slices as thin and fine as the best paper, and out of these pieces the baskets are plaited on the variously shaped wooden moulds or mandrils. In weaving these boxes the women are extremely expert, and they throw them off with great rapidity. The real lacquer process then commences, the material required being the thitsee, a woodoil or varnish of a thick, tarry consistency, and imported from the Chindwin Valley and the Shan country. The baskets are well smeared with the oil, and placed on the shelves underground to dry, it being essential that the drying should be slow, in a cool, dark place-for drying in the heat or in the sun would ruin them. This process occupies from three to five days. They are then taken out, and a paste of finely pounded red clay is rubbed on to fill in all crevices and inequalities. The basket is now fixed on to the mandril of a rude kind of lathe, and while this is being rapidly revolved, a soft smooth stone is firmly pressed against the sides of the box, and the turning is continued till the latter becomes smooth and perfectly even. The box is now placed in the sun, and when quite dry it is again put on the lathe and given another smoothing. After that, a fresh paste of finely powdered burnt rice husk, bone charcoal and thitsee is well smeared on the box, both inside and out, and the box is placed in the shade to dry, but not in the cellar. When quite dry it is again put in the lathe and thoroughly polished, first with the smooth stone and then with soft old cloth. When quite polished a final coat of thitsee is applied all over, and the box is placed in the cellar to remain there and dry- the longer the better, as by that means the varnish sets firmly. When taken out the box has a fine, brilliant, japanned appearance and an elastic feel, so that the lacquer will not crack on bending the sides. In the betel boxes, and other kinds in which the colouring and ornamentation are more elaborate, the process is more difficult. The services of an engraver are called in, who holds the box between the toes and the feet, while he dexterously and rapidly scratches the pattern on the japanned surface with his finely-pointed iron style. The designs are handed down from generation to generation, there being very little variation from the standard representation of dragons, fish, birds, and grotesque foliage; after the last layer of colour has been inserted in the engraved lines, the final polish is given with finelypowdered petrified wood, called in Burmese ingin kyouk swe. The box is now quite finished, and when taken introduction of Western methods of manufacture, the useof chemical dyes, and the supersession of oriental patterns by those in vogue in Europe. There is, doubtless, a good' deal of truth in the assertions that these innovations have damaged the good reputation once enjoyed by this country of producing nothing that was not of the best in material and workmanship. India might take a leaf out of the book of Persia, if she wishes to regain her old pre-eminence in the market. In the last report on the trade of Khorasan it is stated that the carpet industry, of which Mashad, Birjand,. and Turshiz are the principal centres, continues to flourish. All indigenous dyes employed in the manufacture are obtained from vegetables. Aniline colours were imported. from Europe to Mashad, but were soon rejected, as it was found that the local trade was declining as the direct result of their use. During the last ten years the traders in the districts of Kain and Turshiz have also been in the habit of instructing the weavers as to the patterns and texture of the carpets wanted, and the higher prices commanded by the goods have proved the soundness of this procedure. There is said to be no difference in the methods followed by the ancient and the modern weaver, and though old carpets are occasionally seen, of superior quality to any of modern production, there appears to be no "lost art in Khorasan art." We wish the same could be said of India.-Indian Agriculturist, Oct. 22, 1892. Amongst the new members of the S.E.P.I.A. are: on the Council, the Hon. Mr. Justice Ameer Ali and Mrs. Ameer Ali; on the Executive Committee, Mrs. Grigg, Shrimant Sanpatrao Gaikwad, and Mr. Lockwood de Forest, of New York. It was Mr. Lockwood de Forest's two years work in India ten years ago that led to the introduction of Indian decorative work in New York. Unlike the London market, where cheapness is the sole factor, New York would only take good work, and the factory established by Mr. de Forest at Ahmedabad for wood carving and carpet weaving has yearly grown in proportion. As this factory has never produced work for sale at Exhibitions it has attracted little notice; but many rich interiors in New York and other American cities show a practical development of Indian Art manufactures, which to our shame in England we can not claim to have attained. CLIVE. VAIN rolled the thunder o'er him, as he came, No stainless Galahad, nor Percival, No dreamer, he, of some unearthly quest; THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL FOR MUHAMMADAN WOMEN AND GIRLS, GUNTOOR,. SOUTH INDIA. IT is doubtful, if anywhere more ignorant, helpless women can be found than the Muhammadan women of South India who belong to the poorer classes. From early childhood shut off from the life outside their own home, kept day after day, year after year, under the influence of quarrelsome women, and living amid an atmosphere of superstition, fighting continually for enough to eat, they seem to us almost to have lost all womanhood and to be merely animals. But there is always something in the human animal whereby we can elevate the individual. member of the human family has yet been found insensible to all good. These poor, ignorant Muhammadan women have a wonderful faculty for art needlework. They love the work, they love the pretty colours, they love the artistic patterns. It is surprising and interesting to see how quickly this work developes even the most ignorant. among them. The Mission under which I labour (the American Lutheran Mission) opened, a few years ago, an Industrial School for these women. This establishment is to enable destitute Muhammadan women to earn a respectable livelihood. Muhammadan women are kept in gosha-that is, are kept secluded from the sight of men. This debars them from doing any sort of cooly work such as their poor Hindu sisters do. A destitute Muhammadan woman must starve or pound grain for her food and clothes. Pounding grain is exceedingly hard work, and these women are seldom strong. To do this work the respectable women rise before day light, wrap themselves in a huge sheet and steal away in the darkness to some merchant's house. All day long they pound the grain in a small, badly ventilated room, and after dark return home. There is, indeed, another avenue open to her for food and clothes-the sad resources open to many helpless women she may sell her womanhood, and too often does, in order to support herself and children. The industry taught in our school is Muhammadan embroidery. This embroidery is with silk and gold and silver wire. One of the chief manufactures of India is gold and silver wire, and in the art of wire drawing the natives of India are superior to Europeans. This gold and silver wire is used in embroidering shoes, caps, rugs, table-covers, clothes, &c. The history of this embroidery is not well known. So far as is known, it was brought into India in the sixteenth century, by Italian merchants and it is supposed to have been introduced into Italy by Persian merchants. In Delhi, Lahore, Bombay, Madras, Muhammadan merchants carry on this art on a very extensive scale. The native princes buy it for decorating their homes, elephants, horses, for court dresses; and every native who can at all afford a gold-embroidered cap wears one. The greater part of this work is done by men and boys. In our establishment, the largest one of the kind in South India, we have about 29 women and 42 young girls. All the women are from the poorer classes, all are respectable, all are entirely dependent upon the salary received in the school for their support. The school derives its support from sales of work, Government grants, and donations from friends. Last year the school was entirely supported from sales of work and Government grants. As a means for elevating and developing Muhammadan women the school is invaluable. The regularity, the cleanliness insisted upon, neatness, constant occupation, the freedom of intercourse with other women, contact with European teachers, all have shown the possibilities in these women as well as revealed their awful ignorance and superstition. They are like children who have never been taught, and whose faculties have never been permitted to grow. Can you imagine what such women are like? For spite, one woman one day cut a big hole in a table cover, worth about Rs. 75. For several years we had to search each woman every night before she left school, for fear scissors, needles, bits of gold lace, &c., should disappear. Left two hours to themselves they quarrel and fight, sit still, go to sleep, or steal. One woman declared the world could not be round, "we should all slide off," she said. Another woman said that "European ladies must have nothing to do because they took time to comb their hair every day." The results from this School have been worth the time. and money expended. Five years ago the Muhammadans |