420 Process of working the Damascus Blade of Goojrat. [May, 



Col. Anosoff, himself the reviver, if not the inventor of the elastic 

 damask, lays down the following laws, as the test of quality of the 

 damask, viz. 



1st. The Damascene formed principally of right lines, almost parallel., 

 denotes the lowest quality of damask. 



2d. When the right lines become shorter and are partly replaced by 

 curves, they denote a better quality than the first. 



3d. When the lines are interrupted, show points ; and when the di- 

 mensions of the curves increase, this is a still better symptom. 



4th. When the interrupted lines become still shorter, or rather when 

 they change to points as they increase in number, so as to form in the 

 breadth of the steel, here and there, as it were, nets, interlinked by 

 threads, which undulate in diverse directions from one net to the other ; 

 in this case the damask approaches perfection. 



Finally. When the nets open further to form figures resembling 

 grapes : or when they occupy the entire breadth of [the steel and par- 

 take it in nearly equal articulations, in that case, the damask may be 

 recognised as of the highest possible quality. See Appendix, 2d Vol* 

 p. LXXVI. Abbott's Journey to Khiva, &c. 



Now, whilst I concur with Col. Anosoff in believing that a connois- 

 seur may read the quality of damask steel in its Damascene, I rather 

 doubt the above being the key to the language, — because the globula- 

 rity of the marks must depend very much upon the angle of section of 

 the crystals, an angle dependent upon the figure in which the steel was 

 first cast. 



Several very costly damask blades were exhibited to Burnes at Cabul, 

 and it was explained to him, that they were valued according to the 

 continuity of the flossy streaks from hilt to point. I myself observed 

 when in Khorussaun, that a decided preference was given to the streak- 

 ed variety, viz. to that which appears like an amalgamated mass o^ 

 infinitely fine wires. It will be seen from the process of forging the 

 simple damask that any continuity of fibre must be a mere accident, and 

 denote nothing as respects the quality of the metal. 



I have before me a beautiful specimen of Siberian damask, given me 

 by Anosoff, and presenting upon its surface the prismatic play of colors 

 which he values so highly. In appearance it differs from the Jullala- 

 bad blades chiefly in the greater uniformity of its interlaced streaks ; 



