142 APPENDIX. 
These sheds often cover one or two begahs of ground. In the eentre 
a temporary dwelling is built, in which the merchant resides and 
lodges his supply of stores for the consumption of the Katoris and his 
own establishment, The following are generally the articles in store: 
Rice, nadchni, urid, onions, garlic, pepper, salt, turmeric, cocoanuts, 
cumin, asafcetida, salt-fish, ghi, oil, tobacco, steel, arrack, and various 
sorts of coarse cloths. These things are disposed of to the Katoris at 
from 50 to 75 per cent. above their value in the neighbouring 
markets. 
WZ £t + Le Se +. Oy 8 2. By 
The r bhoongas shed, 
and in front of their hat they pr epare the ¢éroo or fire-place. The 
form the fire-place by digging a trench four or five cubits in length 
and one in breadth, which they cover at the top and leave the ends 
open to admit the air to pass freely through. In the top there are 
twelve small round holes to reeeive an equal number of pots 
Before they commence the operation of cutting any billets ‘a wood, 
they perform certain propitiatory | rites, by worshipping one of the 
Khair trees. Havin. ving procured a cocoanut, some red pigment, and 
a little frankincense, they select a tree Sir their purpose, rub the red 
pigment on the trunk near the root, burn the frankincense in front 
of it, and then break the nut; after which they join their hands 
in a supplicatory position, and address themselves to the tree, asking 
it to bless their undertaking, and to allow them to prepare abund- 
ance of good catechu. Having constituted the tree by this cere- 
mony, a subordinate deity, which they term Rén Sheo Waria, they 
divide the consecrated cocoanut among those present, Each family 
possessing a fire “place performs a similar ceremony. They make 
one or two incisions in the trunk of the tree during these rites, but 
will not cut it down at the time, although these trees are sometimes 
cut down at a subsequent period, 
The following day the Katoris proceed into the jungle and 
examine the Khair trees, They, in the first instance, strike two or 
three blows with an axe deep into the trunk of a tree to obtain a 
chip from near the centre, and if, upon examination, it appears to 
have attained maturity, that is, if it is of a red colour (termed by 
them mérhi), and there appearsa white crust formed by the inspis- 
sated juice, they are satisfied the tree is a valuable one and they cut 
itdown, These people have a superstitious dread of bad luck attend- 
ing their operations, and they object to a person speaking while a tree, 
