Query re M&D

[Alan Westrope]

On Thu, 15 May 1997, Oli Kristjan Armannsson wrote:
>>> >Note:  M+D Spoiler, Pages 296-555	











>>> [I wrote, about crossing the Susquehanna to get from Harland's farm
>>>  to Lancaster:]
>>> Maybe someone with access to Mason's journal will be able to answer
>>> this; I just have bits and pieces from secondary sources.  It's hard
>>> to imagine an error this big going unnoticed by TRP and his editors
>>> for 20 years, but such things have happened.  I can see the headline:
>>> 
>>>                 CARTOGRAPHIC BONER COSTS PYNCHON NOBEL

>     Why would you consider these things as errors on TRP's half?

I don't; I just consider that to be one possible explanation.  I think
the historical M&D may really have taken this route, but, if they did,
I'd like to know why they went so far out of their way, presumably under
difficult traveling conditions.  As you note below, this may also be a
deliberate discrepancy, akin to those Defoe put into the mouth/pen of
Moll Flanders.  I'm just curious to know what others think.

>Since
>Rev. Cherrycoke is the narrator should the question not be how far can we
>trust him & his recollection of things? Especially considering the fact that
>the story has to be interesting enough for the kids.

--
Alan Westrope     PGP public key:  http://www.crl.com/~awestrop
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