BOOK VIII.

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nately backward and forward. By this movement the small particlesfall through the bottom of the sieve. In order that the end of the polemay be easily placed in the rope, a stick, two palms long, holds open thelower part of the rope as it hangs double, each end of the rope being tied tothe beam; part of the rope, however, hangs beyond the stick to a length ofhalf a foot. A large box is also used for this purpose, of which the bottomis either made of a plank full of holes or of iron netting, as are the otherboxes. An iron bale is fastened from the middle of the planks which formits sides ; to this bale is fastened a rope which is suspended from a woodenbeam, in order that the box may be moved or tilted in any direction.

A—Box. B— Bale. C— Rope. D— Beam. E— Handles. F— Five-toothed rake.G— Sieve. H— Its handles. I— Pole. K— Rope. L— Timber.

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There are two handles on each end, not unlike the handles of a wheel-barrow; these are held by two workmen, who shake the box to and fro.This box is the one principally used by the Germans who dwell in theCarpathian mountains. The smaller particles are separated from the largerones by means of three boxes and two sieves, in order that those whichpass through each, being of equal size, may be washed together ; for thebottoms of both the boxes and sieves have openings which do not letthrough broken rock of the size of a hazel nut. As for the dry remnants