7Q2 MR ROBERTSON ON THE IRON MINES OF CARAUOGH. 



bottoms between the mountains, and spreads to a considerable height up their 

 sheltered sides, dwindling into dwarf trees and bushes in the elevated and more 

 exposed situations. It consists chiefly of coppice oak, which springs from the 

 roots of trees cut and recut during a long succession of years. This jungle is 

 partitioned among the villages situated on its confines, the inhabitants of which 

 earn a livelihood by supplying the city of Tabreez and adjoining towns with 

 fuel. 



The charcoal is made in the following manner : A rectangular hollow is dug 

 in the earth, about twelve feet long, six feet wide, and four feet deep. The sides 

 are formed of the natural ground, or common alluvial cover ; a small sloping 

 doorway is cut at one end, and at the other a chimney is built rising to the 

 height of about six feet. The pit is filled up to the level of the ground with cut 

 branches of all dimensions, placed horizontally and lengthways in the hollow, 

 and are covered over with earth, and secured effectually against the admission of 

 air, excepting by a small hole in the built-up door- way, which is left open to pro- 

 duce a current ; the heap is kindled through the small opening in the door- way, 

 and after it has burned for two or three days the covering is removed, and the 

 charcoal thus produced is then stored for sale. One of these hearths will produce 

 about one ton of charcoal, which sells at thirteen shillings sterling. 



The charcoal thus produced, however, is seldom used in the manufacture of 

 iron, the smiths preferring that prepared in the following manner : The cut 

 branches are merely laid horizontally on the surface of the ground, and piled up 

 to a considerable height ; having been lighted from beneath, they are allowed to 

 burn in the manner of an open fire, till the smoke and flame have nearly ceased ; 

 the fire is then quenched with water, when there remains a charcoal which is 

 very light, and is found to reduce the ores of iron in a much less time than the 

 heavier charcoal produced by the first method. 



As the iron is manufactured on a very small scale, a very simple forge an- 

 swers the purpose. It consists merely of a hollow hearth dug out of the clay 

 floor of the hut, about fourteen inches square in the bottom, and nine inches deep, 

 for receiving the ore and fuel ; and of another hearth immediately thereto adjoin- 

 ing, intended to receive the slag, and consisting of a larger excavation, about 

 three inches deeper than the former, and situated betwixt it and the wall at the 

 other extremity in which the chimney is constructed. A wall is built on each of 

 the two sides, two or three feet high, and the whole is covered over with large 

 stones capable of resisting the action of the fire. The whole of the first or iron- 

 hearth into which the blast is introduced is left open above and at the sides ; but 

 a low wall is built next the bellows to prevent the heat from injuring them. The 

 whole is afterwards plastered over wi clay and chopped straw, in order to main- 

 tain the draught of the chimney entire. The chimney is carried up through the 

 wall of the hut, and seldom rises higher than its roof. 



