Tracing the Contours

I slid the brass-rimmed dome magnifier slowly across an oversized topographical chart spread across the archive table. After catching the midday tram out of the drizzle, the dry, paper-scented hush of the reading room felt immediately welcoming. Leaning my weight against the heavy drafting paper, I peered straight through the convex glass. The tightly packed brown contour lines of Diddi's river valley leaped into sharp focus, revealing minute elevation numerals etched along the ridgelines. With both hands steadying the cool brass collar, I carefully guided the lens until the tiny icon for the old stone weir settled dead-center in the glass circle.