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night’s time. The third is made of the banana fruit, 
boiled four or five hours. This is a pleasant beverage 
in hot weather, and is not much unlike cider. 
Paper is manufactured in the province of Amboule, 
from the bark of the real papyrus of Egypt, called by 
the natives, Sanga-Sanga. Its process is simpler, and 
the instruments used are fewer, than in the European 
manufacture. They first separate the inner rind in a 
skilful manner, and divide it into very thin pieces, 
which they sprinkle with water, and then lay in various 
crossings, pressing them down very hard. It is next 
boiled in a strong lye, made of wood ashes, for a 
considerable time, till it becomes completely soft 
and supple, when it is reduced to a paste, in a 
wooden mortar, and then again washed till perfectly 
cleansed. Afterwards it is poured upon mats made of 
exquisitely fine reeds or rushes, twisted and joined 
together very close, on which it dries and becomes 
paper, and is then laid on the leaf of the rates, and 
being sized over with a decoction of rice, to prevent 
the sinking, is again dried, and then fit for use. 
This paper is a little yellowish, but if well sized will 
not blot. 
They make ink of a decoction of the Arandrante 
wood. The sap is drawn from the tree, reduced to a 
proper consistence, and a little verdigris put in. It 
is not quite so black as the European ink, but is 
more glossy. 
Their writing-pens are made of pieces of bamboo, 
the size of a quill, and are rendered transparent 
