hen it has become
white and fine, it is placed in a kind of linen winnowing-fan, which
is kept damp in a peculiar manner. The workman takes a mouthful of
water, and spurts it out like fine rain over the fan, in which the
meal is alternately shaken and moistened in the manner just
mentioned, until it assumes the shape of small globules, which are
constantly stirred round in large, flat pans until they are dried,
when they are passed through a second sieve, not quite so fine as
the first, and the larger globules separated from the rest.

The building in which the process takes place is a large shed
without walls, its roof being supported upon the trunks of trees.

I was indebted to the kindness of the Messrs. Behu and Meyer for a
very interesting excursion into the jungle. The gentlemen, four in
number, all well provided with fowling-pieces, having determined to
start a tiger, besides which they were obliged to be prepared for
bears, wild boars, and large serpents. We drove as far as the river
Gallon, where we found two boats in readiness for us, but, before
entering them, paid a visit to a sugar-refining establishment
situated upon the banks of the river.

The sugar-cane was piled up in stacks before the building, but there
had only been sufficient for a day's consumption, as all that
remained would have turned sour from the excessive heat. The cane
is first passed under metal cylinders, which press out all the
juice; this runs into large cauldrons, in which it is boiled and
then allowed to cool. It is afterwards placed in earthen jars,
where it becomes completely dry.

The buildings resembled those I have described when speaking of the
preparation of sago.

After we had witnessed the process of sugar-baking, we entered the
boats, and proceeded up the stream. We were soon in the midst of
the virgin forests, and experienced, at every stroke of the oars,
greater difficulty in forcing our passage, on account of the
numerous trunks of trees both in and over the stream. We were
frequently obliged to land and lift the boats over these trees, or
else lie flat down, and thus pass under them as so many bridges.
All kinds of brushwood, full of thorns and brambles, hung down over
our heads, and even some gigantic leaves proved a serious obstacle
to us. These leaves belonged to a sort of palm called the
Mungkuang. Near the stem they are five inches broad, but their
length is about twelve feet, and as the stream is sc