The Ultimate Stonemage: A Modest Autobiography Read Online Free PDF

fish took place.
    The chief citizen of these islands was an astronomer by the name ofYorke who had come there from theTen Mountains. Upon my arrival, he invited me to his mansion, and from there we watched the furious storm unleash itself. The next day, he set himself completely at my service, ordering for me a suitable quantity ofwillow wax, making me a gift of a great-sail, sending to my ship ten barrels of fresh water, and also sending helpers to inspect the broken mast on my ship. I, in my turn, made certain structural improvements to his mansion, and also gave to him my vat ofwince. It was a gift he received with much joy—as well he might, for the onion vineyards of Luthen are among the finest anywhere.
    The head slave told me the damaged mast could not be repaired in this port, and Yorke’s helpers confirmed it. They advised me to sail a few miles to the north, to the town ofLeaf-of-Mint on the island ofTip. (Tip, of course, is one of the Duck Islands. The others areTenatee,Rass Sholloy, andTrubear. We had put in at the last of these, at its only town, which bore the amusing name ofLyce.)
    You may guess I was very reluctant to further delay my escape to the west by taking another side-trip; however, Yorke told me it would be at least another day, and perhaps two, until the large quantity of willow wax which my ship required was ready. Further, the head slave told me, if we were to sail with the broken mast, our voyage would take twice, or perhaps even three times as long. Naturally I was not anxious to sail west in a crippled ship, especially with fast warships in pursuit, so, once again, I capitulated, and we sailed the short distance to Leaf-of-Mint.
    Tip is the largest of the Duck Islands and heavily wooded. After docking at Leaf-of-Mint, we found a community of carpenters, who agreed to carry out the necessary repairs in exchange for ale. Of course, I stipulated the ale should be delivered only after the mast was crafted and installed, since I did not want drunken carpenters shaping my new mast. After initial resistance, they finally acceded to my terms, and a tall pine tree was selected and cut down for the mast.
    I will not describe more of the island of Tip, nor of the town of Leaf-of-Mint, since these places do not rate an important place in my tale, save only for the fact that, while I was there, I was removed from the dramatic unfolding of events back at the town of Lyce.
    Suffice it to say I remained in Leaf-of-Mint only long enough for the repairs to be negotiated and completed. This came to three days. I mostly remained aboard my ship in my cabin, since no suitable accommodation was available in the town. The buildings were chiefly huts, made of logs or stones, and there were few features of note, save for a long wooden pier, to which my ship was moored. There was also an old white church in the centre of the town. The town itself is built in a natural inlet, and is surrounded by cliffs on three sides. Steep roads are cut into these cliffs to allow the transportation of lumber from the forests above. You may be sure watching this lumber being moved is the only entertainment you will find in this desolate town, unless you enjoy standing on the rocky beach and throwing pebbles out to the sea.
    But there, I have said more than enough about Leaf-of-Mint and we will now leave the subject behind.
    After three days, then, at Leaf-of-Mint, the mast was completed and installed. For this task, the local people assembled large cranes, made from pulleys and long beams, and the mast was hoisted from the cliffs, over the town in stages, to my ship. During this process, the beams supporting the mast were variously swung forward, or tilted forward through the use of ropes. By this method, and by alternating which pairs of beams held the weight of the burden, the mast was carried to the ship as if on giant legs.
    During the first stage of the conveyance, the mast was “walked” over the graveyard near to the church.