lOu On the Caclieinlre Goat of India. 



the breed in Europe, and obtaining their fleece for the ma- 

 nutacture of shawls hke those of Cuchemire, 1 doubt if he 

 could succeed at all. The change of climate would, at first, 

 assuredly deteriorate the fleece. Besides, I am certain 

 that it would he impossible lo imitate the shawls of Cache- 

 mire. Their 2;oodness, their elasticity, the liveliness of their 

 colours, are owing to the water of the river which passes 

 through the citv ; and the same shawls, when washed in the 

 same river fifteen miles further down, do not acquire the 

 same good qualities : the difference is incredibly striking 

 both to the feeling and sight. It would be therefore use- 

 less to bestow so much expense on this object. 



" Such, sir, is the best information I can send you on 

 the subject of your inquiries ; I am sorry I can send you 

 none more favourable. With respect, I am yours, &c. 



'f (Signed) Cogiasar de Soi'kialy^*." 

 All these details justifv the opinion you have expressed of 

 the great difficulty of the enterprise. It is not, however, 

 such as a government, or a rich company, could not at- 

 tenipt. If s'.'.oh information could be turned to use, I 

 should rejoice to have communicated it. You have stated, 

 on the authority of some travellers, in some passages of the 

 BlhUotheqiie Br'danniquc, tiiat the animal in question is a 

 goat : according to the preceding letter it is a sheep. Which 

 is in the right ? If it be Mr. Cogiasar de Sophialy, it is for 

 vou, sir, a great encouragement to continue your efforts for 

 the amelioration of wools, and the imitation of the Cache- 

 mire shawls. 



Ol'ser rat ions of M. Pictet on the preceding Letter. 

 It is in the valleys and on the mountains of Great Thibet 

 that the animal lives which furnishes materials for the ma- 

 nufacture of Cachcmire shawls. The distance is thirty days' 

 journey eastward from Cacheniire to the place where they 

 are foui:d. (See Forster's Travels in Cachcmire.) We are 

 entitled to call this animal by the name of goat, on the au- 



* Mr. Cogiasar de Sorihialy is, according' to Mr. Tie Wa'.Icnbourgh, Cne of 

 the greatest merchants of Constantinople, an Armenian by birth, and tbe 

 moit skilful pwiun in commercial matters to whom lie could have addressed 

 himself. 



thoritv 



