260 On Smelting of Lead. 



iron-stones, and the interstices levelled up with dust. The 

 fore-stone is wedged light by its ends, generally against two 

 old keys. 



The space between the pan and the work-stone is filled 

 with a mixtnie oF bone and fern asiies well hetten in, and 

 those between the keys and ihe ends of the foie-stone with 

 stiff clay. 



Care is taken in constructing the hearth to lav the bearers 

 square, or at right angles with the back, and also to direct 

 the blast immediately through the centre. 



The hearth being coniijkted, the operation of smelting 

 commences with kindling the fire. The whole space be- 

 tween the fore-stone and back is filled with peats or chop- 

 wood : an ignited peat or live coal !)cing placed in the midst, 

 the bellows are set to work; as soon as the combustion is 

 sufficiently advanced, or that the wliole are well on fire, one 

 of the smelters (there are two to each hearth) throws a few 

 shovels of half-smelttd ore, (the remains of the last opera- 

 tion of smelting,) which is termed brouse, on the to|) of the 

 fire, gradually adding more as the contents of the hearth 

 settle ; he also adds a few small coals occasionally to keep 

 up the coml.Histion : when the whoie of the brouse is tlirown 

 ou the hearth, the other smelter watches out; that is, with 

 a long pointed crow-bar, called a gavtl or gable-hook, he 

 stirs up the wliole of the brouse, and brinies forward a great 

 part of it upon the work-stone: this is effected by intro- 

 ducing the gable-hook into the hearth six diflerent times, 

 in the following order: he first forces it luider the brouse a 

 few inches on one sidt; the centre, until the point touches 

 the back ; he then forces as low down as he can the end he 

 holds in his hand ; this lightens up the contents of the hearth, 

 and as the bar is withdrawn, a part of the hot brouse come'; 

 forward on the work-slone; the a,able-hook is then entered 

 below the brouse, about the same distance from the centre, 

 on the other side, where tlie same operation is performed; 

 it is next introduced close to the side of the hcartli ; here tlie 

 workman forces the end of the aable-hook from him, at the 

 same time he presses it down, so as to brinji; tlie point of 

 the bar into the middle of the hearth; this brines part of 

 the brouse, which was next t!ic side, into the middle, and 

 what was in front, out on the work-stone. The gable-hook 

 is again introduced in the same place, and the point raised 

 close to the sid;, to reiuove anv brcuse that may adhere to 

 the bearer or key. The same operation is performed at the 

 other side, to remove the brouse from thence also. Whilst 

 the watcher is performing- his part, the nian who supplied 



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