[ 47 * ] 
Tranflation of Father Jofeph da Rovato’s Letter to the Royal 
Society,, relative to Borax. See p. 301. 
HE Father prefect of the Midion in Thibet has the 
pleafure to acquaint the Royal Society, that, redding at 
Patna, he has frequently been dedred by Ah Vogles, an able 
naturalid from Germany, to obtain fome circumdantial account 
of the places wheife, and the manner in which, the borax pro- 
cured from the kingdom of Thibet is obtained ; no one elfe, 
as he laid, having any communication with thofe almod im- 
penetrable parts. Although our Million have long dnce for- 
faken that kingdom, yet the Father prefect being fomewhat 
connected with the Bahadur Shah , brother to the King of 
Nepal (whole kingdom extends northward, as far as Kuti on 
the frontiers of Thibet), he wrote to him, and requeded all 
the information that co aid be obtained on the fubjefr. The 
Bahadur Shah, in order to give the bed fatisfadlion in his 
power, was pleafed to fend to the prefect, as far as Patna, a 
man in his fervice, who, being a native of the country where 
the Borax is prepared, could give the mod; ample intelligence 
concerning that fubdance. 
This man, partly in fche Nepalefe and partly in the Hindoo lan- 
guage, both which are underlfood by the prefect, gave the follow- 
ing account. In the province or territory of Marme, twenty-eight 
days journey to the north of Nepal, and twenty-five to the Wed 
X x x 
of 
