The Yellowstone journal., 1894-11-07

tions Upon Stones and Then Upon Metals.
Making Esyp;;sl. ?aBsr-The I.ix.na.:v
Of the Chinese.
In all ages people have been compelled
10 communicate with each other. At a
very early period Of the worlds existence
some IL. terl9l On waIcl 10 l2scEiha any
information which they wished roconvey
70 Others was found necessary Verbal
messages, though often employed by an
olent natIuu> ~ "a means III cunInunica-
tion, We're not always possible to use.
Secrets had often 20 ue transmitted, .l.,i
It was severe Uriai ui bearers fidelity
% intrust him with private affairs.
Many tales are related ia hi--.-s sirl III
4agends of tlusty messengers who yield
ed up their lives rather than make
known the secret. yvhi,h no +,.7;J J7f-- ,,,i.1a
drag from their lips Still failures were
not uncommon. and human ingenuity
set TO worl; 70 invent aa!G9 f.2a:c.ia! on
which to insCribe signs which could be
understood at a distance.
As people grcy" ,nor" civilized. de-
nand arose for some material ON which
necards and histories mignt be written
we're probably the earliest form of writ
ssg material. Even AT tire present day
- many parts Of the world stones are
tSund bearing Inscriptions i would
sAsem that aIuuu- inc ,aIIivT TuUu> Of
0ankind any record Of great importance
Svas generally engraved upon stone, rs
ts4ng the muIe iinriy IL ~ permanent.
Ghe same feeling may be traced in the
Present generation IN" Inscriptions on
Sombs foundation -,uuvs OI public build
sags and monuments
Stones not being convenient for the
txssusuIiasioI oI .uii- NIo-,.-ys, though
admirably adapted for receiving inscrip-
ws-ns intended to outlast dynasties, 9th
~ materials were tried. Lead, brass and
lricks were all found TO resemble stone
mo much in its property Of not being
portable Lead was found 10 be the
6tst as it could be beaten out into thin
sbeets and written upon with iron or
steel instruments Its weight. however,
gas against it. Tablets of wood. wax
and ivory. skins OF fishes, intestines Of
serpents. were all employed as substi-
aates and We're found to combine the
requirements of portability, durability
aad facility of receiving writing.
The bark of trees when once tried
YAs found to be superior TO most of the
ether materials, and it was employed
largely till the introduction Of paper.
Where are but few kinds Of plants OF
frees which have not been used in the
Panufacture of books and paper, and
~ various terms employed by the
classic authors denote the several parts
Waaioh were written on. such as biblos.
0sdex. liber, tabula and Others.
OF paper proper itself. it is perhaps
0lsediess to remind our readers that the
came is derived from the papvrus, "a
ned growing on the banks of the Nile.
Though Egypt is generally supposed to
Ae the source whence came the idea of
making paper, evidence is not wanting
In favor of the theory that the Chinese
~ere acquainted with the art at very
early period. The Chinese process is
aore ingenious than that of the ancient
Egyptians, being more of a manufac.
sare, properly speaking than the other.
The Egyptian paper made from the
eapyrus was made by laying thin plates |
q tissue taken from the middle of the |
Qaper rush, side by side, but close to-
4ether on "A hard, smooth table Other |
pieces Were then laid across the first at
Ught angles The whole was moistened |
with the water of the Nile, which was |
supposed To have some agglutinating |
property Though this probably resided |
N the plant ITSELF and pressure was
dhen applied for certain number Of |
T1TrE .4
formed which required no other finish
ang than rubbing and polishing with a
smooth stone or with "a solid glass hem
Gsphere and drying in the sun.
This simple process was rather prep
aration of a natural paper than manu-
facture. The process adopted by the
Chinese comes, as already remarked.
more legitimately under that head
The small branches of a tree resem-
bling "A mulberry tree are cut by them
an lengths Of about 3 feet and boiled in
an alkaline lye for the sake Of loosening
the inner rind of bSsk, which is then
peeled off and dried for use When a
Sufficient quantity of bark has been thus
laid up, it is again Spftened in water
ADr three or four days, and the QUITE.
ParS are scraped on a. useless. The resi- |
Is boiled in clear lye, which is kept
strongly agitated all the time until the
bark has become tender and separated
INTO distinct fibers. IL is then placed in
. pan or sieve and washed in a running
stream, being at tie same time worked
With the hands until it becomes "a deli
nate and soft pulp
FOR the finer sorts of nanar tho In |
receives secoad washing in linen
bag. 1t is then spread oct ON smooth
liable and beaten with a wooden mallet
until it is extremely fine. So far the
is very much like what is
,arried ON by the paper makers of the =
present day, they having the advantage {
. better materials than the bark of
rees, and machinery now performs all
be laborious washing and pulpipg proc
uDes The ingenuity of the Chinese in