Teffi: Odessa: carrying coal on one's back

[Robert Chandler]

Thank you, Hugh and others!

I have also just received this response off-list:
"These baskets that were used for bringing coal on board a ship had either 2 handles, or a rope fixed to around them. So when seamen, workers and in Teffi's case - passengers were carrying coal, that means that they were really half bent to be able to carry that heavy load on the back. I saw such scenes a number of times in Russian/Soviet films. So, the 2nd variant is right."

All the best,

Robert

On 15 Aug 2014, at 23:12, Hugh MCLEAN <hmclean at BERKELEY.EDU> wrote:

> Dear Robert,
> I would vote for option 2, weight securely on the back, I've carried stuff that way, but not, I think, baskets.
> Hugh​
> 
> 
> On Fri, Aug 15, 2014 at 1:03 PM, Robert Chandler <kcf19 at dial.pipex.com> wrote:
> Dear all,
> 
> This is still March 1919.  The Whites are leaving Odessa.  Teffi is on a rather poorly equipped parokhod, still in the harbour.  They have no coal, but there is a coal freighter nearby.  The passengers are going to have to help bring the coal on board themselves.  The sentence I do not understand is the very last one: “Naden’te ikh na spinu.”  Does this mean
> 1. that the passengers will be walking upright, carrying baskets of coal on their shoulders
> OR
> 2. that they will be leaning a long way forward, hands behind their backs to keep these baskets in position.
> ?
> 
> Буксир подтащил нас к угольщику, и было объявлено всем, всем, всем:
> —  Должны сами грузить на «Шилку» уголь. Рабочих на угольщике нет, на пароходе команды нет. Если хотите, чтобы пароход двинулся, — грузите уголь.
> —  Неужели… все должны работать?
> —  А то как же, — был ответ.
> ……..
> Палуба быстро наполнялась выстраивающимися в ряды пассажирами.
> — Сейчас вам раздадут корзины. Наденьте их на спину.
> 
> All the best, and thanks in advance!
> 
> Robert
> 
> 
> Robert Chandler, 42 Milson Road, London, W14 OLD
> 
> 
> 
> 
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Robert Chandler, 42 Milson Road, London, W14 OLD

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