Day the Next. p. 317 ff; the Deep Read, AtD(11) June

[David Morris]

Yes, the M&D usage appears to be incorrect.  "Single up lines"
does mean preparation for departure by means of undoing all redundant
lines holding the ship to the dock, leaving only single lines
attached.

By the way (SPOILER, about the last chapter about to follow)...


...Did anyone notice the typo near the end when "Reef, Stray, and
Lubjenca (I can't remember the spelling of her name)" are said to
almost regret their returning to the USA?  Then they meet up with
Frank, Stray & Jesse.  Pretty glaring. I can't believe it slipped
through.

David Morris

On 6/20/07, Tore Rye Andersen <torerye at hotmail.com> wrote:
> "The Ship's Landing ran well up into the Town, by way of Dock Creek, so that the final Approach was like being reach'd out to, the Wind baffl'd, a slow embrace of Brickwork, as the Town came to swallow one by one their Oceanick Degrees of freedom,- once as many as a Compass box'd, and now, as they single up all lines, as they secure from Sea-Detail, as they come to rest, none." (M&D, 258)
>
> Curious thing, though: Haven't we generally agreed that "to single up all lines" means "preparing for departure"? In the M&D-quote, Pynchon seems to use the phrase in connection with arriving. Anyone?