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OUTHIER’S JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE TO THE NORTH. 329
Saturday the fixth, after dinner we took leave of the governor, and departed in our
coach, we {topped at the country-houfe of M. Trohili the burgo-mafter ; itis very ele-
gant; the garden is extenfive, the profpect. diverfified by woods, meadows, and. large
fheets of water ;, in-which fome excellent fifly were caught for our fupper. We did not
depart till eleven: o’clock in the evening ; we rode all night through a fine country,
and more than two thirds of the way om very large caufeways. We pafled the great
river Dalu three times on floating bridges.
Thefe floating bridges are large planks of wood joined together, parallel to the cur-
rent of the river, and laid over other planks fimilar but longer, which are at nght angles
with the firft, all thefe planks are-well joined: when loaded with a heavy carriage, they
fink alittle, and the water fometimes comes tothe higheft edge. hele floating bridges
are of two defcriptions; the one extends from one fide of the river to the other, as is
the cafe with fome at Stockholm : the other occupies but a {mall part of the river, and is
eroffed, along a cable extended frommone fide of the river to the other, in the faine man-
ner’as our ferry boats, Sunday noon, the feventh, we arrivediat Afsta, feven miles
from Fahlun.
Afsta: to: which name Fors is added, fignifying forge and cataract, is a very {mall
place fituated on: the fide of the great river Dalu, below a moft frightful cataract, which
turns.a large number of wheels ufed for refining copper. We firft went to fee the infpec-
tor of the works who received us very politely ;, he told us he would caufe the whole
procefs of refining to be gone through as foon as we pleafed after midnight, for they
obferved the Sunday with great ftrictnefs.
At midnight we went tofee them at work. The copper is forwarded from Fahlun
to Afsta in blocks in a very impure ftate, only having undergone the firft fufion.
When it arrives at Afsta, an exacl account is taken of what belongs to each individual,
inorder to know what he may have to receive after deduGting the King’s dues, and
the charges of refining.
They began by putting into a kind of large crucible cut in the ground, a bed of char-
coal, and above that a heap of large ingots or blocks of copper, till there was about 8 or
go00 weight, with a quantity of charcoal above it. This was fet fire to, and blafted by
two large bellows, which the water kept continually playing, until the ingots were en-
tirely melted ; after this the bellows continued to play fora long time, frefh charcoal
being added as often as requifite ;, now and: then the crucible was opened, the charcoal
which floated on its furface was taken away, and the melted ore fkimmed of whatever
drofs fwimmed uponit. At length a little before ten o’clock the whole of the charcoal
was removed, and the bellows ceafed from working. On the melted copper a little
water was thrown, which not being able to evaporate at the inftant, rolled backwards
and forwards on the furface in little drops: this water having chilled the top, a cruft
was formed which was taken off with hooked poles, and other iron inftruments; water
was thrown on a fecond time, and a fecond cruft taken off ; and thus until the crucible
was empty ; it gave, if I miftake not, forty crufts, or round fheets of copper, the laft of
which are always the pureft and the belt.
This work was compleated by tem o’clock; the infpetor came to feek us, and car-
ried us to fee the laft fufion which was not long. A great number of thefe round fheets
_ were put into a crucible nearly refembling the former; they were very foon melted,
they then dipped out of it with large iron fpoons, fufpended asa lever by chains, the melt.
ed matter, which was poured into moulds as large, and nearly of the fhape of the top of a
hat. This matter become folid, but yet red, was placed on an anvil, and flattened by
the ftrokes of a heavy hammer, which the water worked, Thefe fheetsof copper were
VOL. I. UU after-
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