Mason & Dixon bios

[Brian D. McCary]

Danial O'Hara posted some excellent background info on M&D, from the OUP Dictionary.

The dictionary version suggests that M&D did not proceed from the Cape
to Bencoolen because there was not enough time, while Pynchon's version
(at least to my eye) suggests that the Bencoolen was off limits because
it was held by the French ("Bencoolen is in the hands of the French.  I
see no mention of any plans to re-take the place soon.  I am sorry."
p. 33 & "strongly threatening legal action if Mason and Dixon were to
break their contract, .... even when it was pointed out yet again that
Bencoolen lay in the hands of the French, anyway", p 47)


Was the real world slightly less sinister than Pynchon's?

Brian McCary