228 Cn the Mines mid Manufactures of the East Indies. 



letter-writing ; and, in fact, it is applied to numberless pur- 

 poses. The bazar price of that of the best quality, split 

 into sheets of about two lines thick, is six rupees the niaund 

 of eighty-four pounds avoirdupois. If it could be applied 

 to any useful purpose at home, it might go in part ballast 

 of ships, and at a trilling expense. I enclose a rmall speci- 

 men of it, and aiTi, sir. 



Your very obedient servant, 



Calcutta, Oct. 4, 1803. ' J. MaCKLACHLAxV. 



N. B. The chaya, or red dye root of the coast, is, I be- 

 lieve, known at home : as also the cashan leaves, which 

 are used as an astringent. 



Charles Taylor, Esq. 



Directions for dyeing a hrlglit Red, four Yards of thrce- 

 (juarters Lroad Cotton Cloth. 



l.st, The cloth is to be well washed and dried, for the 

 purpose of clearing it of lime and congee, or starch, ge- 

 nerally used in India for bleaching and dressing cloths ; 

 then put into an earthen vessel, containing twelve ounces 

 of chaya or red dye root, with a gallon of water, and allow 

 it to boil a short time over the fne. 



2d, The cloth being taken out, washed in clean water, 

 and dried in the sun, is again put into a pot with one ounce 

 of niyrabolans, or galls coarsely powdered, and a gallon of 

 clear water, and allowed to boil to one half; when cool, add 

 to the mixture a quarter of a pint of buffalo's milk. The 

 cloth being fully soaked in this, take it out, and dry it in 

 the sun. 



3d, Wash the cloth again in clear cold water, and dry it 

 in the sun ; then immerse it into a gallon of water, a quar- 

 ter of a pint of bufialo's milk, and a quarter of an ounce of 

 the powdered galls. Soak well in this mixture, and dry in 

 'the sun. The cloth, at this stage of the process, feeling 

 rough and hard, is to be rolled up and beetled till it be- 

 comes soft. 



4th, Infuse into six quarts of cold water six ounces of 

 red wood shavings, and allow it to remain so two days. 

 On the third day boil it down to two-thirds the quantity, 

 when the liquor will appear of a good bright jed colour. 

 To every quart of this, before it cools, add a quarter of &i\ 

 ounce of powdered alum ; soak in it your cloth twice over, 

 drying it between each time in the shade. 



.5th, After three days wash in clean water, and half dry 

 in the sun ; then immerse the cloth into five gallons of 



water. 



