500 



BOOK XI. 



When the masses of lead are to be melted, the workman first places the wood 

 in the hearth so that one end of each billet faces the wall, and the other end 

 the dipping-pot. Then, assisted by other workmen, he pushes the mass 

 of lead forward with crowbars on to a low trolley, and draws it to the 

 crane. The trolley consists of planks fastened together, is two and one-half 

 feet wide and five feet long, and has two small iron axles, around which at 

 each end revolve small iron wheels, two palms in diameter and as many digits 

 wide. The trolley has a tongue, and attached to this is a rope, by which it is 

 drawn to the crane. The crane is exactly similar to those in the second part 

 of the works, except that the crane-arm is not so long. The tongs in whose 

 jaws^ the masses of lead are seized, are two feet a palm and two digits long ; 

 both of the jaws, when struck with a hammer, impinge upon the mass and are 

 driven into it. The upper part of both handles of the tongs are curved back, 

 the one to the right, the other to the left, and each handle is engaged in one 

 of the lowest hnks of two short chains, which are three links long. The upper 

 links are engaged in a large round ring, in which is fixed the hook of a chain 

 let down from the pulley of the crane-arm. When the crank of the crane 

 is turned, the mass is lifted and is carried by the crane-arm to the hearth and 

 placed on the wood. The workmen wheel up one mass after another and 

 place them in a similar manner on the wood of the hearth ; masses which 

 weigh a total of about a hundred and sixty centumpondia"^ are usually placed 

 upon the wood and melted at one time. Then a workman throws charcoal 

 on the masses, and all are made ready in the evening. If he fears that it may 

 rain, he covers it up with a cover, which may be moved here and there ; at the 

 back this cover has two legs, so that the rain which it collects may flow down 

 the slope on to the open ground. Early in the morning of the following day, 

 he throws five coals on the charcoal with a shovel, and by this method the 

 masses of lead melt, and from time to time charcoal is added. The lead, as 

 soon as it begins to run into the dipping-pot, is ladled out with an iron ladle 

 into copper moulds such as the refiners generally use. If it does not cool 

 immediately he pours water over it, and then sticks the pointed pick into 

 it and pulls it out. The pointed end of the pick is three palms long and 

 the round end is two digits long. It is necessary to smear the moulds with a 

 wash of lute, in order that, when they have been turned upside down and 

 struck with the broad round end of the pick, the cakes of lead may fall out 

 easily. If the moulds are not washed over with the lute, there is a risk that 

 they may be melted by the lead and let it through. Others take hold of a 

 billet of wood with their left hand, and with the heavy lower end of it they 

 pound the mould, and with the right hand they stick the point of the pick 

 into the cake of lead, and thus puU it out. Then immediately the workman 

 pours other lead into the empty moulds, and this he does until the work of 

 melting the lead is finished. When the lead is melted, something similar to 

 htharge is produced ; but it is no wonder that it should be possible to make 



'^Chelae, — " claws." 



'If Roman weights, this would be 5.6 short tons, and 7.5 tons if German centner is 

 meant. 



