MD3PAD 283-285

[Toby G Levy]

        Mason thinks he detects that Martha Washington is flirting with
him. He continues to talk seriously about the importance of the work of
astronomers in finding a reliable method of identifying longitude.  But
Martha and George Washington turn the conversation around to how the
Transit of Venus caught the public imagination invading the popular
culture with such items as the Transit-of-Venus Wig and Transit-of-Venus
pudding. George and Martha sing a song about the transit of Venus that
they heard from sailors.

        Gershom changes his master-slave jokes into King-Fool jokes for
the benefit on Mason and Dixon. After the jokes he sings Havah Nagilah.

        Washington tells Mason and Dixon of the journey of the Frenchman
Celeron de Bienville, who was sent south from Montreal to stake a claim
on the Ohio territory in 1749.  Washington mentions the leaden "flags"
he planted to record his claim. The Wikipedia says he placed at least
six lead plates in the ground but only two have ever been found.
Wikipedia goes on to state that the French claims on the Ohio Territory
led to the Seven Years War, which was raging when Mason and Dixon sailed
on the Seahorse.

        Mason, Dixon and Washington speculate on the reason for the lead
plates and Dixon thinks it might have something to do with electricity.
They all agree that Franklin is crazy with his obsession over
electricity.

Toby