TALIPAT TREE. 
77 
where it occurs among the mountains in the interior. 
It also grows in the Burman empire, and other parts 
of the East Indies. The leaves are eighteen feet or 
more in diameter : they are of a coriaceous texture 
when dried, capable of being folded and again opened 
repeatedly like a fan. They readily receive an im- 
pression from any hard point. Advantage is taken of 
this property to use strips of them, prepared in milk, 
instead of paper, to write upon ; which is one of the 
most important uses of this palm. Their ribs are of 
the texture of cane, which adds greatly to their 
strength. When cut at the extremities of the pe- 
tioles, they are said to be used to protect the heads of 
travellers and fighting men who have to force their 
way through the jungle. For this purpose only a por- 
tion of the leaf is used ; the thicker part which was 
attached to the petiole is placed forward, and the sides 
hanging over the ears, a kind of wedge or inverted 
keel is formed which forces the branches aside as the 
wearer pushes forward. 
“ All the books of importance in Pali or Cingalese 
in Ceylon, relative to the religion of Buddhoo, are 
written upon laminae of these leaves. The Pali and 
Cingalese character is engraved upon strips of them, 
with either a brass or an iron style. There are some 
of these books in Sir A. Johnstone’s collection, which 
are supposed to be between five and six hundred 
years old, and which are still very perfect. Two 
fine specimens of books written upon the leaves, now 
in the library of the Royal Asiatic Society, are 
invaluable. The one is a complete copy of the Pali 
book, called the Pansyapanas Jatakaya, written upon 
h 3 
