148 MANUFACTURING IRON. 



Sometimes whole families of them are des- 

 troyed by tigers. The lumps of iron which 

 they make, contain a considerable quantity of 

 dross,, they therefore sell or barter it to a class 

 of people denominated Loharias, whom they 

 also supply with charcoal, arid whose busi- 

 ness is solely con lined to purifying* and manu- 

 facturing the iron into pegs, about thirteen 

 inches long, weighing seven or eight pounds, 

 which they sell or barter again to Biparics, 

 who bring tobacco, course clolhs, cow-tails, 

 and a variety of articles from the low coun- 

 tries to exchange for it. 



The cow-tails are very large and bushy, 

 full of fine silken hairs, and come from a par- 

 ticular breed of bullocks in Asam of a white 

 colour. By opulent natives and many Eu- 

 ropeans they are put into silver handles for 

 the purpose of keeping off flies. They are 

 also used as ornaments to their shields, bows, 

 and to a variety of things. The princi- 

 pal marts for them are Benares and Patna, 

 and they are sold by weight. From these 



