433 



intervening between eacti. Neverlhelesis, so long 

 as there h abuDdance of metal lying nearer 

 the surface^ and the mining system continues 

 so rude and tniperfecti these lower veins will re- • 

 main undisturbed. At present, the qtianiiiy 

 of tin obtaiiifrd from esich pit is triflinq:, vary- 

 ing from 230 to 1,0001b. Captain Light thus t 

 describes the method of smelting ; ** the ore is 

 smelted in a furnace, 3 feet deep, and 2'2 inches 

 broad, hooped with iron ; the bellows is of wood, 

 shaped like a pump, 7 feet long; the diameter 

 of the cylinder 4 inches ; the piston is very small^ 

 and covered at the end with feathers ; at each 

 end of the cylinder 'is a valve, which gi^es a con- 

 stant supply oT air. The tube for conveying the 

 air into the furnace is of bamboo, and tixed in the 

 middle of the cylinder toasmall channel about 12 

 inches square on the outside, which conveys the air 

 to the tube, as tlje piston goes up and down. The 

 furnace is first loaded with charcoal ; when well- 

 fired, about 200tb oi'ore is placed on the top, and 

 coiil over it. * To make the metal separate more 

 easily, they put a little pounded scoria among 

 the ore and moisten it ; the first time it passes 

 through the furnace, it parts with some of itJ* ar- 

 senical qualities ; but is yet only black sh ruing ' 

 scoria with a few white specks of meta! ; the se- 

 cond time they get tin. The ore is five times 

 run through tlie furnace before the tin is properly 

 extracted ; after this, the scoria is laid by, and, 

 when the season for digging is over, they smelt it 

 once or twice more Tlie tin is cast in slabs of 



t Vidf d'-acription of the liUaot] of Jnnk Ceyloa by CAptain F. Ucllt, 

 AadefEOfi'A Consider* tioiih*" A:c. Appendix pp. 5(}C7. 



G S 



