M&D Portsmouth street scene

[jbor at bigpond.com]

[...] Thro' several window-panes, moving candlelight
appears. Hostlers roll about disgruntled on feed-sack
Pillows and beds. Unengaged Glim-jacks look in, to
see if they can cast any light on matters. (21)

Hostlers are the stablemen at inns, and I suspect that "Glim-jacks" are 
the streetlamp-lighters (cf. lumberjack, steeplejack etc). Note 
Pynchon's use of the cliché and pun.

best