Jan. 1849. RICE-PAPER. ARRIVE AT YOKSUN. 359 



climate, here, as about Dorjiling. Tree-ferns are however 

 absent, and neither plantains, epiphytical Orchideee, nor 

 palms, are so abundant, or ascend so high as on the outer 

 ranges. About Yoksun itself, which occupies a very warm 

 sheltered flat, many tropical genera occur, such as tall bam- 

 boos of two kinds, grasses allied to the sugar-cane, scarlet 

 Erythrina, and various AraliacecB, amongst which was one 

 species whose pith was of so curious a structure,that I had 

 no hesitation in considering the then unknown Chinese sub- 

 stance called rice-paper to belong to a closely allied plant.* 



The natives collect the leaves of many Aralias as fodder for 

 cattle, for which purpose they are of the greatest service in 

 a country where grass for pasture is so scarce ; this is the 

 more remarkable, since they belong to the natural family of 

 ivy, which is usually poisonous ; the use of this food, how- 

 ever, gives a peculiar taste to the butter. In other parts 

 of Sikkim, fig-leaves are used for the same purpose, and 

 branches of a bird-cherry (Prunus), a plant also of a very 

 poisonous family, abounding in prussic acid. 



We were received with great kindness by the villagers 

 of Yoksun, who had awaited our return with some anxiety, 

 and on hearing of our approach had collected large supplies 

 of food ; amongst other things were tares (called by the 

 Lepchas " Kullai "), yams (" Book "), and a bread made by 

 bruising together damp maize and rice into tough thin cakes 

 ("Katch-ung tapha"). The Lamas of Doobdi were especially 

 civil, having a favour to ask, which was that I would intercede 

 with Dr. Campbell to procure the permission of the Nepalese 



* The Chinese rice-paper has long been known to be cut from cylinders of pith 

 which has always a central hollow chamber, divided into compartments by septa 

 or excessively thin plates. It is only within the last few montbs that my suppo- 

 sition has been confirmed, by my father's receiving from China, after many years 

 of correspondence, specimens of the rice-paper plant itself, which very closely 

 resemble, in botanical characters, as well as in outward appearance of size aud 

 habit, the Sikkim plant. 



