roots of but few other plants combined in such proportions as the hue intended to be produced. They have no mineral dyes that I am aware of. Many of these flowers are small, indeed most of them; and the plants of low size, and begin to bloom in February, March and April, and continue till summer. During the blooming, the flowers are gathered early in the morning, with the dew upon them, and dried of the dew under a shade. The leaves are carefully picked off, the stems and such as have their petals covered with pollen of another color-e. g.-such as are purple or scarlet with petals of yellow or white pollen, are carefully separated from it. Particular flowers only are selected; all flowers of purple color not used to dye purple, and so of every other color, but such only as are known to make an indelible dye.

When the desired quantity of leaves are collected they are carefully and eleanly bruised and into them a small quantity of ley (I shall hereafter describe it) is put, but only enough to make a thick paste--which has the property of loosening the dye from the fabrics, and facilitating its extraction. A small bag shaped like a money purse, and but little larger, made of new dog skin, deer or wolf skin, tanned by the Indians in a manner peculiar to them, is used to compress the juice from the pulp. This bag, a foot or eighteen inches long and three or four inches wide, is half filled with the pulp. Two small handles of wood are stuck through the ends of the bag, about the length of a corkscrew handle, and used to grasp a firm hold, and as levers by which the bag is twisted until the juice is extracted through the pores of the skin, which are very open.

Whether extracted or not for immediate use, the dye is carefully bottled, in glass if it can be procured, or in small bladders, if glass is not to be had. I say small bladders, because if put away in large quantities, the dye sometimes spoils, they say, and produces dingy colors. When put away for future use the light is carefully excluded by overwrapping with skins, or any thing else, and generally buried in the ground under a shelter in which fire is not used, so as to exclude heat. The dyes however, are generally used soon as extracted, as during the winter the women prepare their best wool, and have it ready in the spring and summer for the process of dying.

The pulp after compression is put into a small quantity of the same ley above spoken of, and permitted to remain several hours to extract any remaining dye that might be in it, and undergo the same squeezing process until no dye remains.

The ley is made with care of the ashes after burning, of the green wood of a shrub very similar to the Auralia Spinosa, if it be not the same of a stunted growth. So careful are they of procuring this ash unadulterated, that they have dry parcels of it laid by with which to ignite the green wood, that the ashes may not be commingled with those of other woods. The ley is usually made in a large gourd, well cleaned and dried, with the butt end cut off, and a small hole bored through the point of the neck to drip from. The gourd is three quarters filled with the ashes considerably compressed in it, and by a bale or handle suspended from a bar containing several of them. Each is then filled with rain or pure river water: the point is stopped, and the water allowed to remain on the ashes for a day and night, and then permitted to drip into the vessel placed to catch the ley.

This ley is a little colored, and is clarified by the same process of filtration through clean white sand, or sand that has been used for the same purpose before-when clarified, the ley is used as before stated, and especially to set the colors, which seems to be the principal use of it. It has no caustic quality

after filtration, but an astringency peculiar to itself rather a pungent than burning quality. It is sometimes used to dilute the darker dyes and produce lighter shades.

The wool to be dyed is washed in warm water until perfectly cleansed of the natural oil-using the root of a plant very abundant in Texas and southern New Mexico, as well as most of the southern States, of a very saponaceous quality, and known as the soap plant. In all their best fabrics-blankets, belts, leggings, &c., made of wool, their finest fleeces are used, and it is not unknown to many of our army officers and others, that the Navajoes give great attention to their management of sheep, and often produce fleeces almost or quite equal to the merino in fineness and softness of texture, by their skilful crosses and selections made after long and minute observations and care. A Camanche and Navajoe are as much delighted with the possession of a superior ram and ewe as of a fine horse, to the breeding of which they also give much attention. Von Thaer would not be more so with the possession of his finest buck. All their wool is dyed before spinning, and this is done by submerging it in the dye and letting it remain ten or fifteen days, the dye-pot being left covered: but during this soaking the wool is turned over once every day. Sometimes the lighter shades are imparted to the wool by soaking a shorter time-they say this produces a clearer tint. If not dark enough, the same process is repeated with fresh dye. I have been told by my guide, that the Camanches fumigate the wool after dying, over a smoke of the above described wood, to deepen the color, but I never saw

it done.

Their green color is produced from the leaves of several plants, the juice of which is expressed in the same manner as from the flowers, and used in the same manner.

