328 
Iron Works of Firozpiir. 
[Oct. 
smaller return of metal than the Narnoul stone. I endeavoured to ascertain the 
quantity of pure irofi obtained from each kind of ore, but the smelters gave very 
loose data for this purpose, and stated that the returns were only from 15 to 25 per 
cent. 
The following is the process employed, as far as I had an opportunity of 
examining it. 
The ore of both kinds is first broken up with hammers into very small pieces, 
about the size of a child's marbles, which are mixed with an equal quantity of 
charcoal (the fuel being bought in this neighbourhood at 25 rupees per hundred 
maunds), and the furnace is then loaded with this mixture, for the Narnoul and 
Firozpfir ores are smelted together. 
The smelting furnace, called Mandari, is merely a square receptacle (a), 
leaving an opening both above and below ; the upper vent serving for the 
admission of fresh materials, while the dross runs out from the lower orifice into a 
hollow sunk in the ground as shewn in PI. XIX. fig. 4. A wall with two door- 
ways is built at the back of the furnace, and supports a lean-to under which the 
bellowsmen sit and ply their task day and night : two sets of men being employed 
for this purpose. Two bellows only are used at each furnace, the nozzles being 
inserted very low down, nearly opposite to the lower external opening : the bellows 
are of great ' size, and are made of a single skin from an unusually large 
goat* * 
The iron, which is but imperfectly melted by this process, conglomerates or cake, 
into a large mass toward the bottom of the receivers, and the dross runs off y 
small holes punched with an iron crow-bar from time to time through the loner 
opening, which becomes stopped up by the half-fused mineral. , 
When a sufficient mass of metal has been smelted, the lower opening is cear ^ 
out : the unburnt charcoal and metallic scoria are carefully separated, (being ft 
cooled by dashing water on them as they are raked out of the furnace,) andtiw 
the lump of half-melted iron which remains in the receiver is forcibly dragged out 
by means of large iron pincers - (A) called sangdsi, while it is also pus 1C 
with crow-bars through the bellow’s-hole from behind. This is but a clumsy opera 
tion, and consumes much time, though the mass which I saw extracted seeme ^ 
be barely a cubic foot in size. Heavy wedge-headed hammers (B) are now uS 
to trim away all superfluous knots and lumps of impure metal from this m ^ > 
which is next carried to the refining furnace or forge called ctran , w er ^ ^ 
ter being thoroughly heated it is again broken up into smaller pieces by mea ^ jt 
the same hammer, and is then forged in the usual manner into bars about a c 
in length and two fingers thick in the middle, tapering at both ends. ^ 
During the operation of forging, one man holds the heated iron upon 
and turns it from side to side, while three others beat it with sledge 
ha®' 
merS ‘ , nr 4 rupee* 
The iron is sold upon the spot by retail, at 10 seers for one rupee, 
per.maund. 
Your’s very obediently, 
Kamp&spur 
Feb . \2th 
ISpUTy J 
i, 1831.1 
