March 1, 1871
Drove Icky into town today to meet with the contractor. He never
raised his voice but by the end of the meeting the contractor
was white as a sheet and almost in tears. Icky said I could have
any of the inferior Iron I wanted.
March 2, 1871
Spent the day with Ian, Bert and a work crew moving Iron. As per
Icky's orders I sent him a bill for rubbish removal.
March 3, 1871
More tests with the sinkable boat today the redesigned arm controls
work much better. We then uncoupled from the tether and spent
an hour putting the ship through her paces. We recouped successfully
and did a emergency surfacing test.
March 4, 1871
Worked with a crew blasting today. George said it was a noisy
way to remove rock. I suspect Grandfather would have loved Icky's
project though.
March 5, 1871
Discovered a small cave further up the coast line Edward and George
went exploring.
March 6, 1871
Visited the other work site with Icky today we were among the
first to cross on the new foot bridge . The workers can now move
easily from one area to the other.
March 7, 1871
What does the ministry of justice think they are doing they let
the Xanthus escape. It was a bit of luck that Mr Moody was a ream
copper.
March 8, 1871
Sent a letter to Albert today, along with a tin of kippers.
March 10, 1871
Well this is a red letter day. Xanthus in now gallows fruit and
mother is being sent on a trip to the colonies. George ascribes
it to Kali watching over us. I am not sure what I think. But it
feels like a heavy weight has been lifted off me.
March 11, 1871
Working on Miss Whitnell's project today. After examining the
frame I ordered closely I discovered it was unsuitable for the
load we are going to place on it. So I returned it to the manufacturer
with a list of defects and suggestions on how to improve it. Then
we began to fabricate a new frame. It means that the project is
going to take longer than I had hoped .
March 12, 1871
Weather persists clear and cold. Edward and George spent the day
finding suitable pipe to create Miss Whitnell's frame from. Since
she specified a lightweight rig I had to reject most of what they
found as being too thick walled for our purposes. I might have
to order some to my specifications. Will talk it over with Icky
tonight at dinner.
March 13, 1871
Miss Whitnell's project is on the back burner Icky put me in touch
with one of his contractors and he has ordered me some samples
to study. I am afraid I monopolized his time a bit more than I
intended. But he had the most interesting stories about pipe and
tubeing.
March 14, 1871
Letter from Namaste today. I miss having someone my own gender
I can talk to.
March 15, 1871
Interesting doings on the content. My samples arrived today the
contractor spent most of the day in the forge with us preforming
tests on the pipe. It came down to a choice between the #11 and
the #18 when he informed me that the #11 had a higher carbon content
and can withstand more flex before it breaks. That settled that
I Immediately ordered 150 yards of the #11. Brian the contractor
seemed happy with my choice more so than can be explained away
by a salesman taking money from a shill. He left a catalogue of
his company's products.
March 16, 1871
Ian's curiosity finally got the better of him. He Asked me why
I ordered three times as much pipe as we needed to make the clockwork
bicycle. I had to confess that I planned on constructing three
of the devices. One for Miss Whitnell and two to leave here for
use to shuttle people and small loads around the construction
site. The clockwork gig has proved very useful in this regard
but it has some flaws in it's design. I then showed him the modified
plans for the two I planned to leave here. He found the addition
of the tea tank amusing.
March 16, 1871
Addendum Miss Whitnell and Salmalin Have jumped the broom!
March 17, 1871
Pipe arrived today we set to work shaping it into what we need.
We made good progress.
March 18, 1871
Managed to burn myself working at the forge Must have George show
me the trick of holding burning embers in your hand again.
March 19, 1871
It doesn't appear we will get all the clockwork bicycles completed
before I have to leave. Both Bert and Ian have assured me they
can finish the local projects without me. On a happier note my
musical experimentation has born fruit George no longer uses my
playing as a test of his meditation ability.
March 20, 1871
Worked late at the forge progress continues.
March 22, 1871
Gave a small recital for Icky and household tonight Icky seem
to enjoy the armonica. music. Others were not so happy about it.
March 23, 1871
The first frame is finished the second and third will be done
before I leave next week. As Icky says once you have done the
fist one, you can do a hundred. Brian popped by for some tea he
seemed impressed with the progress we have made. He gave Edward
the names of other contractors who might be able to supply some
of the other parts.
March 24, 1871
Icky was in the forge most of today. Ice has caused part of the
superstructure of the #4 crane to buckle. It had to be unshipped,
taken apart, and repaired. We all pitched in but the emergency
meant that no work was done on any of my projects.
March 25, 1871
Mr Reed arrived from London today. We did a few more test finished
up some reports for the Admiralty then loaded up the sinkable
boat for transport back to London. We all then headed into town
for a nice dinner at one of the local restaurants. He gave me
some letters for the radicals. Howard reports that our Plan is
progressing nicely, and he really liked the book on presses.
March 26, 1871
Spent the day in the forge with George. Icky gave me a pained
look when he discovered us working He then jumped right int the
project he kept telling stories about him and Sir C working on
the original clockwork carriages. We all laughed so much that
we were crying at one point.
March 27, 1871
Ian and Bert were in a bit of a state this morning the second
frame was finished last night and the third is mostly done. They
worked like fiends to finish the third today claiming loudly that
they couldn't be shown up by two boys. George and I had a good
laugh over that. As we sat around admiring our handiwork the discussion
turned to the rest of the fabrication. Bert has a good Idea of
how the machines need to go together. So am confident that by
this time next month Tea will arrive pipping hot to even the furthest
parts of the camp.
March 29, 1871
Packing to head back to Sir C's country estate. We leave this
evening.
March 30, 1871
Better prepared for this trip than I was for the last one. My
books and small projects went on the train last so I can retrieve
them as needed. Icky is working on a report for Sir C and George
is currently deep in meditation. I might be mistaken but I think
he has grown a bit while we were up north.
Proceed to Oddities lying about
Return to Miss Brody's Diary Index
Contents of this page copyright 2003 by Michael
Yust. All Rights Reserved.
Sivan's Talking Watch, the mechanism and phonograph disc published
in De Natur page 32, 1895.