INCOMBUSTIBLE CLOTH. See MINERALOGY. On
this Cronstedt observes, that the natural store of the asbestos
is in proportion to their economical use, both being very in-
considerable. "It is an old tradition," says he, "that in
former ages they made cloths of the fibrous asbestos, which
is said to be composed of the word byssus; but it is not
probable, since, if one may conclude from some trifles now
made of it, as bags, ribbons, and other things, such a dress
could neither have an agreeable appearance, nor be of any
convenience or advantage. It is more probable that the
Scythians dressed their dead bodies which were to be
burned, in a cloth manufactured of this stone; and this
perhaps has occasioned the above fable." M. Magellan
confirms this opinion of Cronstedt's, and informs us that
some of the Romans also enclosed dead bodies in cloth of
this kind.