by J. T. Edson
35 Told in THE MAKING OF A LAWMAN.
36 We have occasionally received mail claiming that the throwing of knives was never carried out in serious combat. To those who consider this to be correct, we would point out that James Bowie was credited with doing so and killing an assailant fleeing from an abortive attempt to ambush and murder him; see THE IRON MISTRESS by William Wellman.
37 There was at least one occasion recorded in World War II. This happened during the close quarters fighting which occurred after the U.S.N. Navy’s destroyer, Borie, rammed and was locked against the German submarine, U-405, during the Battle Of The Atlantic. In addition to more conventional ways of fighting, an American sailor threw his sheath knife from the deck of the ship and killed a German on the casing of the submarine to prevent a gun being manned; see Chapter 7, ‘Scratch One Pig Boat ... Am Searching For More’, THE SEA HUNTERS, by Kenneth Poolman and, Chapter Twelve, ‘An Epic Duel’, AUTUMN OF THE U-BOAT, by Geoffrey Jones.
38 We have expressed our point of view on the passive role assigned to the majority of heroines and even villainesses of action-escapism-adventure literature, movies and television series, in our Introduction for J.T.’S LADIES and MORE J.T.’S LADIES.
39 Being primarily intended for sale to the United States Army as a weapon for the cavalry, the first Colt 1860 Army Model revolvers had barrels eight inches in length. However, those produced with the civilian market in mind were half an inch shorter.
40 The first occasion Captain Dustine Edward Marsden ‘Dusty’ Fog served as a peace officer is recorded in QUIET TOWN.
41 See APPENDIX ONE.
42 A grandson of Captain Dustine Edward Marsden ‘Dusty’ Fog, Alvin Dustine ‘Cap’, received a similar education in the Japanese martial arts from Danny, a nephew of Tommy Okasi and also a samurai.
43 Two occasions when Alvin Dustine ‘Cap’ Fog put to use his skill with the yawara stick are recorded in RAPIDO CLINT and RAPIDO CLINT AND J.G. REEDER.
44 At the period of this narrative, Solomon Wisdom ‘Solly’ Cole was serving as a United States’ deputy marshal. Some information regarding his career can he learned by inference in IS-A-MAN.
45 After attaining promotion to United States’ marshal, Solomon Cole makes ‘guest’ appearances in CALAMITY SPELLS TROUBLE: Part Seven, ‘Deadwood, August 2nd, 1876’, J.T.’S HUNDREDTH and Part Six, ‘Mrs. Wild Bill’, J.T.’S LADIES.
46 ‘Derry’; sobriquet for professional gambler Frank Derringer, who was serving as a deputy town marshal under Captain Dustine Edward Marsden Dusty Fog.
47 ‘Guest’ appearances by Derringer are recorded in QUIET TOWN and THE GENTLE GIANT. He ‘stars’ in his own right in COLD DECK, HOT LEAD.
48 An ‘inside straight’ is a hand with four cards which lack a fifth somewhere in the middle of the required sequence to complete the five; i.e. six, seven, nine, ten.
49 A ‘bob-tailed straight’ has a card missing at one end or the other.
50 Holding a kicker - retaining an ace or a king in conjunction with a pair at draw poker. This is considered ill-advised as it reduces the chances of ‘improving’ the pair by restricting the number of supporting cards to be drawn to two.
51 Fuller details of the checks used to detect marked cards and other crooked gambling ploys can be found in various volumes of the Floating Outfit, Waco, Calamity Jane and Waxahachie Smith series.
52 Information about ‘Honesty Johns in Brownton’ is given in CARDS AND COLTS.
53 The incident, an early example of Waco’s flair for deductive reasoning, is recorded in THE MAKING OF A LAWMAN.
54 Being based upon a variant of soccer first played in the British Isles at Rugby public school during 1823, the ‘Boston game’ and other regional varieties in the United States would evolve into the highly organized professional and amateur game of ‘American’ or ‘gridiron’ football. Becoming popular at various Eastern colleges and universities, with the main emphasis being on kicking although carrying the ball was becoming an accepted tactic, it was played on occasion with up to twenty-five men in each team.
