Tristero

[Samuel Moyer]

On p. 172 Cohen has shown an article to Oedipa.  The article was from
Bibliotheque des Timbrophiles, 1865 issue.  That title is French for
something like Library of Stamp Lovers... not in my French dictionary... but
you get the idea lost in my translation... which is that the journal is a
collection of stamps for collectors... or on that subject anyway.

The article concludes with the Tristero drifting off after 1848... By far
the greatest number, however, fled to America during 1849-50, where they are
no doubt at present (written in 1865) rendering their services to those who
seed to extinguish the flame of Revolution.  p. 173.

Well she goes to see Bortz and more information follows...   but first...
going back a bit.  Remember the marker at Fangoso Lagoons.  "On this site in
1853, a dozen Wells, Fargo men battled gallenly with a band of masked
marauders in mysterious black uniforms.  We owe this description to a post
rider..."  page 89.

And also p 49 on... Fallopian tells of the Peter Pinguid Society.  (And as
the article suggests on page 173, the Tristero imigrants fought on the side
of the confederacy.)  Pinguid was the commanding officer of the Confederate
man-of-war "Disgruntled."  Trying to sail around and open a second front for
the Confederacy, he ended up involved in the very first military
confrontation with the Russians.  This is all 1863-4.  And was the Commander
killed?  Much worse to Fallopian's mind.  .......  He and the rest of the
crew settled near L.A.; and for the rest of his life he did little more than
acquire wealth.  p. 51.

Unlike other immigrants, they don't sign on with the Union.  By 1861 they're
well established, not about to be suppressed.  While the Pony Express is
defying deserts, savages and sidewinders, Tristero's giving its employees
crash courses in Siouan and Athapascan dialects.  Disquised as Indians their
messengers mosey westward.  Reach the coast every time.  p 173.

So put this together and what do you get?  Tristero comes to the U.S.
1849-50 and set up as efficient messengers, posing as Indian's.  They set up
in California... I think we are to assume that it was the Tristero who
battle the Wells, Fargo men at the Fangoso site in 1853.  Possibly some of
them are on the Disgruntled.  Is Peter Pinguid a member of the Tristero?  I
don't know... but he leaves a sort of legacy for Pierce Inverarity anyway.

Sam