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rallel with the back ; the bearers are placed on the sides of 
the pan, one end of each butting against the back, the 
other ends resting on the upper edge of the work-stone. 
Two thin pieces of stone, (about half an inch thick,) ge- 
nerally slaty sandstone, are laid on the back, and on these 
is placed the pipe- stone, the inner face of which overhangs 
the back near an inch. The keys are set on the bearers, 
their faces even with them; two pieces of brick are set 
on edge on the bearers, next to the keyfe, and on these, a 
few inches from the keys, rests th$ fore- stone ; the spark- 
stone laid on the pipe- stone completes the hearth. 
Before laying the foundation, a large flat stone (n) call- 
ed the cheek-stone is fixed firmly in the ground, and de- 
termines the extent of the land-side of the hearth ; the 
spaces between the water- side, the back of the chimney, 
and the cheek- stone are filled up with pieces of sand- 
stone, bricks, or old iron-stones, and the interstices level- 
led up with dust. The fore- stone is wedged tight by its 
ends, generally against two old keys. 
The space between the pan and the work- stone is filled 
with a mixture of bone and fern ashes well beaten in, and 
those between the keys and the ends of the fore-stone with 
stiff clay. 
Care is taken in constructing the hearth to lay the bear- 
ers square, or at right angles with the back, and also to 
direct the blast immediately through the centre. 
The hearth being completed, the operation of smelting 
commences with kindling the fire. The whole space be- 
tween the fore-stone and back is filled with peats or chop- 
wood : an ignited peat or live coal being placed in the 
midst, the bellows are set to work : as soon as the com- 
bustion is sufficiently advanced, or that the whole are well 
on fire, one of the smelters (there are two to each hearth) 
throws a few shovels of half- smelted ore, (the remains of 
the last operation of smelting,) which is termed brouse, 
