MDDM: Chapter 48 Notes Part II

Mon Apr 15 09:43:53 CDT 2002

Chapter 48 Notes
Part The Second

468.1  "Monongahela, beyond Ohio"

http://www.mapsofpa.com/antiquemaps26.htm
http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/pahist/natural.asp?secid=31

468.3-9 "Won't that depend upon how far the Proprietors wish the Line to run?" inquires Mr Mason.
"If by 'the Proprietors' you mean those who truly own it," remarks John Harland.
"The Indians," suggests Mr. Dixon.
"The Army," says Mr. Harland.
"I meant, rather, the Penns"

Who owned this place, anyway? It seems the story of the westward expansion in North America is a story of disputed proprietorships. Who do you think is the true owner? The “Indians”? The Army? The settlers? Still difficult to answer today, isn’t it?

468.27-28  "Alioth and Polaris"

Alioth: Epsilon Ursae Majoris
According to Allen, the first usage of the name "Alioth" for this star was in the Alfonsine Tables published in Spain in 1252 under the patronage of King Alfonso X of Leon and Castile. [Alfonso X “El Sabio” — The Wise. A very good composer, by the way.] The only etymology offered is the name may originate with the word Alyat meaning "The Fat Tail of the Eastern Sheep". This derivation is unlikely.
http://einstein.stcloudstate.edu/Dome/constellns/alioth.html

The origin of its name is unclear, but one theory derives it from the Arabic al-Jawn -- "black horse". This is believed to be a result of its misidentification with the nearby Mizar's dim companion Alcor?, the pair of which were a horse and rider in Arab mythology; Alcor's name has a similar etymology. 
http://www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Alioth

Polaris: Alpha Ursae Minoris

Polaris is the "north star", meaning it's so close to the north celestial pole that it doesn't seem to move at all (although time exposures trace a small arc). If we drop an imaginary line from Polaris straight down to the horizon, this terrestrial position is within a degree of being due north, which is why Polaris is the "north star". Polaris is the only star in the sky which doesn't seem to move and all the other stars seem to rotate around it.

http://www.cyburban.com/~mrf/a_UMa1.htm
http://www.glyphweb.com/esky/default.htm?http://www.glyphweb.com/esky/stars/default.htm

469.5 "Speaking-trumpet"

A kind of trumpet (chiefly used at sea), so contrived as to carry the voice to a great distance, or to cause it to be heard above loud noises. (OED)
http://www.fishnews.com/trumpet.htm

469.21  "50 Chains"

A measuring line, used in land-surveying, formed of one hundred iron rods called links jointed together by eyes at their ends.
At first chains of varying length were used or proposed; but that described by Gunter in 1624 is the one now adopted; it measures 66 feet or 4 poles, divided into 100 links.
A chain's length, as a lineal measure, equal to 66 feet, or 4 poles.
An area of ten chains in length by one in breadth, or 100,000 square links = an acre. (OED)

469.26 "Geomancer"

I'm curious: Why use this appellation? Is it just Pynchon going occult on us again, or is it more? Meanwhile:
Geomancer: He who practises geomancy.
Geomancy: Combined; from the Greek words "gaia", earth, and "manteia", divination.
The art of divination by means of signs derived from the earth, as by the figure assumed by a handful of earth thrown down upon some surface. Hence, usually, divination by means of lines or figures formed by jotting down on paper a number of dots at random. (OED)

For those interested:
http://www.rog.nmm.ac.uk/education/bhm/geocomp.html
http://thegeomancer.netfirms.com/

469.32-33  "occupied by all whose Wish, hardly uncommon in this Era of fluid Identity, is not to reside anywhere."

Well, this sure reminds me of a bunch of Argentinian anarchists who hijacked a vintage German U-boat planning to seek political asylum in Germany, as soon as the War ends.
GR, p.265: “... this War – this incredible War – just for the moment has wiped out the proliferation of little states that’s prevailed in Germany for a thousan years. Wiped it clean. Opened it.” [...] “Yeah but – what’re you gonna do, take over land and try to hold it? They’ll run you right off, podner.” “No. Taking land is building more fences. We want to leave it open. We want it to grow, to change. In the openness of the German Zone, our hope is limitless.” 

469.34  "the Line and the Arc approach one another"

OK, let me see... "Gravity's Rainbow" is about an arc, and "Mason & Dixon" is about a line, which, if considered as part of a 3-dimensional earth, is in fact also an arc ... any fruitful comments?

470.2  "Dumbledores"

Dumbledore: A humble-bee or bumble-bee; also dial. a cockchafer.

470.3 "as great Tox has it, in his Pennsylvaniad".

Fictional, of course. The formation of a new country should have its own epic, shouldn't it?

Cyrus

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