Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 4.djvu/96

WEAVERS children play about them. The wheel is worked by the hand only, the foot treadle being as yet unknown in India, and the quantity of yam produced is enormous, finding a ready sale with itinerant dealers, or at the village markets or fau-s of the neighbourhood. English machine-made yarn is employed to a great extent; but for many of the softer articles of ordinary wear, such as turbans, scarves, and waist cloths, the native yarn is still, and most likely always will be, preferred. It bears daily washing better, and never becomes stiff or harsh, as the more closely twisted machine yarn is apt to do.

Weavers are of many classes, both Hindoo and ]Iahomedan. The Mahomedan weavers, who are termed "Momeen," or the "orthodox," or "faithful," produce plain muslins, such as turbans and scarves, or loongees, which are waist cloths worn by Mahomedans only, and coarse cloths called jote and khadi. They seldom weave coloured yarn, except for loongees and pieces of soussi, a useful class of fabric, of a somewhat coarse but veiy durable character, which is used by women for petticoats and trowsers, and also for the covering of cotton mattresses, and other like purposes. Mahomedan work is rarely of a fine character; but it is honest and durable, and the Momeens enjoy a good reputation for quality as regards durability of texture. For the most part they are very bigoted religionists of the Soonee sect, meeting in their mosques for morning and evening prayers, and observing aU the requirements of dress, demeanour, shaving the "orthodox" portions of their hair, &c., and never wearing mustachios. They also observe the Rumzan fast, and other "orthodox" ceremonies, with great strictness, and are much more particular as a body in these respects than the Mahomedans of other classes. Many of them can read the Koran and the commentaries upon it, as well as other religious works, and some are fair Persian scholars ; but they are not affected, as yet, by any of our educational measures, and affect to despise them as heterodox. Their occupation is an hereditary one; and they state that they are the descendants of Arabian weavers, who accompanied the Mahomedan armies of invasion, which is not improbable. Many of them are very fair, of a decided western Mahomedan cast of feature, not unfrequently with grey or blue eyes; and their women, who are secluded, are reputed beautiful. They do not marry with other Mahomedan sects. By some they are looked upon as low in grade; but they themselves arrogate a religious superiority, and they have always been extremely exclusive in their connections. On account of their bigotry, they are probably not a particularly well affected class to our Government; but they are free from crime, and strictly decorous in their relations of life.

Hindoo weavers are very diversified in character, and in divisions of sect or caste. In the North-West of India they would appear to be of very low class, scarcely ranking above "Chumars," or leather-dressers, who are among the Chandals, or outcasts. The weavers are perhaps in a somewhat higher grade, but