Buchanan, Francis: A Journey from Madras through the countries of Mysore, Canara and Malabar ... (Band 1) (London, 1807)

228

A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH

Neat hides.

CHAPTER skins, each five or six; put them into a pot with some Ragy kanji,
^s^> or decoction of Ragy, and let them stand for eight days. Then rub
June 22, &c. the liquor on the skins, which immediately become black.
Redskins. These skins may be dyed red by the following process : Take of

ungarbled Lac 2 Dudus weight (about 13 drams), of Suja cara, or
fine soda, 1 Dudu weight, and ofLodu bark 2 Dudus weight. Having
taken the sticks from the Lac, and powdered the soda and bark,
boil them all together in a Seer of water (68-f- cubical inches) for
1|- hour. Rub the skin, after it has been freed from the hair as
before mentioned, with this decoction; and then put it into the pot
with the Myrobalans and water for three days. This is a good co-
lour, and for many purposes the skins are well dressed.

The hides of oxen and buffaloes are dressed as follows : For each
skin take 2 Seers (lTV03olb.) of quicklime, and 5 or 6 Seers measure
(about l¥ ale gallon) of water ; and in this mixture keep the skins
for eight days, and rub off the hair. Then for each skin take ten
Seers, by weight, (about 6 lb.) of the unpeeled sticks of the Tayn-
gadu (Cassia auriculata), and 10 Seers measure of water (about 2-J
ale gallons), and in this infusion keep the skins for four days. For
an equal length of time, add the same quantity of Tayngadu and
water. Then wash, and dry the skins in the sun, stretching them
out with pegs. This leather is very bad.

The oil makers at Bangalore are a very considerable class of peo-
ple, and are of the kind that use two bullocks in their mill, of
which a plan is given (Figure 24). The mortar is a block of gra-
nite. This class of people are called Jotyphanada, or Jotynagarada
Ganagaru. They express the following kinds of oil: WulV-Ellu,
Huts'-Ellu, Harulu, Cobri, Ipay, and Hoingay.

The WulV-Ellu oil is expressed from two varieties, or species of
Sesamum seed, called here Surugana and Cari Ellus. They are the
same with the Wullay and Phulagana Ellus of Seringapatam. The
first gives the least oil; but for the table it is esteemed the best of
any in the country; the price, however, of the two kinds is the

Oil makers.

Oil of Sesa-
mum.