Дванадцять років рабства
Chapter 15
Throughthesefivefilterersitpassesinsuccession,andthenrunsintoalargereservoirunderneaththegroundfloor,fromwhenceitiscarriedup,bymeansofasteampump,intoaclarifiermadeofsheetiron,whereitisheatedbysteamuntilitboils. Fromthefirstclarifieritiscarriedinpipestoasecondandathird,andthenceintocloseironpans,throughwhichtubespass,filledwithsteam. Whileinaboilingstateitflowsthroughthreepansinsuccession,andisthencarriedinotherpipesdowntothecoolersonthegroundfloor. Coolersarewoodenboxeswithsievebottomsmadeofthefinestwire. Assoonasthesyruppassesintothecoolers,andismetbytheair,itgrains,andthemolassesatonceescapesthroughthesievesintoacisternbelow. Itisthenwhiteorloafsugarofthefinestkind—clear,clean,andaswhiteassnow. Whencool,itistakenout,packedinhogsheads,andisreadyformarket. Themolassesisthencarriedfromthecisternintotheupperstoryagain,andbyanotherprocessconvertedintobrownsugar.
Therearelargermills,andthoseconstructeddifferentlyfromtheonethusimperfectlydescribed,butnone,perhaps,morecelebratedthanthisanywhereonBayouBœuf. Lambert,ofNew-Orleans,isapartnerofHawkins. Heisamanofvastwealth,holding,asIhavebeentold,aninterestinoverfortydifferentsugarplantationsinLouisiana.
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Theonlyrespitefromconstantlabortheslavehasthroughthewholeyear,isduringtheChristmasholidays.