THE SCOTCH FIR, OR PINE. 379 



procuring it : " The inlets of the Gulf of Bothnia every- 

 where appeared of the grandest character, surrounded by 

 noble forests, whose tall trees, flourishing luxuriantly, 

 covered the soil quite down to the water's edge. From 

 the most southern parts of Westro-Bothnia to the northern 

 extremity of the gulf the inhabitants are occupied in the 

 manufacture of tar, proofs of which are visible along the 

 whole extent of the coast. The process by which the tar 

 is obtained is very simple ; and, as we after witnessed it, 

 we shall now describe it from a tar-work we halted to 

 inspect upon the spot. The situation most favourable to 

 the process is in a forest near to a marsh or bog, because 

 the roots of the Scotch Pine, from which tar is principally 

 extracted, are always most productive in such places. A 

 conical cavity is there made in the ground (generally in 

 the side of a bank or sloping hill) ; and the roots, together 

 with logs and billets of the wood, being neatly trussed in 

 a stack of the same conical shape, are let into this cavity. 

 The whole is then covered with turf, to prevent the volatile 

 parts from being dissipated, which, by means of a heavy 

 wooden mallet and a wooden stamper, worked separately 

 by two men, is beaten down and rendered as firm as 

 possible above the wood. The stack of billets is then 

 kindled, and a slow combustion of the kiln takes place, as 

 in making charcoal. During this combustion the tar 

 exudes ; and a cast-iron pan being fixed at the bottom 

 of the funnel, with a spout that projects through the 

 side of the bank, barrels are placed beneath this spout to 

 collect the fluid as it comes away. As fast as these barrels 

 are filled, they are bunged, and are then ready for im- 

 mediate exportation. From this description it will be 

 evident that the mode of obtaining tar is by a kind of 

 distillation per descensum (downwards), the turpentine, 

 melted by fire, mixing with the sap and juices of the 

 Pine, while the wood itself, becoming charred, is converted 

 into charcoal." Dr. Clarke, after stating that tar was 

 made by the Greeks more than two thousand years ago, 



