2 SILK-WEAVING IN SINDH. 



long celebrated, but these are now completely 

 eclipsed by the manufactures of Mooltan and 

 Bhawulpoor. Every village has its weavers, by 

 whom the country is supplied with that coarse 

 cotton cloth in universal use throughout Sindh. 

 The weaving is conducted in this wise: — the 

 cotton, having been purchased in the raw state, 

 is made over to the cleaners ; the instrument 

 for beating it is the common triangular one, 

 suspended from the roof; the string being of 

 gut, the cotton is not much injured by this 

 process, which is that of the Pinjaras, or cotton 

 cleaners of India. After being thus cleaned, 

 the cotton is spun by the women of the estab- 

 lishment. The thread is then drawn out upon 

 rows of small sticks, and afterwards soaked in 

 water and flour. When taken out, it is again 

 stretched upon sticks and exposed to the air. 

 In this state it is rubbed with a large brush of 

 tamarisk, and is then ready for the weaver. 

 The weaving is the same as that adopted in 

 Ceylon, the machine being suspended from the 

 roof, and a hollow made below for the feet of 

 the weaver, by which the upper and lower 

 skeins of thread are raised and depressed as 

 requisite. The cloth is generally made from a 



