Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 4.djvu/95

 WEAVERS. (191) HE Photograph exhibits a family of Hindoo weavers at work, and, perhaps, needs some explanation. They are preparing the warp, apparently of a turban or narrow scarf, for the loom; and the operation is performed in the open air, in the court-yard of their house, or of a mosque or temple, or anywhere that they have space, and can obtain permission. The end of the yarn passes over a cross stick or trestle, and is being arranged evenly by the man in the tunic—the central figure—who has a brush under his arm; the next figure is continuing the proper distribution of the thread, and his brush is on his head; the third figure is brushing the thread, an operation which is very necessary, and requires a good deal of dexterity. The brushes used are made of cocoa-nut fibre, or the root of the khus grass, and are slightly charged with thin rice water for starch; they are then moved backwards and forwards with long sweeps of the arm, as well to starch the thread slightly as to stretch and separate it, and remove all superfluous cotton down, or unevenness in the yarn; and this operation is performed several times, until the warp yarn is fit for weaving. It will then be wound upon a roller, which fits into the foot of the loom, and the weaving process by the shuttle and action of the treadles begins. The woman seated near the centre figure is spinning with the common wheel of the country, which is rude in construction, but which is on the same principle as all other spinning wheels, that is, a catgut cord passes over the large wheel to a spindle, which it turns with proportionable velocity, and the thread, as fast as it is drawn out and spun, is reeled upon the small spindle at the end. The thread, or yarn, spun by this means is never very fine, but suffices for the lower order of manufactures, and spinning forms part of the daily work of almost all Hindoo and Mahomedan females of the lower classes throughout India. When women have finished their household duties, and the men are absent in the fields, or on ordinary occupations, groups of spinners may always be seen in every village, sitting on the ground, or on low stools, under the shade of a tree or a high wall, busily employed with their wheels and enjoying a comfortable gossip, while their