~ The Tale
~
The Passage of the Marshes
- The Mere of Dead Faces
"They had come to the very midst of the
Dead Marshes, and it was dark. They walked slowly, stooping,
keeping close in line, following attentively every move that Gollum
made. The fens grew more wet, opening into wide stagnant meres,
among which it grew more and more difficult to find the firmer
places where feet could tread without sinking into gurgling mud.
The travellers were light, or maybe none of them would ever have
found a way trough." - J.R.R. Tolkien
It is said the ring was lost
in the marshes. You will need to find the ring to continue
your journey to Mordor. Be wary of starring into pools of
mirky water. Many have lost their minds and souls.
Amongst the pale faces that lie in pools, deep deep under the dark
water there is an Orc named Melvin, it was then, Melvin's Multiple Madness ensued.
~ The Journey
~
Your journey begins near Hooks
Creek Lake in Cheesequake State Park. The terrain will
be more challenging in slippery conditions. Access to a phone is required. Waders are suggested if
you plan on venturing into the marsh. This is not a kid friendly
cache. Choose your path wisely as you may get your
feet wet.
~ The History
~
In a BBC television documentary Priscilla
Tolkien, daughter of the late J.R.R. Tolkien, spoke about her
supposition that the Journey through the Dead Marshes in The Lord
of the Rings was in fact a description of the experiences her
father had in The Great War.
.
Also, as Priscilla Tolkien pointed out, the
Journey through the Dead Marshes (in The Two Towers), looks very
much like a description of the marshy and swampy battlefields in
Northern France and in Flanders. In the course of the war these
areas were transformed into deadly mud swamps with slithery clay
and shell craters filled with water and corpses. Innumerable
soldiers lost their footing and drowned in those treacherous
pits.
"Yes, yes,' said Gollum.
'All dead, all rotten. Elves and Men and Orcs. The Dead Marshes.
There was a great battle long ago...'
J.R.R. Tolkien
Art by Ted Nasmith