55 The lady in question was Belle ‘the Rebel Spy’ Boyd. For her connection with the Ysabel Kid, see APPENDIX THREE.
56 For an example of how dangerous a failure to take such a precaution could be, see THE FAST GUN.
57 ‘A:he’ – ‘I claim it’; the coup cry given by a Comanche warrior when striking down an enemy, or—preferably—laying a hand upon one while he was still alive. For a description of the ritual being carried out in the latter fashion, see IS-A-MAN.
58 Details of the education received by the Ysabel Kid from his maternal grandfather, Chief Long Walker of the Pehnane Comanche see APPENDIX THREE and, in greater detail, COMANCHE.
59 Details of how Captain Lord Nichols Ramage, R.N. earned two very large sums in prize money are recorded in RAMAGE’S DIAMOND and RAMAGE’S MUTINY, by Dudley Pope.
60 A detailed description of the Mulrooney town marshal’s office and its furnishings can he found in THE TROUBLE BUSTERS.
61 According to Comanche folklore, being inveterate gamblers, members of the Pahuraix band—their name ‘Water Horse’ having originated as a result of their preference for making camp alongside a stream or lake—had acquired their uncharacteristic tall and lean physical conformation as a result of having to stand and reach high to pile up the large amount of property they invariably used as stakes for bets.
62 See APPENDIX FIVE.
63 What happened at the meeting prior to the arrival of Captain Dustine Edward Marsden ‘Dusty’ Fog and as a result of the conclusion reached about him by one of the men attending it is recorded in detail in THE CODE OF DUSTY FOG.
64 ‘Buck House’; Buckingham Palace.
65 ‘Nil illegitium carborundum’; put politely, ‘Don’t let the ‘illegitimates’ grind you down.’
66 ‘Semper im excretum’; put politely, ‘Always in the excreta.’ We deny most strongly allegations that this is the Edson family motto.
67 The term, ‘Going on safari’—the Swahili word meaning a journey of any kind and not just a hunting expedition—had not come into usage at the period of this narrative.
68 We do not have any information about when or where Lord James Roxton made the acquaintance of the famous white hunter, Allan Quatermain and his Hottentot gun bearer, Ventvogel—’ Windbird’—but assume it was during a hunting expedition in Southern Africa. Some details of the careers of ‘Hunter’ Quatermain and Ventvogel are given in KING SOLOMON’S MINES and ALLAN QUATERMAIN by H. Rider Haggard.
69 The researches of the world’s foremost fictionist genealogist, Phillip Jose Farmer—author of in addition to numerous other works, TARZAN ALIVE, A Definitive Biography Of Lord Greystoke and DOC SAVAGE, His Apocalyptic Life—with whom we have consulted suggest ‘Matt’, or ‘Big D’ as David ‘Mousey’ Nellist called him, was United Stales’ Marshal Matthew Dillon, some of whose career was recorded in the television series, GUN LAW; episodes of which were screened in the United Kingdom as ‘GUNSMOKE’.
70 ‘Sold his saddle’; in this context, one who has betrayed his trust.
71 As a cowhand relied so much upon his saddle as an essential means of carrying out his work, only the most desperate of situations would induce him to sell it. No matter how good the cause, he was regarded with suspicion and even disdain by his contemporaries for having done so.
72 At the period of this narrative, Russia was considered an enemy of the British Empire; particularly where the affairs of the Indian subcontinent were concerned.
73 We asked the member of the Besgrove-Woodstole family who supplied the information given in this chapter why it had been decided to end the reticence previously shown over the affair. We were informed that the details had been withheld out of a desire to avoid showing members of the Civil Service in such an unfavourable light. However, as a result of recent happenings, the family consider they are no longer bound by such a consideration.
74 Details of some of Dustine Edward Marsden ‘Dusty’ Fog’s
activities prior to his enrolment are given in Part Five, ‘A Time For Improvisation, Mr. Blaze’, J.T.’S HUNDREDTH.
75 Told in YOU’RE IN COMMAND NOW, MR. FOG.
76 Told in THE BIG GUN, UNDER THE STARS AND BARS, Part One, The Futility Of War’, THE FASTEST GUN IN TEXAS and KILL DUSTY FOG!
