in the Appunines of Liguria. 'doi 



, recess formed by the 'torrent of the river, I perceived upon 

 an eminence on the right ban4c of the Charavagna, a rustic 

 habitation, and a large lime -kiln at work. 



Of the Calcareous Stone proper for being converted into Lime: 

 of its Bed beside Serpentines, 



The lime-kihi used for calcining the stone, the singular 

 situation of which 1 shall soon describe, is of so peculiar 

 and unusual a construction, that it is worthy, of pur atten- 

 tionl In consequence of the extreme scarcity of Wood, the 

 saving of fuel has been their principal object : he;ith 

 and broom only of a large size are used for this pur- 

 pose ; these give a brisk but not a durable fire, and it be- 

 comes necessary to endeavour to preserve the heat as much 

 as possible. For this purpose, they have constructed of 

 strong and good masonry, a kind of square tower, sur- 

 niounted with a pyramid-formed capital of solid stone, which 

 s.erves as a kind of roof, and forces the heat to reverberate 

 upon the calcareous stone divided into fragments and in- 

 tended to be calcined. A simple straight aperture towards 

 the top of the vault serves for letting out the smoke, and 

 the humidity which exhales from the calcareous stone and 

 combustible; and it establishes a current of air necessary for 

 keeping up the fire, which being concentrated in a great 

 measure by the obstacles opposed to its wasting, acquires a 

 greater and steadier intensity. If, in some peculiar circum- 

 stances, they require a greater current of air, it may be 

 easily obtained by opening a small door placed, in one of 

 the faces of the pyraniidal wall, which serves as a roof to 

 the furnace. The lime-stone is introduced by a door made 

 behind 'the furnace, and it is withdrawn by the same aper- 

 ture when it" is calcined : the combustibles are placed below 

 upon a grating.. 



The quarry of Hme-stone is not far off, and is to be seeri 

 in the kind of ravine which serves for the bed of the torrent. 

 As my intention was to follow it in several points, so as to 

 become well acquainted with its situation, 1 continued to 

 asfccnd the torrent of Charavagna, by a route which becomes 

 more rapid as we advance. The soil was every where loaded 

 7 i ' with 



