lower part of the kiln as cool as possible with a view of
preventing the liquid sulphur from becoming ignited as it passes down
to where it makes its exit, etc. The blocks of ore thus first placed
in position are, for obvious reasons, the most sterile. After the
foundation is thoroughly laid the building of the "pile" is proceeded
with, the larger blocks being placed in the center to form, as it
were, the backbone of the pile; the smaller blocks of ore are arranged
on the outside of these and in the interstices. The shape or form of
the pile when completed is similar to a truncated cone, and when
burning the kiln looks like a small volcano. When the kiln has been
filled with ore, the whole is covered with ginesi with a view of
preventing the escape of the fumes. The ore is then ignited by means
of bundles of straw, impregnated or saturated with sulphur, being held
above the thin portion of the top of the kiln, which is at once closed
with ginesi, and the "calcarone" is left to itself for about a week.
During the burning process the flames gradually descend, and the
sulphur contained in the ore is melted by the heat from above. In
about seven or eight days sulphuric fumes and sublimed sulphur
commence to escape, when it becomes necessary to add a new coat of
ginesi to the covering and thus prevent the destruction of vegetation
by the sulphur fumes. The mouth of the kiln, which has been left open
in order to create a draught, is closed up about this time with gypsum
plaster. When the sulphur is all liquefied it finds its way to the
most depressed part of the kiln, and there, upon encountering the
large sterile blocks, quite cold, already referred to, solidifies. It
is again liquefied by means of burning straw, whereupon an iron trough
is inserted into a mouth made in the kiln for the purpose, and the
reliquefied sulphur runs into it, from which it is immediately
collected into wooden moulds, called "gadite," and which have been
kept cool by being submerged in water. Upon its becoming thoroughly
cool the sulphur is taken out of the moulds referred to, and is now in
solid blocks, each weighing about 100 weight. Two of these blocks
constitute a load for a mule, and cost from 4 to 5 francs.

The above is the result when the operation succeeds; but this is not
always the case. At times the sulphur becomes solidified before it
reaches the mouth of the kiln, because of the heat not being
sufficient to keep it liquid in its pass