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THE INDIAX ANTIQUARY
(SEPTEMBER, 1921
The Persian term dimyati, ho seems to be clearly an adjectival form of Dimyat, do o Damietta, on the Mediterranean shore of Egypt. If this is the case, the port of import has given a name to an European cloth in the East, perhaps through the likeness of the name Dimyât to the already existing term for the cloth, which was
a form like "dimity". Eckbarrees. Possibly a material named after the Emperor Akbar, or less probably,
from Hind. ikbari, one weaving : a faced cloth. "Eckbarrees " seem to bave been cotton goods suitable for " painting," i..., printing
In 1647 the factors at Ahmadâbâd reported that they had selected sufficient "eckbarrees" for next year's provision of quilts and "chints," and in 1650 the Company was informed that the failure to send "Eckburrees” was caused by the delay in despatching them from Agra to Ahmadâbâd, "where they are pintadoed
[printed]." Foster, Eng. Fact., 1646-1650, pp. 146, 277. Guinea-Stuffs. Cotton goods bought in India, suitable for the West African trade.
These “Guyney stuffs" were provided at Surat and were manufactured there and at Bharoch. See Foster, Eng. Fact., 1646-1650, p. 13; 1651-1654, p. 42 Yule.
Hobson-Jobson, 8.0. Guinea- loths. Kerebauds (often misspelt, Kerebands). Cloths from Khairâbâd in Sitapur district.
The term also appears as “Kerribad" and "Kerriabaud," and from the expression "Kerriabaud baftes," it seems that it indicated any cloth made at Khairâbâd,
See Foster, Eng. Fact., 1646-1650, pp. 188, 220, 254. Longeloth. Defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as a kind of cotton cloth or
calico manufactured in long pieces, especially cloth of this kind made in India." The earliest instances of the use of the term given in the 0.E.D. are in 1545 and 1622, as follows, showing the difference between long-cloth, short-cloth and broad-cloth:
1545. One Long cloth makyth one shorte cloth and vii yards.
1622. Allowance of five U. in a Long-cloth and 4 ll. in a Broad-cloth. Here, as in the case of Dimity, there is a possible confusion of terms, because the earliest of the English merchants to arrive in India found there words of a similar sound indicating a material akin to longcloth, viz., Hind., lang, a loin cloth, and lungt, any long strip of cloth for a wrap about the head, body or loins : turban. petticoat, loin-cloth. See Yule, Hobson-Jobson, 8.v. Long-cloth and Loonghee.
Indian Longcloth was obtained principally from the Coromandel Coast and was sold white and brown (bleached and unbleached). The celebrated Madapollam, a longcloth made at that place in the Madras Presidency, is popular at the present day, but is known in the trade either as "Maddáppalum " or "Maddapolám "
(with the accent on the second or last syllable instead of on the penultimate). Mercoolaes. The origin of this term has not been ascertained. It is probably a
perverted form of the name of the village or district whence this class of goods was first obtained. “Mercools" or "Mercoolaes” appear to have been calicoes specially adapted for "painting or chinting and the term also indicated a very stout fabric. In 1647 the factors at Ahmadâbâd and Bharoch reported to Surat that "Our store of Sunganier (Sanganer, near Jaipur, famous for stamped chintzes] mercoles will be sufficient to supply a large quantity of..........chints broad " and that the bleaching of “mercooles" was in progress. In 1648 a consignment of "mercules, a cheap and excellent sort of cloth," was sent home unbleached. In 1651 the Company's agent at Delhi wrote to Surat that in future "paules” (tent, pál, sheets) should be made of broader cloth, for which purpose "mercolls" would be most suitable. In 1652 the "mercoolees of Nyegom [? Naugaon, Hardoi district), the usual source of supply," proved so bad that orders for these goods were placed elsewhere. See Foster, English Factories, 1646-1650, pp. 139, 188; 1651-1654, pp. 26, 122.
(To be continued.)
