Excellent Dr. Drew.

I concur on the direction of the "Damascus Road" going thru North Africa. And as I have posted previously, Bell states that Colonel Grant composed sketches of primitive forges in operation in the interior of Africa. "In this drawing, two natives, each working a pair of single-acting bellows, are seen urging the combustion of a small heap of charcoal situate midway between the two. The ore, in small pieces, is added from time to time, with fresh supplies of fuel; and this is continued until a mass of iron of the required dimensions is obtained." He also notes that Colonel Grant ventures a total yield of "a dozen pounds per day."

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse