Preparation and Value of Treimng. 621 



eight inches in length. It has neither warts nor other ex- 

 crescences, and is found in shallow water on the coral flats, 

 and frequently also among the sea-tangle along the shore. 

 It is this sort which the Americans usually catch at the Fee- 

 jee Islands. In the Chinese markets, a picul of Munang is 

 worth 15 to 25 dollars. Besides these four principal species, 

 there are a variety of less valuable descriptions, such as 

 Zapatos-China, Lowlowan, Balati-blanco, Matan, Hangenan, 

 and Zapatos-Grande. 



In order to prepare these four sorts of Trepang for com- 

 merce, they are first soaked in a large iron kettle for from 

 5 to 10 minutes in boiling water, and when thoroughly 

 heated through, are taken out. The portion of the animal 

 which is cut off, when well boiled, should be of an amber 

 colour tinged with blue, and feel somewhat like Indian 

 rubber. 



A certain degree of dexterity and practice are requisite for 

 boiling Trepang to the proj^er point and aftei-wards drying 

 it. While it becomes puffed out through too sudden an 

 application of heat, and porous like sponge, too low a tem- 

 perature or too short a time destroys it on the other hand, 

 and in 24 hours it becomes quite tainted. Trepang dried in 

 the sun is more valuable than that dried on the island, nor 

 does the native ever care for those he dries over his wood 

 fire. Probably the former mode of preparing it would not 

 pay for a ship, since at least twenty days are necessary to 



