SHA 
opposed to the sun, a line must be drawn 
from the top of the liiininai y perpendicular 
to the place where the foot of the luminary 
is to be taken ; and through this place an 
occult line is to be drawn through one of 
tlie angles of the plan of the object, and an- 
other from the sun to the same angle ; and 
the intersection of the two lines will show 
how far the shadow is to go : all the other 
lines must be drawn parallel hereto. The 
shadows of the sun are equal in objects of 
the same height, though at a distance from 
each other. Experience teaches, that stiles, 
or elevations of the same height, removed 
to a distance from each other, do yet pro- 
ject equal shadows at the same time : for 
they are lengthening and shortening, in pro- 
portion as the sun comes nearer, or recedes 
further off; one or other of which he is 
continually doing. 
Shadow, in geography. The inhabitants 
of the terraqueous globe of the earth receive 
different denominations, according to tlie 
different ways wherein their shadows are 
projected; as ascii, amphiscii, heteroscii, 
and periscii. ’ 
Shadow', in painting, an imitation of a 
real shadow, effected by gradually height- 
ening and darkening the colours of such 
figures as by their dispositions cannot re- 
ceive any direct rays from the luminary that 
is supposed to enlighten the piece. The 
management of the shadows and lights makes 
what the painters call claro-obscuro. 
SHAFT of a column, in building, is the 
body thereof between the base and capital : 
so called from its straightness. The term 
shaft is also used for the spire of a church 
steeple, and for the tunnel of a chimney. 
See. Architectuue. 
Shaft, in mining, is the pit or hollow 
entrance into the mine. 
SHAGREEN, or Chagreen, in com- 
merce, a kind of grained leather, prepared, 
as is supposed, of the skin of a species of 
squalus, or hound-fish, called the shagree, 
or shagrain, and much used in covering cases, 
books, &c. It is imported from Constanti- 
uople,Tauris,Tripoli, Algiers, and from some 
parts of Poland, where it is prepared in the 
following manner : the skin being stretched 
out, is first covered over with mustard 
seed, which is bruised upon it: and being 
thus exposed to the weather for some days, 
it is then tanned. The best is of a brownish 
colour, as the white sort is the worst: it is 
extremely hard ; yet, when steeped in wa- 
ter, it becomes soft and pliable ; and being 
SHA 
fashioned into case-covers, it readily takes 
any colour, as red, green, yellow, black, 
according to the fancy of the workman. 
SHAMBLES, among miners, a sort of 
niches, or landing places, left at such dis- 
tances in the adits of mines, that the shovel- 
men may conveniently throw up the ore 
from shamble to shaTnble, till it comes to 
the top of the mine. 
SHAMMY, or Chamois Leather, a kind 
of leather, dressed either in oil or tanned; 
and much esteemed for its softness, pliancy, 
and being capable of hearing soap without 
hurt. The true shammy is prepared of the 
skin of the chamois-goat. See Capra. 
The true chamois leather is counterfeited 
with common goat, kid, and even sheep- 
skin ; the practice of which makes a parti- 
cular profession, called by the French cha- 
moisure. The last is the least esteemed, 
yet so popular, and such vast quantities 
prepared, especially about Orleans, Mar- 
seilles, and Thoulouse, that it may not be 
amiss to give the metliod of preparation. 
“ The manner of chamoising, or of pre- 
paring sheep, goat, or kid-skins in oil, in imi- 
tation of chamois.” The skins being washed, 
drained, and smeared over with quick-lime 
on the fleshy side, are folded in two, length- 
wise, the wool outwards, and laid on heaps, 
and so left to ferment eight day s ; or, if they 
had been left to dry after flaying, for fifteen 
days. Then they are washed out, drained, 
and half-dried, laid on a wooden leg or 
horse, the wool stripped off with a round 
staff for the purpose, and laid in a weak pit, 
the lime whereof had been used before, and 
had lost the greatest part o'f its force. After 
twenty-four hours they are taken out, and 
left to drain twenty-four more ; then put in 
another strong pit. This done, they are 
taken out, drained, and put in again by 
turns; which begins to dispose them to 
take oil: and this practice they continue 
for six weeks in summer, or three months in 
winter; at tlie end whereof they are wash- 
ed out, laid on the wooden leg, and the sur- 
face of the skin on the wool side peeled off, 
to render them the softer; then, made into 
parcels, steeped a night in the river; in 
winter, more ; stretched six or seven over 
■ one another, on the wooden leg ; and the 
knife passed strongly on the flesh side, to 
take off any thing .superfluous, and render 
the skin smooth. Then they are stretched 
as before, in the river, and the same opera- 
tion repeated on the wool side ; then thrown 
into a tub of water with bran in it, which is 
