I can remember reading ‘Tarka the Otter’ when I was about ten, and being very impressed with the book. Although sad, I really liked the ending when Tarka kills the dreadful hound but is killed in the process. Henry describes the event beautifully and the description of the bubbles rising to the surface is almost poetical. It has stayed with me for many years.
However, I was not thinking about Tarka, or even otters in general, when I popped into the Arcade with Caron and Jenai last week. My daughter was visiting and wanted to look around the Arcade, as she always does when she is in Hungerford. Naturally, I faded towards Countryside Books under Rafters and was soon bitten by an otter. Not physically, as there are not that many otters in the Arcade, although I am told that they can be seen in the wetlands around Hungerford.
I spotted a first edition of Henry’s book which, although a little tired, was the 1927 Putnam’s edition.
This was a great find in itself but the dedication immediately aroused my interest.
There was something special about the dedication. Henry’s full name was Henry Williamson, so it was not beyond the realms of possibility that the Will noted in the dedication was the author. The inscription was also a massive clue, as Henry’s love of nature has been well documented. So I gave Dr Watson a call and off we trotted to see if the dedication was indeed Henry’s. I checked a number of his letters online to see if there were similarities and it did not take me long to confirm that it was from Henry Williamson. I checked individual words and some characters and it left me in no doubt that the dedication was genuine.
This is what makes book hunting so much fun, as you never know what you are likely to find. My rule of thumb, outside of the actual edition, (first editions are quite easy to spot) is always to look at any signatures or dedications and also the bookplates. You never know what you might find.
I’m not going to retire with this find but it did brighten up my day, as it was so unexpected, and it has given me the chance to read Henry’s wonderful book once more.
‘Til the next time.
Stuart MIller-Osborne
