173 



Rhus and Acacia, aud thus hj'potheticall}' we are able to surmise the 

 possible method employed by the Egyptians. That they had reached 

 a state of perfection in the art is proved from the writings of Herod- 

 otus, for the process of unhairing w-as performed by them in from 

 four to five days; and as a further proof of their proficiency we will 

 quote from the 36th chapter of Exodus, verse 19 : — 



"And he made a covering for the tent, of rams' skins dyed red, aud 

 a covering of badgei's' skins above that." 



Tiie Jews having been in bondage in Egypt for many years, consid- 

 ering the period to which this quotation refers, it is not unreasonatjle 

 to suppose that the knowledge of tanning and dyeing skins which 

 they then possessed had been acquired from the Egyptians; and so we 

 find a similar system adopted by all the Eastern nations up to the 

 present day — that is, the process called by us of the present daj^ 

 leather-dressing, — aud employed particularly for the preparing and 

 finishing of what is called Morocco leather. The very name implies 

 its origin. The Greeks aud Eomans produced this description of 

 leather in great abundance, as is proved by the writers of that day 

 in describing the foot-gear of the wealthy. Athens excelled in the 

 manufacture of dyed leather — purple and red, especially purple. The 

 Moors and also the Turks were and are at the present dayexceedingly 

 skilful in the art of leather dressing. 



I have seen an Eastern currier, a Turk, I believe, take a hog skin, 

 and covering a slab of slate or marble with water, he strewed over it 

 a sort of millet seed ; then commenced, at first gently, to set the skin 

 firmly upon the seeds ; and having accomplished this, he then crushed 

 them, as it were, into the skin; afterwards carefully taking it up, it 

 was left to dry ; when dry, the seeds were brushed ofi", and behold, in 

 addition to the indentations, each partook of some shade of prismatic 

 color. Shagreen leather, in the manufacture of which the Eastera 

 nations excelled, received its peculiar impressions by similar means, 

 only the seed employed w^as harder, and thus we have the initial 

 method of pebbling. It is amusing to note the difference between the 

 parent and the progeny, namely, the pebbling machine of the present 

 day. 



The probable improvements made by the Romans were doubtless 

 utilitarian, inasmuch as during their northern conquests they would of 

 course come among a people who, from sheer necessity, would have 

 discovered a more serviceable covering for the feet than that in use 

 among the nations of the East, and the Roman, with his knowledge 

 of the arts, would to a certain extent remedy the defects. That the 

 Romans knew much of the art of preserving and dressing leather may 

 be inferred from the fact that Ovid and other writers make frequent 

 mention of the covering for the feet and legs ; thus we are told of the 

 sandal of the soldier, attached to the leg by straps of leather. 



