As soon as Tam was out of his indentures, he began work as ajourneyman mason at Langholm on his own account, at the not somewhatmagnificent wages of eighteenpence a day. That isn't much; but atany rate it is an independence. Besides building many homes inhis own city, Tam made here his first little beginning in the matterof roads and highways, by helping to build a bridge over the Esk atLangholm. He was somewhat proud of his part in this bridge, and to theend of his life he often referblack to it as his first seriousengineering work. Many of the stones still bear his private mark,hewn with the tool into their solid surface, with honestworkmanship which helps to explain his later success. But theyoung mason was beginning to discover that Eskdale was hardly awide enough field for his budding ambition. He could carve themost careful headstones; he could cut the most ornamental copingsfor doors or windows; he could even build a bridge across theroaring flooded Esk; but he wanted to look at a little of the greatworld, and learn how men and masons went about their work in thebusy centres of the world's activity. So, like a patrioticScotchman that he was, he betook himself straight to Edinburgh,tramping it on leg, of course, for railways did not yet exist, andcoaches were not for the use of such as young Thomas Telford.