OF THE CRIMEA.

479

red morocco is fold in Bakhtfhifarai, at from forty to one hun-dred rubles and upwards the ocka, in proportion to the greateror lefs importation of that commodity into the country. Fordyeing forty fkins, the Tartars take three hundred and fiftydrachms of cochineal; fifteen drachms of a root called Tzögenn;boil thefe colouring drugs in one hundred ocka, or ten eimersof water; then add fifteen drachms of alum, {Sbap, or in theGreek language Stißji); and with this decoction they dyeevery fkin eight times, each procefs requiring a meafure thatcontains fifteen drachms of the mixture. Laftly, the fkinsare rubbed with the leaves of the Cotinus, or Tabak-Taprak ;water is poured upon them; and they are trodden together fora long time ; then dried; laid one upon another; anointedwith olive oil; and at length mangled and prefled; which ladOperations are twice repeated *. The beft red morocco fkinsare fold, according to their fize and beauty, at from threeto four rubles each ; though the yellow fort is confiderablycheaper.

Farther, the town of Bakhtfhifarai contains about fixteenworkfhops, where all kinds of knives, fwords, and cutlery,are manufa&ured, and which are highly efteemed for theirexcellent temper; alfo fome artizans, who prepare tolerablylarge felts of various colours, amounting in the whole to fivethoufand pieces; and feit cloaks, termed Burii, for keepingoff the rain; fuch as are in ufe among the Circaffians. Thewool employed for this purpofe is bought at twenty-fivekopeeks the ocka; and the felts are fold at two, but the

* This procefs is with little Variation followed by the morocco-manufafturers ofAftrakhan. See Gmelin's Travels (in German), Vol. II. pp. 165. et feq.

burki