BOOK VIII. 



303 



the second is usually a foot and three digits high, the third a foot and two 

 digits, and the lowest a foot and one digit. In this huddle is generally washed 

 that metalliferous material which has been sifted through the large sieve 

 into the tub containing water. This material is continuously thrown with 

 an iron shovel into the head of the buddle, and the water which has been 

 let in is stirred up by a wooden scrubber, until the buddle is full, then the 

 cross-boards arc taken out by the washer, and the water is drained off ; next 

 the metalliferous material which has settled in the compartments is again 

 washed, either on a short strake or on the canvas strakes or in the jigging 

 sieves. Since a short strake is often united with the upper part of this buddle, 

 a pipe in the first place carries the water into a cross launder, from which it 

 flows down through one little launder into the buddle, and through another 

 into the short strake. 



An ordinary strake, so far as the planks are concerned, is not unlike the 

 last two. The head of this, as of the others, is first made of earth stamped 

 down, then covered with planks ; and where it is necessary, earth is 

 thrown in and beaten down a second time, so that no crevice may remain 

 through which water carrying the particles of metal can escape. The water 

 ought to fall straight down into the strake, which has a length of eight feet 



A— Head B — Strake. C — Trowel. D— Scrubber. E— Canvas F — Rod by 



WHICH THE CANVAS IS MADE SMOOTH. 



