No. 133.] , 459* 



that had elapsed siuco Simon, llic tuiiner, in whose house Peter, 

 tho great Apostle, was lodged. 



If therefore, in speaking about tanning, I should, by relating my 

 own experience, seem to be egotistical, I trust that my audience 

 will forgive me, because I have lived so long that I have more 

 conlidtuce in what I have experienced than in what I have read. 

 I wish to say nothing in the spirit of boasting, but rather in the 

 spirit of gratitude to that kind Providence which has enabled me 

 to surmount many diOicullies ; and in acquiring a knowledge of 

 my art, I trust that he has put it into my heart to do some little 

 good to those that were around me. 



I learned my trade with my venerated and beloved father. His 

 tannery st«xxl near a spring, wiili two pools, two limes, two baits, 

 and eight tan vats, about as good as the country produced. In 

 those days we had no letches, pumps, or conductors in the ^ ats. 

 Ey a long pole and skimmer we skimmed out the tan. Occasion- 

 ally our spring would fail, then we had to bring the water " un- 

 der the yoke," so you will see tluit I have known what it is to 

 " bear the yoke" in my youtli. I am willing to do it still, to de- 

 velope the resources of such a great and glorious country as this. 

 Wc ground our bark then by ho]'se power, with the rotating stone 

 with notched edges. '-Old Pomp,-' 'the family horse, helped us 

 to grind out a cord of bark a day. In order to draw out the liquor 

 from the vats, and add stronger, I invented a three-cornered pump, 

 placed in an eye-board iu*an angle of the vat, which was quite au 

 improvement, for we had built a little letch above ground, where 

 the only heat we could rely on was the congenial sun. 



This is the first improvement I remember in connection with 

 tanning. Soon after we made new vats, with conductors under 

 them running into a junk, and thus by the aid of three men at the 

 pump, the liquor was raised to the letch. ]>ut soon after tho pre- 

 fcent mode of ball, or press pumps, c^me into use. by which one 

 man could do the work of three, and then I began to feel thai we 

 were half rich. 



This was about the timo the last war with England closed. 

 Toby, of Hudson, had invented a harJi mill, which with some 

 little improvements has Ix^cu used ever since. 



