228 
INGENUITY OF THE PEOPLE. 
[1820. 
and ornamented with figures of shields, elephants, 
cameleopards, &c. It was also adorned with a 
neat cornice or border painted of a red colour. 
The rain-maker's wife made me a present of 
two rows of metal beads, for which I gave her in 
return five metal buttons ; but I heard afterwards 
she was dissatisfied because I had not given her 
beads as well as buttons ; so that a present does 
not mean a gift at Kurreechane, but a purchase 
of something at least equivalent. 
In some houses there were figures, pillars, &c. 
carved or moulded in hard clay, and painted with 
different colours, that would not have disgraced 
European workmen. They are indeed an in- 
genious people. We saw among them various 
vessels, formed of clay, painted of different co- 
lours, and glazed, for holding water, milk, food, 
and a kind of beer, made from corn. They had 
also pots of clay, of all sizes, and very strong. 
Every part of their houses and yards is kept very 
clean. They smelt both iron and copper. The rain- 
maker took us to see one furnace, in which they 
smelted the iron. It was built of clay, almost 
equal in hardness to stone. A round opening 
was left at the top for receiving the ore, and an 
excavation underneath for holding the fire, which 
was open behind and before, not only for admit- 
ting the fuel, but also the wind from the bellows. 