Their brown color is made from the inner bark, roots and nuts of the walnut and of other trees, much in the same manner as our farmer's wives now dye their wool for home-made jeans.

After the dying is finished, the wool is dried in the shade, and when well dried, exposed to the sun for a few hours; the dying is then complete, and the wool ready for spinning, except sometimes, perhaps, not always, they oil the wool slightly, and diffuse the dampness through it by rubbing and rolling it in the hands. I do not know the precise object of this, but they say it works better. This does not impair the color, for washing restores them to their first brightness.

It seems to be the peculiar quality of the set that gives the lasting brilliancy of the color. I have seen the Camanche blankets, after being used for months, and abused by being put under the saddle, saturated with sweat, rained upon, slept in upon the naked earth, and when carefully washed, present the colors again, as bright as newly dyed silk.

THE SPINNING

Is what you would call twisting the thread; this is done altogether by the fingers, and somewhat similar to the ancient distaff, though reversing the order of operation. The distaff was used to wrap the raw material upon, and the spool or quill was used not only to wind the thread upon, but as the spindle to twist it. The Camanches reverse this order, and use the raw material for the spindle, and the spool only to wind the thread upon. See figure in Section VII. They use no distaff.

In spinning, a small portion of wool only is used at a time-a mess, say, of a quarter pound weight, and shaped like an egg, say four or five inches long, and two or three in diameter, is wrapped around with a string sufficiently tight to keep it together, but loose enough at the point to permit the wool to be drawn out for spinning the thread-a small stone, of an ounce or so in weight, is tied on the middle of a stick of about six inches in length, and inserted in the lower part of the bunch. This is to add weight to it without increasing the size, and is used as dead weight, to increase and continue the velocity when twirled round by the fingers.

The spinning is begun by first twisting a thread of five or six inches in length, which is wound around a stick of ten or so inches long, and half an inch in diameter, which is held in the left hand, and serves for the spool to wind the thread upon. After the thread is commenced, the spinning proper begins, and is then continued, by constantly keeping the bunch of wool swiftly rotating horizontally, by twirling it with the thumb and middle fingers; at the moment the twirl is given, a slight jerk downwards is made, to draw out the wool, and a simultaneous slight yielding of the left hand, to prevent the thread separating from the mass until the twist is given it, and when sufficiently spun, is wound upon the spool. They usually spin three or four or six inches at a time-and wind up every time. The thread is usually twisted hard, and always doubled before weaving. I have seen thread spun altogether by the fingers, and the spinning and weaving is by no means confined to the women; men are often engaged in it, and exhibit much taste and skill in devising the patterns, as well as blending the colors. After small parcels of the wool are well loosened by picking and straightening with the fingers, it is tied loosely together with a string, to prevent the bunch falling apart; or it is often put in a small bag, of four or six inches diameter, and drawn together at the mouth, leaving portions of the wool protruding from it in a point, to facilitate its being drawn out to form the thread. A weight of an ounce or two-usually a flat stone, is tied in the middle of a stick of six inches in length, and half an inch in diameter, and is enclosed within the wool, or the bag, near the bottom of it, and acts as a dead weight to facilitate the momentum when turning round. The ends of the stick project from the mass of wool like two handles, and are used to twirl it with the fingers.

The thread is usually about the fineness of our good Osnaburg, and spun sufficiently hard to twist readily when doubled, and makes the doubled thread not very hard. After the spinning is finished, and previous to weaving, the thread is measured, by hanking it over two pins a certain distance apart. This is only to ascertain the length of the thread required, and is then formed into a ball.

The Navajoes have another and a more artistic manner of spinning, for which it has been thought they were indebted to white instructors, but which they indignantly deny. Two boards, of two or three feet in length, and three to six inches in width, as may be procured, are pinned on opposite sides of the crotch of a tree of convenient height, or of two posts set in the ground near each other, or two trees growing near together. Two holes are bored in the boards, one opposite the other, and about one and a half inch in diameter. A limb of any kind of tree with a branch diverging at right angles, is procured. The larger limb is cut off about eighteen inches each way from the branch, so as to be about three feet long. The branch is trimmed off to fit the holes, and constitutes the spindle. The limb is used as the handle, and

as a fly to continue the momentum. The whole apparatus is unique, simple and efficient, and I would say an original one.

