Page:The history of silk, cotton, linen, wool, and other fibrous substances 2.djvu/351

 212.) He also mentions (vol. i. p. 161.) that the Kabyles or Berbers, who live in the vicinity of Algiers, and are descended from the original occupants of the country, dwell in "tents of camels'-hair." We are informed that the Chinese make carpets of the same material . Coverlets of goats' or camels'-hair are used by the soldiers in Turkey to sleep under . "The Circassians, when marching, or on a journey, always add to their other garments a cloak made from camel or goats'-hair, with a hood, which completely envelopes the whole person. It is impenetrable by rain; and it forms their bed at night, and protects them from the scorching sun by day ."

Fortunatus, in his life of St. Martin (l. iv.), describes a garment of such cloth; but it may be doubted whether he took his description from actual knowledge of the use of it, or only from the account in Matthew of the dress of John the Baptist already quoted.

Camels'-hair of annual growth would vary in fineness according to circumstances, and might be used either for the coarse raiment of prophets and dervises, ''or for the costly shawls'', to which Ctesias alludes. Fine wool, adapted to the latter purpose, might also grow, as in the goat and beaver, beneath the long hair of the camel. It has been doubted whether cloth so fine and beautiful as Ctesias asserts, could possibly be obtained from camels. The following accounts by modern travellers illustrate and justify the statement of the suspected ancient.

Marco Polo, who travelled in the 13th century, in his account of the city of Kalaka, which was in the province of Tangut and subject to the Great Kahn, says, "In this city they manufacture beautiful camelots, the finest known in the world, of the hair of camels and likewise of fine wool." According to Pallas, (Travels, vol. ii. § 8.,) "From the hair of the camel the Tartar women in the plains of the Crimea manufacture a narrow