The Travels Through England of Dr. Richard Pococke, Successively Bishop of Meath and of Ossory, During 1750, 1751, and Later Years Volume 42 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1888 edition. Excerpt: ...dressing to smelt it. To spall it, is to break it with a large smith's hammer to about the size of hen's eggs, when it is put into sacks, and carried to the stamping mills. These mills reduce it to the smallness of common sea sand; it may be greater or smaller according to the nature of the tin and the judgment of the dresser, for the mills force it thro' a plate of iron punch'd full of holes of such a size as the dresser thinks most convenient. Having pass'd thro' these grates, 'tis receiv'd by a recevoir, which is call'd the stamps pit. This pit lying slanting, the tin divides itself into two bodies. The heaviest or best tin subsides at the top of the pit, the lightest is carried with the slime to the tail of the pit, and this they call slime tin; and these are both dress'd separate. The best is carried to be dress'd or c.leans'd to the buddle, which is a. pit cas'd with wood or stone about six feet long, 2 feet 4 inches broad, and 2 feet 6 inches deep; at the head of which and about 4 inches above it is placed a shelving or slanting board the breadth of the pit and about 16 inches over. On this board they place about the quantity of a shovel full of their best tin at a time, on which a water very gradually is let run; this water gently carries all the tin into the buddle, where the tinner stands with naked feet, and as the tin is wash'd down he keeps it fluctuating by gently moving one of his feet backward and forward on it. This causes the lighter tin or waste to be wash'd to the bottom or lower end of the pit, whilst the best subsides at the top or head. When the buddle or pit is quite full, the water is turn'd off, and the upper part or best tin is sav'd, the lower part is set aside as of little or no value, but always belongs, if it is...