The spinning is commenced like the first process, by twisting with the fingers a short thread, then fastening it to the point of the spindle. The spinner has already prepared, by picking with her fingers, a quantity of wool which she has in her basket or bag, tied around her waist, or in a bundle like the one described in the previous process. A person twirls around the handle or fly, and the spinner keeps moving backwards as the thread is formed. The process is much the same as that by which our rope makers spin hemp by hand. A thread of six or eight feet in length, is spun before being wound up. The Indian never spins until he or she has a specific work to perform. The size, plan, configuration, and every other requisite, is first determined. The quantity of thread required for any piece of work, is from long habit, pretty accurately known. I think I have said already, that all their weaving is done with a double and twisted thread. They waste no thread. They usually spin a small quantity and weave, and then spin again, and so on, until the work is completed. The process is the same for cotton, wool, grass, &c.

Weaving is the most elaborate of their arts, and they make beautiful work. Their blankets, or I should call them shawls, are often rich, strong and showy. Some have a resemblance to the Persian shawl. They frequently sell in Mexico for three hundred dollars, and I have seen them sell in New Orleans for two hundred dollars. I have one in my possession, taken by Gen. Houston at the battle of San Jacinto, which cost three hundred dollars. They are usually impervious to water, very heavy, and are rather plaited together than woven. The time occupied in making one of these, is from four to six, and sometimes eight months.

WASHINGTON, January, 1851.

Very respectfully,

J. HENRY PETERS

Memorandum of Navajo Blankets, by R. H. WEIGHTMAN, of Santa Fé, Senator elect of New Mexico.

NAVAJO INDIAN BLANKET.

The Navajo Indians live west of the Rio del Norte, about the base of the Rocky Mountains, between parallels of latitude 32° and 35°. They are far advanced in the arts of peace-cultivate the soil, raising wheat, maize, melons, fruits, beans, &c. They own large flocks and herds, and in the cultivation of breeds by judicious crossing, are said to have made some progress. They are Manufacturists. The blankets made by them are of wool, and dyed in bands of black and blue (fast colors.) The red bands are made of the English red Indian cloth, unravelled and worked up anew. These blankets hold water. A bucket of water may be carried in one of them for miles. They are skilful diplomatists-the proof of which is that since 1846 they have negotiated with the American authorities four or five treaties of peace, of which they have availed themselves only during their cropping season,

carrying on hostilities at all other times. These hostilities are carried on by them to gratify the feeling of avarice-to add to their wealth. They have driven off from New Mexico since 1846 stock to the value of at least $500,000 (half a million.)

A specimen of their blankets (one of the coarse sort) is at the house of Mr. R. S. Coxe, Esq., F street, between 6th and 7th.

Washington, Jan. 7, 1851.

R. H. WEIGHTMAN.

TYPE FOUNDING.

Of contributions by inventors and artizans to the great work of mental development, there are three that have been conspicuous in bringing out the modern outburst of thought. But for them the genius of refinement had never made the progress she has; nor without them could she advance a single step further. Successfully employed in hastening a present, they are securing the future elevation of our race. Preventing retrogation in intelligence, they add daily to the general stock, and are posting it up for the use of our successors. United, they have revealed a potency unknown to the ancients:-They are metallic types, paper and the printing press;-a triad of achievements in mechanical science unrivalled in importance and value. While water, wind, steam, electricity and the gases, serve to animate material mechanisms, these are the elements of a higher and mightier prime mover; one destined to agitate and expand the intellect of the world; to extend and perpetuate the peaceful reign of science and arts over the earth.

Type Founding in the United States, by GEORGE BRUCE, Esq., of New York.

Type founding is not a business of great industrial importance, but is valuable as being the fundamental branch of the letterpress printing business, and interesting as the great discovery of the 15th century, by which books, which were before possessed by the rich only, were brought within the reach of people of moderate means, encouraging the learned, and promoting the arts and sciences, through the cheap diffusion of knowledge.

As soon as type founding had been brought to a moderate degree of perfection, by forming copper matrices from steel punches, and a variety of sizes of type had been introduced, it must have been separated from the business of the printing office and made a distinct art; for the same moulds and matrices, with the constant employment of a few workmen, could supply all the type that was required for many printing offices, and thus save the expense of separate moulds and matrices for each one. It would indeed require a demand from many printing offices to furnish the business necessary for a single type foundry and to keep it in activity.

In the year 1683, as Joseph Moxon states in his Mechanical Exercises, the number of different bodies of type cast in England was ten the smallest having 184 lines in a foot, and the largest 17. Each of these sizes or bodies required about 250 matrices. In 1789 the number of sizes or bodies in the British type foundries, amounted to upwards of twenty, of which the smallest,