THE TECHNOLOGIST. [July 1, 1864. 



552 TRADE OF CENTRAL ASIA. 



the fleeces of the shawl goats are equal to those of Chan-than. The 

 manufactures comprise woollen camlets, cottons, and silks ; and the 

 silk fabrics are celebrated. 



Eaw silk, both white and yellow, is first takeu to Bukhara, where 

 it is dyed. It is then purchased by Nogai traders, and carried to 

 various parts of Russia. 



The chief article of trade in Khutan and Laclakh consists of the 

 fleece beneath the undercoat of the hair of the shawl goats ; it is cut once 

 a year ; the wool picked out is sent to Kashmir, but the hair is made 

 into ropes, coarse sacks, and blankets ; after the hair of the goat has 

 been cut short with a knife in the direction of its growth, or from the 

 head towards the tail, a sort of comb is passed in the reverse direction, 

 and brings away the finer wool almost unmixed with the coarse hair ; 

 if not shorn as the summer commences, the animals themselves rub off 

 the wool. 



Moorcroft (volume ii., page 347) mentions that "by ancient custom 

 and engagements, the export of the wool is exclusively confined to 

 Kashmir, and all attempts to convey it to other countries are punished 

 by confiscation. In like manner it is considered illegal in Kodokh and 

 Chan-than to allow a trade in shawl wool except through Ladakh ; and 

 in the latter country considerable impediments are opposed to the 

 traffic in wool from Yarkand, although it is of superior quality and 

 cheapness." But in these days a good deal of shawl wool is brought by 

 different paths on sheep to Bampur, and sent from thence to the Kash- 

 mir colonies in the Punjab. 



The goats are found domesticated all over the mountainous country 

 of Western Thibet, particularly in the provinces of Ladakh, Rodokh, 

 and Garoo. Chan-than is the name given to the elevated plateaux, 

 where innumerable flocks are pastured, and which the following descrip- 

 tion will exemplify : — 



" The valley of Rupshu (in Ladakh) varies in breadth, and occa- 

 sionally expands into a broad plain, but in general it is not more than 

 500 to 700 paces in breadth. The hills on either side were covered on 

 the 12th of June with the winter's snow, and we had occasional falls of 

 hail and snow in the plain. The soil of the latter was at first loose 

 clay, and afterwards consisted chiefly of micaceous sand, scattered over 

 with stones, and thinly patched with stunted furze ; several rivulets 

 crossed it, and in their beds and on their banks a small quantity of 

 grass was growing, wdiich affords pasturage to the flocks of the shepherds 

 of the more exposed districts. Near our encampment, a champa, or 

 shepherd and his family, had encamped, and several other tents were 

 near ; the tents are of ragged black blanket, about four feet high, and 

 open all along the top. Their interior is furnished usually with 

 abundance of dirty sheep and goat skins, some sewed into coats ; two 

 or three iron pots, and one or two of brass or copper ; some iron 

 spoons, a churn for tea, not for butter, and some wooden milk pails 



