MD3PAD 562-564

[Toby G Levy]

        Chapter 57 begins on page 562.  We are now moving into 1766 and
Mason and Dixon are doing their winter off-season exploring of America.
Mason heads south while Dixon goes to New York City.

        Dixon goes to see a stage performance of "The Black Hole of
Calcutta." A female chorus sings a song about the prison. An elephant is
brought on stage at the end of the play and woman dance across his back.

        Dixon goes backstage afterwards to meet the women in the play.
Dixon joins a group of the company in a two day party at a place named
Brennan's. The party ends up back in the city on Broadway in Montagne's
Tavern, which happens to be the headquarters for the Sons of Liberty,
the group that Mason spent time with when he visited New York. Captain
Volcanoe tells Dixon that they have been dealing with the Stamp Act over
the last year.

        Dixon says that Mason sends his regards to Volcanoe's niece.
Volcanoe replies that she ran off with an italian wagon maker and moved
to Massapequa on Long Island where his mother is teaching her to cook. I
grew up near Massapequa, and it is not all that far from where Pynchon
grew up on Long Island.

Toby