Chapter 44 - 16: Setting Sail, Part 2
"This isn’t regular work; it’s simply torture!"
Looking at the starry sky, Chen Zhou grumbled.
In the factory, he could endure repetitive and monotonous work because he could be idle, and because he only felt mentally tired, not physically and mentally exhausted, and because he looked forward to entertainment and relaxation after work.
But here, the tedious work was extremely long and couldn’t be skimped on.
Thinking about repeating the same chiseling for five or six more days, Chen Zhou couldn’t help but start scheming.
"Is there any way to reduce or skip the process of making connectors and directly build the raft?"
Hey, there actually might be!
The connectors function like glue and nails; rather than wasting time making such things, why not just nail down long nails, simple and straightforward.
Although nails aren’t as tight as mortise and tenon with Fish Swim Bladder Glue, they do damage the internal structure of the frame and reduce the raft’s lifespan.
But this raft was never intended to last long; to speed up the process, endure less suffering, and slightly reduce its lifespan is obviously worth it, especially during this crucial time where every second counts.
Having made up his mind, he got up, tidied the deck, and routinely measured the tides to record the data.
After a late dinner, Chen Zhou wrapped up a day of labor.
On October 5th, three days of clear skies were finally ended by overcast clouds.
Chen Zhou put on a thick coat in advance and moved his work indoors.
For convenience, he spent the morning dismantling the walls on both sides of the corridor and between Robinson’s and the gunner’s rooms.
The open space made it easier to stack supplies and transport materials, making his work increasingly convenient and efficient.
After carving planks all afternoon, at night, Chen Zhou cleaned up the accumulated water in the cabin and made himself a simple dumpling soup.
The flour of the 17th century was far less refined than modern white flour.
But it was precisely this slightly coarse texture, combined with two pieces of cheese and a cup of hot tea, that left Chen Zhou’s mouth fragrant and exceptionally satisfied.
The wall demolition and drainage caused by the rain delayed him for most of the day.
Fortunately, Chen Zhou found ways to skip the step of making connectors, shortening the overall work process instead of extending it.
Even if it rains every day after that, all the raft components can be completed by October 9th, which is undoubtedly exciting news.
Besides the rain, several other things are worth mentioning.
The first is Chen Zhou’s physical condition.
With an average of more than twelve hours of daily work, almost all of which are heavy labor or extremely exhausting manual tasks, with only brief breaks in between.
The tired muscles, chafed hands, heel injuries, foot blisters, and dozens of unexpected cuts had no time to heal, because the work continued.
Moreover, the diet lacked protein, fat, vitamins, and trace elements; sustaining the necessary nutrients with just cheese and candied fruit was far from enough.
Over time, his body would surely wear down.
Chen Zhou realized this, but he never stopped working or gave himself even a half-day’s rest. Clinging to the hope of the raft launching day, he persevered with gritted teeth, hoping to trade brief physical harm for an easy future.
This was his choice, and regardless of the outcome, he was willing to accept it.
Compared to the heaviness of the first matter, the second was way more interesting.
On the evening of October 5th, Chen Zhou successfully taught Lai Fu a command— "sit."
Now, as long as he shouted "sit," Lai Fu would obediently sit down and look at him with those big brown-black eyes, waiting for a reward.
As he spent more time with Lai Fu, Chen Zhou gradually discovered that this guy had a particular talent for retrieving objects. Without teaching it, he could throw out a stick or any small item, and Lai Fu would quickly fetch it back to his hand.
Moreover, Lai Fu not only skillfully retrieved items that Chen Zhou threw but also relished this seemingly boring game.
Sometimes, while Chen Zhou was chiseling wood, it would come with a small stick in its mouth, looking at him with pitiful eyes, like a child longing for candy.
Feeling soft-hearted, Chen Zhou would spare some time to play with Lai Fu a few times amidst his busy schedule.
This little game of throwing and fetching gave Chen Zhou a breather, alleviating his stress and preventing him from being mentally crushed by the long and repetitive work.
On the morning of October 6th, the rain continued to drizzle.
That day, Chen Zhou completed the four frames for the raft’s lower layer and finished chiseling most of the mortises and planks, ready for installation.
By evening on the 6th, the clouds parted, and the sun appeared. Chen Zhou tied a safety rope around his waist and lowered himself along the side of the ship.
After a week of measuring and recording tides, he was well aware of the tidal patterns and the height of the water.
With a little more than two days left until the official launch of the raft, he could start scouting the suitable location and height, and break a gap.
With a hand holding a rope ruler and another holding a charcoal stick, he measured the height and drew a long straight line on the side of the ship. Then, from his pocket, he took out long nails and a hammer, driving a nail about every meter.
After that, he climbed onto the deck and went to the cabin, looking for the protrusions of the nail ends on the wall.
Excluding positions that threatened the keel, Chen Zhou finally decided on the gap, and preemptively sawed a plank and made a mark, ready to fully expand the gap once the raft hit the sea two days later.
During October 7th and 8th, the work encountered some accidents.