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Indeed. But different kind of tally man. I am not sure that I have ever seen this kind of tallying in action; but I did go down a hole (really) at a deserted site on a Greek island, the name of which eludes me - it was in a film the name of which eludes me supposedly Rodos - it was Symi, where there were tally marks on the wall, 4 horizontals down and 1 diagonal through. That may have been 2000 years old. I love that aspect of Greece, almost Marie Celeste. (The whole world will be like that soon.) My dad taught me that simple tally method because we thought, correctly, that the coalman was cheating us. 18 or 19 sacks tipped in. There you are govnor, 20 cwt. Whether or not the sacks were 1 cwt is another matter. If they could get away with simple short change I doubt they bothered tipping out a few bits of coal from each The main harbour of Symi is rather impressive - I remember a young man walking past, looking at me and the mrs and saying Why dont you fuck off... a good question.... and then round to the next bay where it seems there had been a port millennia ago. But they werent in either when we went. And in the film as I remember we cut from Symi to the diplomatic quarter of Rhodes Town. Quiet and salubrious.... L On 22 January 2015 at 15:33, Patrick McManus <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Fascinating picture hang wasn't there something about the Tally Man when we > were hard up when I was a kid !!-'no my mum's not at home!' > > -----Original Message----- > From: Poetryetc: poetry and poetics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On > Behalf Of Lawrence Upton > Sent: 22 January 2015 15:02 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: apologies again for being late > > Elidius > > I watched one tallying today. By the dock. > > He was superb; managing three boats, five men, > > with a charcoal stick against the white-washed stone. > > Each of the labourers had a different pace, > > doubtless intending to outwit him; he was good. > > He saw, I guess, a line that no one drew, > > a line for each man working. When each crossed > > their line, he marked it, black on white, boldly, > > dividing attention, without it slackening, > > like a fisherman landing prey or guards on watch; > > and at the fifth in every case, he cut > > through the previous four, like one harvesting > > with a scythe, in one movement which could only > > be extended to mark uprights elsewhere > > as fast and as dexterous as boys at harps. > > Only now I think he was left-handed. > > They wanted to cheat him. They didn't dare. > > He took no part in further operation. > > The counted sacks, crates and bottles were snatched > > by other men, whom I assume owned them, > > as a mouse or familiar takes what it can get. >