Products of Industry 415 



called our attention to boulders, apparently of hematite, which they 

 recognized as iron. 



The smithies are small structures with grass roofs, but no sides 

 or floors (Plate LXII). At one end is a raised bamboo bench in front 

 of which stands the forge. This consists of two upright wooden 

 cylinders, usually logs hollowed out, known as po-opan. In each of 

 these is a piston or plunger (doEydoyog) at the lower end of which is 

 a wooden ring packed with corn husks and chicken feathers. When 

 this is pushed downward in the cylinder, it compresses the air and 

 forces it out of the small opening in the base, but when it is drawn up, 

 the packing collapses and allows the plunger to be raised without 

 effort. These pistons are worked so that one is rising, while the other 

 is falling. The cylinders stand in a wooden block out of which bam- 

 boo tubes (tolongon) conduct the air into a tube of fire clay (ibong), 

 and this in turn carries it into the charcoal fire. There are no valves, 

 as in the Chinese bellows, but the bamboo tubes fit loosely, and the fire 

 is not drawn back. Near to the hearth is a stone anvil (dalisdlsan) , 

 while a heavy stone hammer, a small iron hammer, and iron pinchers 

 complete the outfit. 



The fire is lighted, and the operator sitting on the bench alternately 

 raises and lowers the plungers in the cylinders until the fire burns 

 brightly ; then the smith puts metal . into the coals and allows it to 

 remain until it reaches a white heat. It is then removed and placed 

 on the anvil, where his helper beats it out with the large hammer. This 

 is a stone weighing twenty or more pounds, fitted inside the handles 

 so that it can be used with both hands. As a rule, it is swung between 

 the legs, and is allowed to strike the metal as it descends, but some of 

 the men raise it above the shoulder and strike a much more powerful 

 blow. If two pieces of metal are to be welded together, as is often the 

 case when broken caldrons are used, they are laid, one overlapping the 

 other, and are held together with damp fire-clay. In this condition 

 they are placed in the fire and heated, and are then beaten together. It 

 often takes several firings to bring about a perfect weld. 



After the initial shaping, the smith completes the work with the 

 small hammer, and the blade is ready for tempering. A bamboo tube 

 of water is placed near by, and the blade is again inserted in the fire 

 and brought to a white heat. Then the smith withdraws it and watches 

 it intently until the white tone begins to turn to a greenish-yellow, 

 when he plunges it into the water. The tempered blade is now 

 smoothed down with sandstone, and is whetted to a keen edge. Head- 



