GRAVESEND. 437 



When the chalk is full burnt, it is considerably lighter, 

 than it was before, and full of small fissures, like as when 

 one has laid potters'-clay in the fire. The colour on the 

 surface is greyish, which without doubt is due to the 

 coal and smoke. If such a piece be broken asunder, it 

 is not [T. II. p. 88] so white within as it was while it was 

 still unburnt. 



Pieces of flint of 5 inches long and 1 inch diameter, 

 which have come to be cast with the chalk into the lime- 

 kiln are burnt through, and snow white all through so 

 that they look like white Dutch ware, kms. 



The burned pieces of chalk are so cracked to pieces 

 and full of cracks that they fall into small bits when one 

 takes hold of them. 



The parts of these pieces which have been against 

 the cracks are also darker in colour than that which has 

 been midway between the same cracks, because some 

 coal smoke has without doubt penetrated into the cracks. 



That the slacked lime might not be spilt when it is 

 thrown into the barge, they had a trough of boards 

 knocked together, of 4 or 5 feet wide, and about 8 feet 

 long, which they set sloping against the side of the boat 

 and tipped the bits of chalk out of the barrow into this 

 trough, when they fell down into the vessel. Such a 

 trough or slide is always used at boats when unburnt 

 chalk is loaded in them. 



I have said before that around all these kilns on the 

 lower side is built a screen of boards, partly to prevent 

 the wind from blowing too strongly on to the kiln, partly 

 and principally that those within it might be able to keep 

 the burnt pieces of chalk, which they take out of the 

 kiln before they are carried down to the barge, Partygen, 

 or yacht, Jackten, which conveys them to Loncjon. This 

 screen is in fact of boards, but its foot is in some places 

 to a height of 3 feet of brick. For a roof over [T. II. 



