MDMD(5): Cookworthy?

[Michel Ryckx]

John Bailey wrote:

[snip]

"Would the hold of a ship be warm? Below the sea level there would be no
windows, and the ocean would be surrounding it. Could food have been preserved
longer there?

It was not only the temperature; I think the (combination of heat and) humidity
was a far greater danger.  And it may have taken quite a while before the ship
below sea level got warmer.  But: once the heat and humidity crept in, it didn't
leave.

[snip]

The route to the Cape, of which you said:

> I don't quite understand this. Can you elaborate?

I only wanted to point out that a sailing ship cannot take the shortest route.
On their way to the Cape they had to take a very long détour; journeys were much
longer than on their way back to England, when they were able to follow roughly
the African coast and did not to have the Atlantic crossed in the direction of
Brasil.  Longer travels, more scurvy, that's all.

[snip]

Michel.
(who will be invoicing mr. Pynchon's agent for the hours I am late for work this
week)