len textures, by no means what
are now called camlets, nor were they necessarily of camel's wool, for
those of Angora goat's wool were much valued. M. Douet d'Arcq calls it "a
fine stuff of wool approaching to our Cashmere, and sometimes of silk."
Indeed, as Mr. Marsh points out, the word is Arabic, and has nothing to do
with _Camel_ in its origin; though it evidently came to be associated
therewith. _Khamlat_ is defined in F. Johnson's Dict.: "Camelot, silk and
camel's hair; also all silk or velvet, especially pily and plushy," and
_Khaml_ is "pile or plush." _Camelin_ was a different and inferior
material. There was till recently a considerable import of different kinds
of woollen goods from this part of China into Ladakh, Kashmir, and the
northern Panjab. [Leaving Ning-hsia, Mr. Rockhill writes (_Diary_, 1892,
44): "We passed on the road a cart with Jardine and Matheson's flag,
coming probably from Chung-Wei Hsien, where camel's wool is sold in
considerable quantities to foreigners. This trade has fallen off very much
in the last three or four years on account of the Chinese middlemen
rolling the wool in the dirt so as to add to its weight, and practising
other tricks on buyers."--H. C.] Among the names of these were _Sling_,
_Shirum_, _Gurun_, and _Khoza_, said to be the names of the towns in China
where the goods were made. We have supposed _Sling_ to be Sining (note 2,
ch. lvii.), but I can make nothing of the others. Cunningham also mentions
"camlets of camel's hair," under the name of _Suklat_, among imports from
the same quarter. The term _Suklat_ is, however, applied in the _Panjab_
trade returns to _broadcloth_. Does not this point to the real nature of
the _siclatoun_ of the Middle Ages? It is, indeed, often spoken of as used
for banners, which implies that it was not a _heavy_ woollen:

"There was mony gonfanoun
Of gold, sendel, and siclatoun."
(_King Alisaundre_, in Weber, I. 85.)

But it was also a material for ladies' robes, for quilts, leggings,
housings, pavilions. Franc. Michel does not decide what it was, only that
it was generally _red_ and wrought with gold. Dozy renders it "silk stuff
brocaded with gold"; but this seems conjectural. Dr. Rock says it was a
thin glossy silken stuff, often with a woof of gold thread, and seems to
derive it from the Arabic sakl, "polishing" (a sword), which is
improbable. Perhaps the name is connected with _Sikiliyat_, "Sicily."

(_Marsh on Wedgwood_, and