Carving mortises is a meticulous task. Unlike sawing, which requires brute force, it is tedious and slow, and cannot be rushed.
On the afternoon of October 3rd, Chen Zhou worked continuously on the deck.
The weather was favorable, with no clouds in sight even in the evening.
Not wanting to waste such a rare good weather, Chen Zhou hung an oil lamp on the deck and continued to work overtime under the dim light.
From morning till night, he worked for about ten hours.
Finally, the four frames lying across the deck took shape.
The tenons at the front and rear of the side frames, the mortises for connecting tenons at the front and rear frames were completed, and some of the mortises for inserting boards on two rows were also carved.
Before resting late at night, estimating that the tide was almost high, Chen Zhou measured the waterline once more.
According to his observations, the tide rises and falls twice a day.
