A YOUNG NATURALIST. 35 



instrument something like an enormous pruning-knife. A little 

 farther, on the open ground, two men were collecting these 

 pieces of wood in circular rows. This pile was already seven 

 feet in circumference, and about the same in height, although it 

 was not half finished. Lucien could easily see this when he ap- 

 proached the Indian who was looking after the lighted furnace, 

 in which the wood, completely covered with earth, formed a kind 

 of dome, from the summit of which a blue flame was hovering, 

 proving that the mass inside was in a red-hot state. The 

 Indian kept walking round and round the furnace, plaster- 

 ing damp earth on any holes through which the flame started. 

 For, as Sumichrast properly observed, a charcoal of good quality 

 must be smothered whilst it is being burned. 



" Suppose the fire went out?" said Lucien. 



" Then all the work must be begun over again." 



" But the fire might burn only one side." 



" They would then have badly-burned charcoal, nearly half 

 wood, which would cause a bad smell when it was used. The 

 wood in the oven we are looking at will be entirely charred 

 to-night ; for the fire, which was lighted at the centre, is trying 

 to break through all round the outside. Before long, the Indians 

 will cover up the opening at the top, over which the blue flame 

 is hovering. The fire will then be quite deprived of air, and 

 soon afterwards go out. In about eight days your mamma may 

 perhaps buy this very charcoal which you have seen burned." 



" Suppose the charcoal went on burning?" 



" Then the Indian, to his great vexation, would find nothing 

 left but ashes. But he will take good care not to lose the fruit 

 of his labour. He will use as many precautions to prevent the 

 fire burning up again as he does now to hinder it going out." 



A little farther on a man was filling up his rush bags with 

 charcoal which had cooled. As it would take him more than 

 one day to reach the town, he was lining his sacks with a kind 

 of balm, the penetrating odour of which always announces, in 

 Mexico, the approach of a charcoal-carrier. This plan is adopted 

 to preserve the charcoal from damp. 



" When I used to see the Indians carrying on their backs their 



