Page:Travels in West Africa, Congo Français, Corisco and Cameroons (IA travelsinwestafr00kingrich).pdf/360

 have full play round the latter. On my first meeting with this performance, I must needs think that the clay affair did not fit the bellows, and asked if they had no bigger bellows. When finally the Fan blacksmith found out what error I was suffering from, he jammed his bellows into the clay cylinder and there was no end of a smother; for of course when fixed tight, instead of getting the perpetual current of fresh air, it alternately sucked up and blew out the smoke and hot air from the fire itself. I apologised.



The Fan bellows only differ from those of the other iron-working West Coast tribes in having the channels from the two chambers in one piece of wood all the way; in the other bellows I have seen the two channels unite just above the nozzle. And also the Fan decorates the bellows with spearhead forms, the points whereof are directed towards the fire; he seems to think this helps. His forge is the same as the other forges, a round cavity scooped in the ground; his fuel also is charcoal. His other smith's tool consists of a pointed piece of iron, with which