Perhaps there are more unexplained events in 1840, but if so, these just intrigued me further. In fact, I've said in the past that I think the DS writers consciously left loose ends and ambiguities, which I think is one of the distinctive aspects of DS as a whole that give it texture and interest (not to mention longevity). I'm not one who needs everything spelled out or wrapped up in a neat package.
(1897 spoiler below)
I've been coming to think this way in the past few years, partly because of posts on this board, I think. It's hard at first not to see the show's point of view as being what protagonists say onscreen-- but when you remember that real life situations aren't spelled out verbally by real people experiencing them (who are often all clueless as to the meaning of what's happening), this helps one to see DS differently. I think it was something someone said about Quentin's reaction to seeing Carl's body in front of Barnabas, that got me thinking this way-- the idea that Quentin wasn't free to speak honestly about it in front of the relative he now had an extra reason to fear.... and he can't discuss it with other people either.
If Q was going to voice his real attitude for the sake of the viewers (and exposition), he'd have to have talked to himself when no one else was around, which would have been silly. So we have to put the pieces together ourselves, and that's good training for watching DS and for life in general.
I don't mind loose ends or ambiguity so much, but outright contradiction of established facts I do mind, as with Edith at the end of 1840. Still, I've whittled down those to three or four items, and that's not so much more than in other eras.
I'm fuzzy on the whole Java Queen business. Was there any connection between this ship and the one Q and Gerard were on? If this was just some ship Ivan Miller was on many years before sailing with Quentin1, why did it crash right at the Collins estate? When was that crash? Did Quentin have any connection to that ship at all?
I'm thinking it was extreme foresight on Ivan's part, storing away some proto-zombies for the right moment he foresaw many years later, when he could try to take over the estate.
I'd appreciate someone pitching in to help explain this.... I know we can just throw up our hands and say it's 1840 so it won't make sense, period.... but I've already satisfied myself on some points I thought would never make sense. I'd like to see how far we can get.