The valley of horses_ a novel - Jean M. Auel [129]
“See … where the strakes have been removed,” Carolio said, pointing out the dismantled boat to Jondalar, “there are holes along the top edge of the dugout.” She showed him a plank with a curve that fit the shell. “This was the first strake. The holes along the thinner edge match the base. See, it was overlapped like this, and sewn to the top of the dugout. Then the top plank was sewn to this one.”
They walked around to the other side which hadn’t been dismantled yet. Carolio indicated the frayed and broken fiber in some of the holes. “This boat was overdue for refitting, but you can see how the strakes overlap. For small boats, for one or two people, you don’t need sides, just the dugout. They’re harder to handle in rough water, though. They can get out of control before you know it.”
“Someday I like learn,” Jondalar said. Then, noticing the curved strake, he asked, “How you bend plank?”
“With steam and tension, like the base you expanded. The posts over there, where Carlono and your brother are, are for the guy lines to hold the strakes in place while they are sewn on. It doesn’t take long with everyone working together, once the holes are drilled. Making the holes is a bigger problem. We sharpen the bone drills, but they break so easily.”
Toward evening, when they were all trooping back up to the high terrace, Thonolan noticed that his brother seemed unusually quiet, “What are you thinking about, Jondalar?”
“Making boats. There’s a lot more to it than I ever imagined. I’ve never heard of boats like these before, or seen anyone as skilled on the water as the Ramudoi. I think the youngsters are more comfortable in their small boats than they are walking. And they’re so skilled with their tools …” Thonolan saw his brother’s eyes light up with enthusiasm. “I’ve been examining them. I think if I could detach a large spall from the working edge of that adze Carlono was using, it would leave a smooth concave inner face, and make it much easier to use. And I’m sure I could make a burin out of flint that would bore those holes faster.”
“So that’s it! For a while there I thought you were really interested in boat making, Big Brother. I should have known. It’s not the boats, it’s the tools they use to make them. Jondalar, you’ll always be a toolmaker at heart.”
Jondalar smiled, realizing Thonolan was right. The boatbuilding process was interesting, but it was the tools that had captured his imagination. There were adequate flint knappers in the group, but no one who had made it his or her specialty. No one who could see how a few modifications could make the tools more effective. He had always taken a keen delight in making tools suited to a task, and his technically creative mind was already envisioning possibilities to improve those the Sharamudoi used. And it might be a way he could begin to repay, with his unique skill and knowledge, these people to whom he owed so much.
“Mother! Jondalar! More people just came! There are already so many tents, I don’t know where they’ll find room,” Darvo shouted as he raced into the shelter. He dashed out again; he had only come to impart the news. He couldn’t possibly stay in—the activities outside were far too exciting.
“More visitors have come than when Markeno and Tholie were mated, and I thought that gathering was large,” Serenio said. “But then, most people know of the Mamutoi, even if they haven’t all seen one. No one has heard of the Zelandonii.”
“They not think we have two eye, and two arm, and two leg, like they?” Jondalar said.
He was somewhat overwhelmed himself at the number of people. A Zelandonii Summer Meeting usually saw more, but these were all strangers, except for the residents of Dolando’s Cave and Carlono’s Dock. Word had traveled so fast that others besides Sharamudoi had even come. Some of Tholie’s Mamutoi kith and kin, plus a few others curious enough to accompany them, had been early arrivals. There were people from upriver as well,