a strip of crooked side-walk

[enkidu68]

Hi folks, this is cited from Redburn by Hermann Melville (1849)
Q: Does it simply mean a part of pavement which is not straight?





Once, passing through this place, I heard a feeble wail, which seemed to come out of the earth. It was but a strip of crooked side-walk where I stood; the dingy wall was on every side, converting the mid-day into twilight; and not a soul was in sight.

 

[Loob]

Yes (asuming you're using "pavement" in its BrE sense).

 

[enkidu68]

I am nout sure of what sense Melville used this word or If he used it in British English or AE.

 

[Loob]

He used sidewalk, which is AmE.
It was you who used pavement. I assume you used it in its BrE sense. BrE pavement equates to AmE sidewalk. AmE pavement does not equate to AmE sidewalk.
Melville spoke AmE.

 

[enkidu68]

Anyway)) Could you tell me if my interpreting is true?

 

[Loob]

I did, in post 2.

 

[enkidu68]

Ok, thanks a lot Loob.