MDDM Ch. 13 Summary & Notes

[jbor]

Mason and Maskelyne talk as they walk back through James's Town. Maskelyne
is paranoia personified. He suspects that the island is a "conscious
Creature, animated by power drawn from the Earth, assembl'd in Secret, by
the Company." (128)

The landlord of The Moon, Maskelyne's "local", is like a piranha for gossip.

The two visit an orange grove. Maskelyne comments on the "Serpent, Worm, or
Dragon" which lives inside the volcano: it is, allegorically,
"Disobedience". (135)

They both confess to dabbling in astrology for payment, and Maskelyne hints
that even the discipline of astronomy has been compromised. (It's "a Whore's
profession", Maskelyne sings. (136) They agree to cast one another's birth
charts. 

A discussion about the influence of the R.S., and Clive of India, on their
respective assignments leads to a narratorial reminiscence on Mason's part
about the question of the Longitude, and the relationship between he and
Bradley back in London. (141-4)

As for Maskelyne, it seems he has a language disability of some sort (cf.
"the Pox" at 124), and it's only the fact that Clive is his brother-in-law
which has brought (and will bring) about his career advancement. (141.17,
144-145)

***

Carnatic (131.20) a region of S. India between the Eastern Ghats and the
Coromandel coast: originally the country of the Kenalese; historically
important as a rich and powerful trading centre; now part of madras state.

"another bottle of Mountain" (133.25) ?

"the celebrated Dr. Zhang, then, as now, in exile" (142.25) first mention of
this character

"in came Susannah ... Susannah Peach" (143.8, 143.32) Bradley's wife? Mason
a former admirer?

best