Now Cesare Borgia is the man with the orders and the small bag of seven Ducats. Now, instead of a machine that will let us fly I am to contrive a breathing apparatus that will let us swim like a fish. And again, that rascal, Salai, has come with the book of drawings and the price for the time it takes to find the details. And once more the Florentine master is away. I believe they do this to vex me!
The first drawing is little better than a sketch, an idea that more resembles a horse's feed bag and the tentacles of a squid than any design to work from.
Lost in the margins are some tiny details from which, after yet more coins to Salai, I was able to discern a system of tiny gates to allow a flow of air into the mask through one tube and the expulsion of breath out of the mask through another.
From this information I was able to make my own sketch and thus get a sense of the requirements to fulfil the obligations of my job.
At first the task seemed easy enough. I acquired some round discs of glass for the eyes, leather for the job, and from my blacksmith friend the round wire needed to create coils which will line the leather hoses and, in the final use, provide internal support so the hose cannot be crushed by the great weight of water.
Buy my own efforts I was able to turn these coils and create a tapered filler to hold my leather work in place.
The mask itself was made from a tube of leather onto which I first worked the mouthpiece and the eyeglasses.
The wire coil was passed through the tube. I hope this is sufficient for I did not endeavoured to sew the leather so tightly to the coil that they cannot be extracted one from the other.
While this all seemed simple enough I discovered that I was more challenged by the making of the tiny gates fastened to wooden disks. These were secured with thread and beeswax to the wire ring just inside the mouth area.
The gates were made of leather pieces sewn to a bronze rod which was then fastened by loops to the wood. The attachment allowed for a gentle flap and will, I hope, give sufficient sealing when the inhalation or exhalation of air forces one open and draws the other closed.
From the outside the mask now looks like this. Tube extensions must be added, sufficient sealing of the seams must be done with some soft beeswax, and prayers must be given for the first person who has to use this!
I am guessing that the curious sack beneath the mouth piece is to take spittle and leakage from the whole system. Prayers not withstanding, that does not give me hope!
In an attempt to mitigate against leakage I have applied hot bees wax to the joints and seams, and oils and greased the whole. From the upper leather tubing I have added hollow wooden tubes. All is ready for the first mad man who wishes to volunteer. I hope it is Salai, and I hope I have not done my job properly!
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