WOOL-BEARERS OF THE PASTURES. 



189 



8. The structure of wool is different from that of hair, 

 and fits it perfectly for twisting into yarn and for rolling 

 into felting. Wool was wrought into garments at a very 

 early period. Many passages in the Bible history allude 

 to woolen garments. At the time of the Macedonian con- 

 quest the natives of India wore shawls of great beauty. 

 The Greeks learned many processes of woolen manufact- 

 ure from the Egyptians ; and the Romans, as well as the 

 people of Spain, obtained instruction in this art from the 

 Greeks. In these days the manufacture of goods from 

 the fleeces of sheep is an immense industry. No less than 

 thirty-five processes are passed through to transmute the 

 wool into cloth. Among these are sorting the wool, 

 scouring, washing, drying, dyeing, carding, spinning, reel- 

 ing, weaving, shearing, and fulling. 



9. The simplicity and charm of ancient times are still 

 retained among the shepherds of the half -civilized tribes 



Tartars and their Flocks. 



of Asia. The Tartars and Siberians and the natives of 

 Thibet still follow the nomadic life of mountain-shep- 

 herds. The pastures of different localities and varying 



