Chinapatam Sugar-mill

“The Chinapatam Sugar-mill consists of a mortar made by cutting down some hard-wood tree to within 2 or 3 feet of the ground, and hollowing the top of the portion left standing in the ground into the form of a mortar, A. A small hole is then bored obliquely through from the bottom of the cavity to the outside, and a pipe, f, conveys the juice into a jar, g. B is a cylindrical piece of wood, sharpened at each end, to act as a pestle, which is kept in its place with sufficient pressure by the lever C and the ropes at E. Two men are required: one at I has a basket supplied with small lengths of freshly-cut cane, which he places, two or three at a time, in the mortar, and when necessary, removes the crushed ones; the other man sits on the other end of the train, balancing it, and at the same time drives oxen which are attached to the end of the beam D, and keep the movable parts of the mill constantly turning round.” — Chambers, 1881

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