THE GOAT. 307 



oppressors was sometimes forty pounds. The stuff-gown men, as well as the wearers of silk at the bar, 

 the judges on the bench, together with bishops and archbishops, arc all indebted, even now, for them to 

 goat's hair. 



The hair of the goat, plucked off, or shorn like the wool of sheep, is manufactured into stuffs of 

 different kinds in the East. The tabernacle of Moses was covered with curtains of goat's hair, spun by 

 the women of Israel in the wilderness. In the Song of Solomon, the hair of the bride is compared to 

 a flock of goats from Mount Gilead; that is, the hair of a flock of goats, which, in some species, grown 

 very long. 



Of late years mohair, or goat's wool, has been brought into general use in Yorkshire. The wool 

 is grown in the neighbourhood of Angora, in the centre of Asia Minor, and is brought from thence on 

 the backs of camels for shipment. It is singular, that, although many attempts have boon mode to 

 extend its growth beyond this immediate district, they have hitherto entirely failed. Formerly, yarn 

 was spun by hand, in Turkey itself, to a large extent, and exported to France; but English-spun 

 mohair has entirely superseded it. It is manufactured in Yorkshire, chiefly into articles for ladies' 

 dresses, of great softness, lustre, and brilliancy. In some parts of England, as well as on the Con- 

 tinent, there is a large and increasing production from this article, of what is called Utrecht velvet, 

 for hangings, furniture, the linings of carriages, and other articles. 



The Angora goat inhabits the tract of land which surrounds Angora and Beibazar, in Asiatic 

 Turkey, where the goatherds bestow much care on their flocks, frequently combing and washing them. 

 The pillow of goats' hair that supported the head of the imago with which Michal deceived the 

 messengers of Saul when he sought David's life,* will occur to every one; and Pennant thinks that 

 the variety which furnished it was the goat of Angora. 



THE ALPACA. 



THE existence of an animal thus denominated was long known to travellers and naturalists. Tra- 

 dition reports that Pizarro took specimens of its wool on his first return from Peru, together with 

 textures made from it by the natives. Subsequent research has shown that the Alpaca, which is of 

 the llama tribe, is found only in the mountain regions of the southern part of Peru, the table-land 

 about four hundred miles from the sea coast. It cannot live in the low lands near the sea. It is 

 gregarious, but not kept in large flocks like sheep, and requires considerable care. 



Attempts have been made to naturalise this animal in England. His Royal Highness Prince 

 Albert has paid much attention to its culture and adaptation to our climate, but not with the success 

 that could bo desired. Some articles of dress were, however, made from the alpaca wool at Windsor, 

 in is-t-l : one was an apron, entirely of alpaca; another was a striped and figured dress, with silk 

 warp, alpaca weft, and alternate silk and alpaca figures ; a third was a plaid dress, woven with an 

 intermixture of alpaca, silk, and worsted ; while a fourth was a plain black dress, with cotton warp 

 and alpaca weft. 



The late Earl of Derby had also a flock, which suffered mainly, it is believed, from the humidity 

 of our climate. Some years ago, six hundred alpacas were shipped from Peru to Liverpool; but so 

 unskilfully had the arrangements for their passage been made, that only six survived the rojrage. 

 Alarmed at this shipment, the Peruvian Government issued an edict prohibiting their exportation for 

 the future ; and when, subsequently, some enterprising Australian colonists attempted to procure 

 oar"o, they were obliged to return disappointed. 



The late Earl of Derby's flock was transferred to Mr. Titus Salt, now M.P., to whom belongs 

 the honour of having properly estimated the qualities of the alpaca wool, and perfected its adapta- 

 fcton. His works at "Saltaire" are among the wonders of the county in which they stand, and 

 unequalled on the face of the earth. 



The wool, or hair, of the alpaca, is of various shades of colour, as black, white, gray, and 1 

 and is pre-eminently distinguishable for its brightness and lustre, its extreme softness, and grca 

 of staple. A specimen shown in the Great Exhibition was forty-two inches in length ; but this mua 

 have been of many years' growth, Considerable difficulties were at first experienced m the - 



* 1 Samuel six. 1310. 



