AtDtDA(28): A Small Exploring Party

[Dave Monroe]

"Kit proceeded through the dark forests as if there was no doubt as to
his way...." (AtD, Pt. IV, p. 789)


"as if there was no doubt as to his way"

Why so?


"a hatband of Siberian tiger skin"

The Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is a rare subspecies of
tiger (P. tigris). Also known as the Amur, Manchurian, Korean, Altaic,
or North China tiger, it is confined completely to the Amur region in
the Far East, where it is now protected....

[...]

The Tungusic people considered the Siberian tiger a near-deity and
often referred to it as "Grandfather" or "Old man". The Udege and
Nanai called it "Amba". The Manchu considered the Siberian tiger as Hu
Lin, the king.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberian_Tiger#Native_perceptions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberian_Tiger

"See My Vest"

Burns: Some men hunt for sport, others hunt for food,
The only thing I'm hunting for, is an outfit that looks good...

See my vest, see my vest,
Made from real gorilla chest,
Feel this sweater, there's no better than authentic Irish setter,
See this hat, 'twas my cat,
My evening wear - vampire bat,
These white slippers are albino African endangered rhino.

Grizzly bear underwear,
Turtle's necks, I've got my share,
Beret of poodle, on my noodle it shall rest,
Try my red robin suit,
It comes one breast or two,
See my vest, see my vest, see my vest.

Like my loafers? Former gophers,
It was that or skin my chauffeurs,
But a greyhound fur tuxedo would be best,
So let's prepare these dogs,
Mrs. Potts: Kill two for matching clogs,
Burns: See my vest, see my vest,
Oh please, won't you see my vest.
I really like the vest.

http://snpp.com/episodes/2F18.html
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4G4uDiI_FqQ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_Dozen_and_One_Greyhounds
http://www.simpsoncrazy.com/information/lists/songlyrics.shtml


"Apparently something happened in Italy"

?


"some Christian propaganda mill down south"

Which?


"the Pacific Cost League"

http://pclbaseball.com/pcl100/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Coast_League
http://pacificcoast.league.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=l112

"earned-run average under two"

In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the mean of earned
runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. The ERA tells the
average number of runs a pitcher would inadvertently surrender over
the course of a full game had he been kept in. It bears similar
meaning to a hitter's batting average. It is determined by dividing
the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and
multiplying by nine. Runners reaching base on errors (even errors by
pitchers) do not count toward ERA if they later score. To a pitcher, a
lower earned run average is preferable to a higher one.

[...]

All-time leaders

1 Ed Walsh  1.82  Chicago (AL), Boston (NL)  1904-17
2 Addie Joss  1.89  Cleveland  1902-10
3 A. G. Spalding  2.04  Boston (NA), Chicago (NL)  1871-77
4 Mordecai Brown  2.06  St. Louis (NL), Chicago (NL), Cincinnati,
Brooklyn (FL), St. Louis (FL), Chicago (FL), Chicago (NL)  1903-16
5 John Ward  2.10  Providence, New York (NL), Brooklyn (NL), New York
(NL)  1878-94

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earned_run_average#All-time_leaders
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earned_run_average

"married to a barmaid from Oakland"

The Oakland Oaks were a minor league baseball team in Oakland,
California that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 through
1955....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_Oaks_%28PCL%29

Oakland has a Pacific Coast Brewing Company with some very sweet barmaids.

http://against-the-day.pynchonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=ATD_768-791#Page_789

"under another name"

Perhaps Colfax Vibe has become Sandy Koufax, pitcher for the Los
Angeles Dodgers in the 1960's.

http://against-the-day.pynchonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=ATD_768-791#Page_789


"the legendary and famous 'Tuva-to-Taklamakan'"

?