that his lair will be found. He then deserts the island by a submarine with Taki Jap. But, just before, for mysteriously reasons, he tries vainly to kill Slütter.
When Rinald Groovesnore arrives, everyone is arrested except the two fugitives, who were able to leave in time. Pandora and Cain testify positively in favor of Corto, who is thus pardoned. But Slütter is condemned by Rinald Groovesnore to be executed and attempts from the cousins to save him are useless.
Rummaging through Slütter's belongings, Cain and Tarao discover a letter he addresses to Corto. He reveals a capital secret that could have saved him. He explains the identity and the secrets of the Monk, whom he learned during a delirium from this mysterious man. He is actually Thomas Groovesnore, Rinald's brother and Cain's uncle. In the past, he passionately loved a woman named Margretha, who was his lover. But she eventually married his brother Tadee. During the ceremony, desperate, the man torched the house where the lovers had spent time and made believe in his death. Only she was expecting a baby from him; she claimed it came from her husband. This baby ... it was Pandora. This is why the Monk was protective of the cousins and went mad when he saw Pandora. Seeing in his daughter the face of the woman who was the ambition of his life, he was tortured by his painful past. And that's why he wanted to kill Slütter, so that he wouldn't reveal his secrets.
Affected by the execution of his friend Slütter, Corto tries to blackmail Rinald Groovesnore with the letter to avenge him. To create trouble for the Officer, he forced him to release Rasputin, also sentenced to death. The latter will be grateful to the Maltese, admitting to having a deep friendship, despite the hatred he seems to carry.
January 1915: the time for farewell comes. Corto greets Cain and Pandora, leaving aboard a destroyer. They are now his friends, just like Tarao. The latter embarks with the Maltese, who goes away in his ketch, in the company of Rasputin. Together, they will cross the Pacific for new tribulations ...
About this episode.
Characters.
This episode features many characters, some of whom will reappear or be mentioned in later episodes:
The first Corto Maltese's appearance.
This story by Hugo Pratt introduces a new comic book character destined to become famous: Corto Maltese. Yet, he is not the main character in this story, who are Cain and Pandora Groovesnore. The latter is the central character, according to Pratt. He explains that everyone is in love with her, that she is a kind and beautiful girl who becomes an adult. Corto is just a secondary character, like so many others in this story. The cartoonist does not suspect that he will reuse it for a whole series.
To pretend that this story is true, Pratt published in addition a fake letter from Cain's nephew, Obregan Carrenza, which he had to give to the cartoonist himself. This process is also often used in adventure novels. This document, dating from the middle of the 20th century évokes Corto's old age and his sadness following the death of his friend Tarao. This letter is missing from many editions of this story, probably because some publishers refuse to let the reader imagine the aging hero.
Sequel and prequel.
Hugo Pratt will reuse Corto Maltese for news adventures taking place in America, published for the first time in 1970 and collected in the volume "Under the Sign of Capricorn". This is the start of his "Corto Maltese" series, comprising in all twelve episodes. One of which takes place eight years before the first episode, in 1905 in Manchuria (China), relating the meeting between Corto and Rasputin: "". After Pratt's death, the series was resumed by Ruben Pellejero and Juan Diaz Canales. They have currently made three additional episodes. In the last one, they imagined a prequel to "The Ballad of the Salty Sea", "All Saints Day", to explain why Corto was attached to the raft and how he worked for the Monk.
Analysis.
The island of Escondida.
Escondida is a fictional island located in the Western Oceania, the scene of an important part of this story. Its coordinates are 169 ° west longitude, 19 ° south latitude. Which corresponds to the location of the Tanna Island (in Vanuatu, near New Caledonia). However, Pratt claimed that his model was Abaiang (Gilbert Islands, Kiribati).
Literary references.
This story abounds in literary references. For example, at the start, Rasputin is reading"Voyage autour du monde", Louis Antoine de Bougainville's travel diary. This French explorer indeed sailed in the same zone where he is at that time. Cain, on several occasions, spreads his culture by various allusions. Thus, when he failed on a beach with Tarao, he compares themself to Robinson Crusoe and Friday (characters created by Daniel Defoe). Then, when they escape from the cannibals with the others, he tells him about Moby Dick (from the novel "Moby-Dick" by Herman Melville). Later, in Slütter's submarine, he is reading "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", long poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Finally, when he leaves Escondida with Pandora, he evokes the ship Argo and the character Jason, from Greek mythology.
Inspirations.
Twenty years after the creation of this story, Pratt slipped a dedication into it. It pays homage to the Irish writer Henry De Vere Stacpoole. It was he, the first, who made Pratt like the South Seas. And not Robert Louis Stevenson, Joseph Conrad or Herman Melville. This author wrote in 1908 the romance novel The Blue Lagoon, a good story that pleased to Pratt. That why he dedicaces him this story.
Oceanian cultural elements.
Hugo Pratt discreetly slides into his story various allusions to cultural elements of the different Oceanian peoples encountered, whether through their songs or their conversations. They allude for example to gods, creatures or illustrious people, like Kanaloa, Tāne, Tū, Rongo, Tangaroa, Māui, Kupe, , Pehee Nuee Nuee the great fish ... They also speak of mythical places like Hawaiki. Finally, they evoke several of the many Pacific islands: Mangareva, Hawaii, Tahiti, Heragi (Māori name for Pitcairn Island, in Pitcairn Islands), Aotearoa (Māori name for New Zealand), Tubuai ... The decor of the comic is punctuated by various Oceanian masks. Several of them are thus visible on the house where Cain is a prisoner. These items resemble those made by Baining people, they live in Papua New Guinea.
Despite this realism, Pratt allows himself touches of fantasy, sometimes making his Oceanian characters speak ... in Venetian language (element that the translators leave as is).
Awards and tributes.
Awards.
The album won the award for the best foreign realistic work at the 1976 Angoulême Festival.
Ranking.
This story was classified in 2012 at the 3rd place of the classification of "50 essential BD" established by the Frenc magazine LIRE
Preface.
Umberto Eco, Italian novelist and literary critic, made a preface to this story (present for example in a 1989 edition) on the geographic and cultural references of this story.