BOOK VIII.

303

the second is usually a foot and three digits high, the third a foot and twodigits, and the lowest a foot and one digit. In this huddle is generally washedthat metalliferous material which has been sifted through the large sieveinto the tub containing water. This material is continuously thrown withan iron shovel into the head of the buddle, and the water which has beenlet in is stirred up by a wooden scrubber, until the buddle is full, then thecross-boards are taken out by the washer, and the water is drained off; nextthe metalliferous material which has settled in the compartments is againwashed, either on a short strake or on the canvas strakes or in the jiggingsieves. Since a short strake is often united with the upper part of this buddle,a pipe in the first place carries the water into a cross launder, from which itflows down through one little launder into the buddle, and through anotherinto the short strake.

An ordinary strake, so far as the planks are concerned, is not unlike thelast two. The head of this, as of the others, is first made of earth stampeddown, then covered with planks; and where it is necessary, earth isthrown in and beaten down a second time, so that no crevice may remainthrough which water carrying the particles of metal can escape. The waterought to fall straight down into the strake, which has a length of eight feet

A —Head B —Strake. C —Trowel. D —Scrubber. E —Canvas. F— Rod by

WHICH THE CANVAS IS MADE SMOOTH.

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