TICE T. 
323 
selves from the fibrous root of a small shrub, and the leaf bears the; 
impression of the characters designed for it, on each side. The leaves 
of a book, when they are completed, are loosely put together, placed 
upon each other, and enclosed between two equal slips of wood as 
covers. 
The southern Indians, who dwell along the margin of the sea, and 
never, I believe, possessed the art of printing, engrave their works 
upon the recent leaf of the palmira tree', which, growing at the extre¬ 
mity of a long footstalk, is naturally formed in narrow folds, like a 
half extended fan, and is easily divided into segments, about two 
inches in width. In correspondence to the purpose required, the fairest 
parts of the leaf are selected, and uniformly shaped by means of a 
sharp knife. On either side of these narrow slips, letters are traced or 
engraven, by means of a strong steel stylus, which makes an indelible 
impression; though sometimes, to render the writing more distinctly 
legible, the traces of the point are lightly powdered, by the dust col¬ 
lected from the fume of their midnight lamps. This simple method of 
transmitting records to future times, is practised in those countries 
alone, in which the palm tree thrives. The leaf must be used while 
fresh; its fibrous substance seems indestructible by vermin. 
The printed and written character, appropriate to works of learning 
and religion, is styled, in the language of Tibet, the Uchen; that in 
which business and correspondence is carried on, is called the Umin. 
As a specimen of the style and manner of writing, a short letter, the 
fac simile of one in my possession, received from the Daeb Raja, is 
c Borassus fiabelliformis. 
T t 