77 Told in A MATTER OF HONOUR.
78 Told in THE DEVIL GUN.
79 Told in THE COLT AND THE SABER and THE REBEL SPY.
80 More details of the career of Belle ‘the Rebel Spy’ Boyd can be found in THE BLOODY BORDER; BACK TO THE BLOODY BORDER; THE HOODED RIDERS; THE BAD BUNCH; SET A-FOOT; TO ARMS! TO ARMS! IN DIXIE!; THE SOUTH WILL RISE AGAIN; THE QUEST FOR BOWIE’S BLADE; Part Eight, ‘Affair Of Honor’, J.T.’S HUNDREDTH and Part Five, ‘The Butcher’s Fiery End’, J.T.’S LADIES.
81 Told in, Part Three, ‘The Paint’, THE FASTEST GUN IN TEXAS.
82 Further information about the General’s earlier career is given in the Ole Devil Hardin and Civil War series. His death is recorded in DOC LEROY, M.D.
83 Told in THE YSABEL KID.
84 ‘Floating Outfit’: a group of four to six cowhands employed by a large ranch to work the more distant sections of the property. Taking food in a chuck wagon, or ‘greasy sack’ on the back of a mule, they would be away from the ranch house for long periods and so were selected for their honesty, loyalty, reliability and capability in all aspects of their work. Because of General Hardin’s prominence in the affairs of Texas, the OD Connected’s floating outfit was frequently sent to assist such of his friends who found themselves in difficulties or endangered.
85 Told in .44 CALIBER MAN and A HORSE CALLED MOGOLLON.
86 Rancher and master cattleman Charles Goodnight never served in the Army. The rank was honorary and granted by his fellow Texans in respect for his abilities as a fighting man and leader.
87 Colonel Goodnight makes ‘guest’ appearances in Part One, ‘The Half Breed’, THE HALF BREED; its ‘expansion’, WHITE INDIANS and IS-A-MAN.
88 Although Dusty Fog never received higher official rank than Captain, in the later years of his life, he too was given the honorific, ‘Colonel’ for possessing the same qualities.
89 Told in GOODNIGHT’S DREAM and FROM HIDE AND HORN.
90 Told in SET TEXAS BACK ON HER FEET and THE HIDE AND TALLOW MEN.
91 Told in TRAIL BOSS.
92 Told in THE MAN FROM TEXAS.
93 Told in QUIET TOWN, THE MAKING OF A LAWMAN, THE TROUBLE BUSTERS, THE GENTLE GIANT, THE SMALL TEXAN and THE TOWN TAMERS.
94 Told in GUN WIZARD.
95 Lady Winifred Besgrove-Woodstole appears as ‘Freddie Woods’ in: THE TROUBLE BUSTERS; THE MAKING OF A LAWMAN; THE GENTLE GIANT; BUFFALO ARE COMING!; THE FORTUNE HUNTERS; WHITE STALLION. RED MARE; THE WHIP AND THE WAR LANCE and Part Five, ‘The Butcher’s Fiery End’. J.T.’S LADIES. She also ‘guest’ stars under her married name, Mrs. Freddie Fog, in NO FINGER ON THE TRIGGER.
96 Three occasions when Dusty Fog utilized his small size to his advantage are described in KILL DUSTY FOG!; Part One, ‘Dusty Fog And The Schoolteacher’, THE HARD RIDERS; its ‘expansion. MASTER OFTRIGGERNOMETRY and Part One, ‘The Phantom of Gallup Creek’, THE FLOATING OUTFIT.
97 Two examples of how Dusty Fog exploited his exceptional physical strength are given in MASTER OF TRIGGERNOMETRY and THE PEACEMAKERS.
98 The ambidextrous prowess was in part hereditary. It was possessed and exploited with equal success by Freddie and Dusty’s grandson, Alvin Dustine ‘Cap’ Fog who also inherited his grandfather’s physique of a Hercules in miniature. Alvin utilized these traits to help him be acknowledged as one of the finest combat pistol shots in the United States during the Prohibition era and to earn his nickname by becoming the youngest man ever to hold rank of Captain in the Texas Rangers. See the Alvin Dustine ‘Cap’ Fog series for further details of his career.
