The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-06-30

me Process that ths Indipa kishsmiss.

Csc.
For i0zE tine n inds- ih@ -Fr1r-
emit transmutatlon Of tin. zinr, coppet
and mercury into precious metals has
been practiced, says the Paris Colmos'
We have seen there with our own eyes
q metal like gold Issuing from the cru
chile Of the Indian alchemlat--a mstal
that could not be told from real soia
By means OF the touchstone. We may
say. however, that IN old india. - wei.
a. In young America. they have not yet
succeeded In giving 20 the metal thn.
obtained the chemical properties 81
gold. On this point they are not more
advanced In the one country than IN the
other. and the problem seems to us not
10 b. near solution. The metal obtain
ed can. In fact. be decompoaed into =,
constituent elements. Nevertheless y
may be interesting 20 present 70 p'ip-
Nc notice the Indian alchemists and 20
describe their methods. Around Theses
personages many legends have sprlns
up. The people assert that they never
come into a city except by divine ~
splratlon. IN order 20 cure illness ana
20 enrich certain persons. There =
belief among the Hindus. very wide
spread. but purely fahulcns. hat theJ
disappear at certain hours 10 reloin the
cltlars. divine naturaliats Of the early
ages Of India. who. according Hindu
tradition. meet with their divinity,
Harl Isharl. on the SUBMITS Of the
Hlmalayas. 70 learn the secrets Of na'
ture.
The following Is the method employ
cd BY these Indian alchemls,s to make
their gold. We give literally. conform
lng TO the weights and measures IN IN
dla. the list OF substances necessary TOT
this delicate operation. Their are, ae'
cordlng 10 our documents:
sulfur Of Nelli-Kai (phylanthus lem
bllcal, "a rupees weight q ouncesl;
white sedes Of Abra precatorlus. ? rn-
PEGS weight C2it ouncesl; one whole
garlic: cinnabar. 6 rupees weight Y
ouncesl: English orpiment, rupees.
weight: sal ammoniac. rupees
weight. These are powdered separate
~. and then a paste Is made OF the
whole. with three quarts Of paddy
made OF the milky Juice Of asclepias 81
! eantea. The whole Is ground up with
this milk. Then little hard balls are
. made OF the mixture. and finally two
! sattls are taken. OF fine. hard earthen-
! ware. OF such size that the material %
I BE- distilled occupies only one-third Of
/ one-fourth Of the vessel On the lowei
. vessel another satu is soldered Win
{ pot,er's earth. after an opening ha'
been made IN the end Of this second
vase. over this hole II fitied a botti'
4 whose end Il pierced. and It Is carefully
3 sealed 10 the vase. Into the lover vas
3 are put the little balls described above
and the whole Is then sealed up
, The powder. when vaporized. rise
4 along the sides Of the bottle and con
denses around the hole. Il is collects
with a feather. Then zinc IL taken; 10
each rupees weight 81 zinc Il allowe'
, a quantity Of the powder as large a
two or three rice grains The zinc AM
! the powder are wrapped up together y
|, a bit Of paper or linen or leaf. tn
whole Il put into erucible. which
then sealed with a paste composed o
one part Of coW-dung. one Of eharcoa
and one Of potter's earth. This
: placed IN a IRE Of wood charcoal an
heated white hot. after which u Is al
lowed 20 cool. Open the cruclble-yo
are a rich mani