Indian Science and Technology in the Eighteenth Century: Some Contemporary European Accounts c17.11

c17.11

Take coarse tow and twist it loosely into bands as thick as a man's finger (in *England* ox-hair is used instead of this tow) then cut it into pieces of about an inch long and untwist it so as to lie loose; then strew it lightly over the other mortar which is at the same time to be kept turning over, and so this stuff to be beat into it, keeping labourers continually beating in a trough, and mixing it till it be well incorporated with all the parts of the mortar. And whereas it will be subject to dry very fast, it must be frequently softened with some of the aforesaid liquor of *jaggery*, *gram*, and *myrabolans*, and some fresh water; and when it is so moistened, and beat, it will mix well, and with this they build (though it be not usual to build common house-walls thus) when the work is intended to be very strong; as for instance, *Madrass* Church Steeple, that was building when I was last there; and also for some ornaments, as columns, good arched work, or imagery set up in gardens, it is thus made.