340 On Smelting Copper in Japan. 



placed it in a trough, while a second, with a spade-like tool, is 

 assisting him in working it. 



" When silver is combined with the copper, lead is added to it 

 and they are melted together; it is then called a'ibuki do'u, or 

 combined-melted copper.' 7 



Plate X. Separating the lead from the copper. — In the pre- 

 vious plates, the form of the furnace has been the same, that of 

 a caldron imbedded in the ground even with the surface of the 

 earth, having the bellows placed on the other side of the inter- 

 vening wall, and the blast carried into it below its level. No 

 covering is represented, and the flame ascends into a cowl chim- 

 ney. In this plate, the form of the furnace is oblong, with a 

 curved facing in front ; a fender kept in its place by a rod at- 

 tached to a post, guards the liquid metal from running out, ex- 

 cept at a small orifice, which the workman manages with his 

 spoonlike rod. 



"The 'combined-melted copper' is put into the furnace and 

 heated almost to liquifying, when the workman holding an iron 

 tool upon the surface of the copper, restrains it from flowing, but 

 allows the melted lead to run off. The copper is called shibori 

 do'd, or wrung out copper, i. e., pure copper. By this process the 

 silver and lead contained in the copper are extracted, whence it is 

 termed ' the wrung-out (or purifying) fusing;' the rules for the 

 process were derived from foreign countries, and it is on this 

 account also called 'the fusing of the southern foreigners." 7 



Plate XI. Separating the silver from the lead. — The furnace 

 in which the cupellation is performed resembles a cupola furnace, 

 rising about three feet, and having the fire somewhat below the 

 surface. The assayer is stooping over the fire, intently watching 

 the metal. 



<< T 



The lead previously extracted is put into an ash furnace, and 

 slowly melted by a coal fire ; the lead sinks to the bottom among 

 the ashes, and the pure silver appears coming out of the centre. 

 It is called hai-bnki gin, or ' ash-melted silver.' " 



Plate XII. Of rinsing and sifting. — Here we have two 

 tubs of water, at which are women rinsing the pounded scoria; 

 troughs stand by them for receiving the metallic portions, and a 

 workman is shoveling the heap of scoria, 



" Within the earthen crucible, used in melting copper, there is 

 an earthy residuum, which, with the scoria, is put into a stone 

 mortar, pounded fine, and afterwards rinsed. As the water in 

 the bowl flows off, the earthy particles being light also run off 

 as useless. The cupreous portion, being heavy, remains in the 

 bowl, whence it is taken. 7 ' 



Plate XIII. Fusing lead.— This plate is supplementary 10 

 those on copper, introduced probably ou account of the frequent 

 mention of lead when speaking of copper. The furnace is rep- 

 resented as distinct from the crucible or caldron in which the lead 





