cloth, which is used in its natural color, and is extremely warm, soft, and light." According to Prosper Alpinus, (Hist. Nat. Ægypti, l. iv. c. 7. p. 225.) the Egyptians manufactured from the hair of their camels not only coarse cloth for their tents, but other kinds so fine as to be worn not only by princes but even by the senators of Venice.
Elphinstone, in his account of Cabul (p. 295.), mentions, that "Oormuck, a fine cloth made of camels'-wool," is among the articles imported into Cabul from the Bokhara country. This country lies North of the Oxus, and East of the Southern extremity of the Caspian Sea, and is probably the country, to which Ctesias more especially referred. A still more recent authority is that of Moorcroft, who informs us, that "Cloth is now made from the wool of the wild camels of Khoten in Chinese Tartary," and that "at Astrakhan a fine cloth is manufactured from the wool of the camel foal of the first year[1]."
- ↑ Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, vol. i. p. 241, 242. It is customary in many parts of the East, as it was in Mexico in the time of Cortes (See Part Third, Chapter I.) to use the hair of various animals in embroidering garments. The Candian women even embroider with their own hair, as well as that of animals, with which they make splendid representations of flowers, foliage, &c.: they also insert the skins of eels and serpents. According to M. de Busson, the negresses of Senegal, embroider the skins of various beasts, representing figures, flowers, and animals, in every variety of color.
