The Whispering Land by Gerald Durrell (1961).
A friend recommended this book to me after I returned from Patagonia. The Whispering Land recounts the author’s trek to Argentina in the late 1950s in his quest to find animals for his private zoo in England.
The Whispering Land is a sequel to his first book, A Zoo in My Luggage. Although I have not (yet) read that book, The Whispering Land stands alone.
Argentina of 50 years ago was a very different Argentina that one finds today. Durrell describes the areas where he saw sea lions and elephant seals. He predicts that this will become a tourist attraction. He was spot on. The area is now a nature reserve, but a very popular place for tourists to see these exotic sea animals.
Traveling through the rugged terrain of Argentina was arduous 50 years ago. (It can still be a challenge travelling through the remote areas of the country). Interestingly, as I wondered what Argentina looked like during Durrell’s travels, he marveled at what the country looked like when Charles Darwin visited the land 100 years prior to his visit.
The author’s excitement about seeing penguins was much how I felt upon seeing penguins for the first time. He visited a huge penguin colony during its mating season. Before taking him to the penguin colony, the author had informed his guide that he wanted to see “a fair number” of penguins for photographing. His guide worried that there might not be enough of the birds, informing Durrell he estimated only about “a million penguins” in the colony! As he watches the penguins, the author carefully records the daily comings and goings of the birds as they tend their young. He was truly captivated by these fascinating birds.
Some animals are simply observed and recorded. Other animals he collects for his zoo. In one very funny chapter, Durrell describes how he comes into possession of a Tucuman Amazon parrot named Blanco. It’s owner claimed that it was a very special talking parrot, however, the bird refused to speak in the author’s presence. After some coaxing by its owner, the bird finally blurted out, “Hijo de puta.” (Son of a whore.) The author purchased the bird, but at a much reduced price.
Animals are not the only living beings whose antics are recorded by the author. On a domestic flight to a remote area of north west Argentina, the author finds himself sitting next to a very large (“colossal”) woman whose “various portions of her anatomy … she could not cram into her own seat she had generously allowed to over flow into [the author’s seat].” Despite his initial impression, he found her to be pleasant company on the flight.
I am grateful to my friend for recommending this book. The Whispering Land is a delightful book about the Durrell's encounters with both the locals and the animals he met during his Argentine trip. The author's love and respect for the people and animals shines through on every page.
Read: February 28, 2010
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