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253 Story of an Emigtiant.
272
the renowned dye-stuff is made; rape, mustard and other
species of seeds from which oils are pressed, the opium plant,
etc.
In the cities and towns the people devote themselves to
trades and handicrafts, in some of which they attain greater
perfection than any other people. Their beautiful carvings
in wood and ivory, their exquisite embroideries, their textiles
and yarns exceed everything in that line. But their ability
is not due to any genius or ingenuity, but to close
observation and patient application. According to their religious
tenets the sons must learn the trade of their father, and they
begin to work at his side as soon as they can handle a needle,
chisel, or other tool, and continue the practice day after day,
year after year, until they also in turn, have taught their
children and grandchildren the same trade. Certain places
are noted for certain industries, as Dakka for its fine muslin ;
Benares for its embroideries, etc. The muslin weavers of
Dakka can with their hands spin and weave fabrics which
are almost as fine as cobweb, and a person who is not
accustomed to such work would not be able to feel the thread
between his fingers; but the sensitiveness of the Hindoo
spinner in Dakka has been developed to such an
extraordinary degree during a hundred generations that he is able to
perform works which would be perfectly impossible for
others. I have seen a garment presented to a Hindoo king
which was so fine in texture that, although it was a
complete suit, it wTas folded up and safely packed into a mango
shell, which is only a little larger than an almond shell, and
thus presented. I have in my possession a little box two
inches wide and four inches long, made of sandal-wood and
adorned with fine carvings; all the edges are inlaid with
pieces of ivory, in which are again inlaid more than two
thousand separate pieces of different metals so skilfully put
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