The caste still follow their traditional occupation of iron-smelting
and also make a few agricultural implements. They get their ore from
the Maikal range, selecting stones of a dark reddish colour. They
mix 16 lbs. of ore with 15 lbs. of charcoal in the furnace, the blast
being produced by a pair of bellows worked by the feet and conveyed
to the furnace through bamboo tubes; it is kept up steadily for four
hours. The clay coating of the kiln is then broken down and the ball of
molten slag and charcoal is taken out and hammered, and about 3 lbs. of
good iron are obtained. With this they make ploughshares, mattocks,
axes and sickles. They also move about from village to village with an
anvil, a hammer and tongs, and building a small furnace under a tree,
make and repair iron implements for the villagers.