1841.] Roree in Khypoor. 481 



vat. It is then dipped up by the workman on a light wooden frame 

 or mould of seven bars, on which a mat (boora) is laid of the size of the 

 intended sheets, made of sur (the stem of moonj grass) split into ex- 

 tremely fine pieces and united with horse hair. 



The man sits on the edge of the vat, and is often provided with a pipe 

 with a long tube, to which he applies his mouth from time to time without 

 staying his work. He regulates the number of dips of the mould accord- 

 ingly as he wishes to give consistency to the paper, always taking care to 

 to stir the liquor well before he raises it. He transfers the sheet, as soon 

 as formed, to another frame of fine reed, which is placed upon one of sirkee 

 (the upper stem of moonj grass,) carefully laying sheet upon sheet as he 

 takes them from the vat, without the interposition of cloth of any kind, 

 and leaves them about nine hours to drain ; the sheets are then pressed 

 under a plank, upon which two men stand for an hour. Those made dur- 

 ing the day are pasted at night against a mud wall made smooth with 

 clay and cow dung, and the men use for the purpose soft brushes of moonj 

 grass ten inches long, which they prepare themselves. The paper is re- 

 moved in the morning to a plank or board, where it is rubbed with a cof ton 

 cloth dipped in wheat flour, and suspended on hempen strings raised on 

 sticks in a yard for twelve hours until perfectly dry ; it is then carried 

 back to the board and put into the hands of the polisher, who does not 

 belong to the factory : he rubs it with a large smooth stone to give it a 

 glaze or polish. Some of the stones are black basalt from Khorasan, 

 and appear to have been rounded by the torrents; and smooth pieces of lime- 

 stone and white marble are also used. On the completion of this process, 

 the rough edges of the paper are cut with large scissors, like those used 

 by tailors, and it is now ready for sale in the bazar. 



On my second visit to this factory J found the work stopped in conse- 

 quence of the men having gone to the British camp at Sukur, where 

 they were employed in other labour at eight pys (four pence) a day. 

 Until the establishment of our camp, there was a small consumption of 

 paper, and it is by no means a profitable occupation ; JhoOra could not 

 afford to employ men above half a day at a time, and their labour in the 

 factory was more severe than that exacted from them in the cantonment. 

 The manufacturer (Jhoora) employs four men (Moosulmans), at ten pys 

 (4|) each per diem, to sweep the building, chop hemp, bring water from 

 the Indus, and conduct the whole process of manufacture. He estimated 

 the cost of his shop and machinery at 100 rupees, and the pit in which 

 the tow is beaten at half the sum, but was not positive as his father built it. 

 It is a large sum, but I do not question his veracity, as he did not over- 



