1186 On the Wool of the Bactrian, or two-humped Camel. [No. 132. 



No.2. — Is a specimen of coarse thread spun from this wool by the 

 hand, i. e. without the aid of the wheel ; the wool is gathered into a 

 mass, a small portion twisted into a thread by the fingers, and then 

 attached to a cross stick with a weight, or to a stone which is kept 

 twirling round, while small portions of the wool are continually 

 added. 



The threads thus made are coarse, and liable to break from being 

 too loosely twisted. 



This method is, however, very generally practised, more especially 

 in these districts ; the same also prevails in most parts of the Himalaya, 

 and is in use even in the provinces of India in the spinning of cotton 

 threads for common purposes. 



Woollens made from threads thus twisted, are far more difficult 

 to weave than those manufactured from threads spun by the hand 

 wheel, as the looseness of the twist often causes them to catch and 

 break as the shuttle passes to and fro. 



No. 3. — Is a sample of the wool and hair, taken from the fore-arm. 



No. 4. — Is taken from the under part of the neck and throat. 



The hairs in these samples are so long, that the trouble of cleaning 

 the wool would, I should imagine, be much lessened, and probably 

 the hair itself might prove an useful article for making pencils and 

 other brushes. 



These wools are all taken from an animal which wintered at Can- 

 dahar, so that the probability is, that the staple was not so long as it 

 would have been, had the camel remained in the more Northern dis- 

 tricts. 



There is also another thing to be observed, which is, that the beast 

 was not worked during the winter season, and consequently the wool 

 was uninjured by the friction of a load. 



It is both shorter and coarser when the animal has been laden. 

 No doubt too, there may be as much difference between the wool of 

 different camels, as between sheep ; but the samples sent may be 

 deemed upon the whole a fair selection, considering the limited range 

 of my observation on the subject. 



No. 5. — Is a sample of wool taken from the humps of a male 

 Bactrian Camel, that had been much worked during winter. 



No. 6 — Is from the sides of the same animal. 



