116 THE PALirS OF ASIA. 



the Cingalese, avIio engrave the most solemn of 

 their deeds, such as the foundation of, or dona- 

 tions to, a temple, on plates of fine copper, Avhich 

 are generally neatly edged Avith silver, always 

 made these plates precisely the same shape as 

 the talipat strip used for writing. Besides the 

 uses that have been enumerated, the Cingalese 

 employ the talipat leaf extensively in thatching 

 their houses. They also manufacture hats 

 from it. These hats are made with brims as 

 bi'oad as an outstretched umbrella, and are 

 chiefly worn by women nursing to defend them 

 and their infants from the heat. The talipat 

 tree is not very common at present in Ceylon, 

 and is rarely seen growing by those Avho only 

 visit the coasts of the island, and do not pene- 

 trate the interior. It seems to gi-ow scattered 

 among the other trees in the forests. 



Corypha gebanga is a third species of this 

 genus, which is of important service to the 

 inhabitants of Java. Thousands of boys and 

 girls arc employed in that country in weaving 

 its young leaves into baskets and bag.«. A hind 

 of sago is extracted from the soft central portion 

 of the stem in the same manner as from Phanux 

 farinifera and the talipat ; and its leaves arc 

 employed like those of the last named, as thatch 

 for cottages and for making broad-brimmed hats. 



