Lead is very useful to a traveller, for he always has bullets, which
furnish the supply of the metal, and it is so fusible that he can readily
melt and cast it into any required shape; using wood, or paper, partly
buried in the earth, for his mould. If a small portion of the lead remain
unmelted in the ladle, the fluid is sure not to burn the mould. By
attending to this a wooden mould may be used scores of times.
[Sketches as described below].
Fig. 1 shows how to cast a leaden plate, which would be useful for
inscriptions, for notices to other parties. If minced into squares, it
would make a substitute for slugs. The figure represents two flat pieces
of wood, enclosing a folded piece of paper, and partly buried in the
earth the lead is to be poured into the paper.
To make a mould for a pencil, or a rod which may be cut into short
lengths for slugs, roll up a piece of paper as shown in fig. 2, and bury
it in the earth: reeds, when they are to be obtained, make a stronger
mould than paper.
To cast a lamp, a bottle, or other hollow article, use a cylinder of
paper, buried in the ground, as in fig. 3, and hold a stick fast in the
middle, while the lead is poured round.
Loose, shaky articles often admit of being set to rights, by warming the
joints and pouring a little melted lead into the cracks.
Tin.--Solder for tin plates, is made of one or two parts of tin, and one
of lead.
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