99 Although the military sometimes claimed derisively it was easier to kill a sailor than a soldier, the weight factor of the respective weapons had caused the United States’ Navy to adopt a revolver of .36 caliber while the Army employed the larger .44. The reason was that the weapon would be carried on a seaman’s belt and not—handguns having been originally and primarily developed for use by cavalry—on the person or saddle of a man who would be doing most of his travelling and fighting from the back of a horse. Therefore, .44 became known as the ‘Army’ caliber and .36, the ‘Navy’.
100 Details about the Colt Model P of 1873, more frequently known as ‘the Peacemaker’ can be found in those volumes following THE PEACEMAKERS in our list of Floating Outfit series’ titles in chronological sequence.
101 ‘Tommy Okasi’ is an Americanized corruption of the name given by the man in question, who had left Japan for reasons which the Hardin, Fog and Blaze families refuse to divulge even at this late date, when he was rescued from a derelict vessel in the China Sea by a ship under the command of General Hardin’s father.
102 The members of the Hardin, Fog and Blaze families cannot or will not make any statement upon the exact relationship between Elizabeth ‘Betty’ and her ‘grandfather’, General Hardin.
103 Betty Hardin appears in Part Five, ‘A Time For Improvisation, Mr. Blaze’, J.T.’S HUNDREDTH; Part Four, ‘It’s Our Turn To Improvise, Miss Blaze’, J.T.’S LADIES; KILL DUSTY FOG!; THE BAD BUNCH; McGRAW’S INHERITANCE; Part Two, The Quartet’, THE HALF BREED; THE RIO HONDO WAR and GUNSMOKE THUNDER.
104 Two of Mark Counter’s grandsons, Andrew Mark ‘Big Andy’ Counter and Ranse Smith inherited his good looks and exceptional physique as did two great-grandsons, Deputy Sheriff Bradford ‘Brad’ Counter and James Allenvale ‘Bunduki’ Gunn. Unfortunately, while willing to supply information about other members of his family, past and present, ‘Big Andy’ has so far declined to allow publication of any of his own adventures.
105 Some details of Ranse Smith’s career as a peace officer during the Prohibition era are recorded in THE JUSTICE OF COMPANY ‘Z’ and RAPIDO CLINT AND J.G. REEDER.
106 Brad Counter’s activities are described in Part Eleven, ‘Preventive Law Enforcement’, J.T.’S HUNDREDTH and the Rockabye County series, covering aspects of law enforcement in present day Texas.
107 Some of James Gunn’s life story is told in Part Twelve, ‘The Mchawi’s Powers’, J.T.’S HUNDREDTH and the Bunduki series. His nickname arose from the Swahili word for a hand held firearm of any kind being, ‘bunduki’ and gave rise to the horrible pun that when he was a child he was, ‘Toto ya Bunduki’, meaning ‘Son of a Gun’.
108 One occasion is recorded in THE SOUTH WILL RISE AGAIN.
109 The incident is described in BEGUINAGE.
110 ‘The Manual of Dress Regulations for the Confederate States’ Army stipulated that the tunic should have ‘a skirt extending half way between hip and knee’.
111 The legacy also caused two attempts to be made upon Mark’s life, see CUT ONE, THEY ALL BLEED and Part Two, ‘We Hang Horse Thieves High’, J.T.’S HUNDREDTH.
112 ‘Right bower’; second in command, derived from the name given to the second highest trump card in the game of euchre.
113 Told in RANGELAND HERCULES.
114 Told in THE MAN FROM TEXAS, this is a rather ‘pin the tail on the donkey’ title used by our first publishers to replace our own, ROUNDUP CAPTAIN, which we considered far more apt.
115 Evidence of Mark Counter’s competence as a gunfighter and his standing compared to Dusty Fog is given in: GUN WIZARD.
116 Martha ‘Calamity Jane’ Canary’s meetings with Mark Counter are described in Part One, ‘The Bounty On Belle Starr’s Scalp’, TROUBLED RANGE; its ‘expansion’ CALAMITY, MARK AND BELLE; Part One, ‘Better Than Calamity’, THE WILDCATS; its ‘expansion’, CUT ONE, THEY ALL BLEED; THE BAD BUNCH; THE FORTUNE HUNTERS; THE BIG HUNT and GUNS IN THE NIGHT.
