WORKS IN GOLD AND SILVER. 327 



web when ordered by a customer, and with a loom of 

 the rudest construction, — consisting sometimes of a few 

 branches or bars of wood roughly put together. There is 

 even no expedient for rolling up the warp ; the loom must 

 therefore be kept stretched to its full length, and becomes 

 so inconveniently large that it cannot be contained within 

 the hut of the manufacturer, who is therefore compelled to 

 ply his trade in the open air, where it is interrupted by 

 every vicissitude of the weather. That in an art which 

 such pains have been taken to carry to the highest perfec- 

 tion no attempt should have been made to improve the 

 machinery, and to remedy the most obvious inconveniences, 

 is a striking example of that blind adherence to ancient 

 usage which forms so prominent a feature in the Hindoo 

 character. 



The silk manufacture is also of great antiquity in India, 

 and carried to considerable perfection, though not nearly 

 equal to that of cotton. Bandanas, and other handker- 

 chiefs, crapes, and taffetas, are the forms in which it is 

 chiefly produced. The shawls of Cashmere, made from 

 the wool of a species of goat, constitute an exquisite fabric, 

 which bears a high price in every quarter of the world ; but 

 it belongs only half to India, being worked on its northern 

 border, and consisting of a material entirely furnished by 

 Tartary and Thibet. 



The use of gold, silver, and precious stones forms 

 another object of Indian ostentation. To her princes and 

 great men no present is so acceptable ; and hence no ex- 

 pense is spared in obtaining them. Besides being the 

 instruments of his pomp, they «erve as a convenient means 

 for hoarding up wealth ; his jewels are an important part 

 of every prince's treasure, and are regarded as public 

 property. There arises thus a demand for ingenious work- 

 men in gold and silver, as well as for such as excel in the 

 cutting, polishing, and setting of precious stones ; and all 

 these operations are performed with superior skill. Yet 

 here, too, the instruments are extremely rude and defective. 

 The ground is the workman's bench ; his hands and feet 

 the vice, and his tools only some misshapen pieces of iron. 

 He carries on his trade in an ambulatory manner, waiting 

 till he is sent for by a customer ; when, packing up his little 

 set of implements, he hastily obeys the summons. 



