144 APPENDIX. 
Should the liquid in any of the pots, ditring the boiling process, 
take a longer time than usual to thicken; some of itis taken out and 
put into one of those pots in which the thips remaitt and which had 
just been strained. Whenever they find the liquid overflow the pot 
from excessive ebullition, they sprinkle a little btan on it to make it 
subside. 
When the men retiitn home in the evetting, eath with his billet of 
wood, they examine the liquid deposited in the dud or trough, and; 
for the purpose of drying the subst 1rendering it more adhesive, 
they use a piece of old kamli (countty blanket), with which they keep 
stirring the liquid for two or three hours. They use the Kamlt, as 
the kit (catechu) does not adhere to it, and it is left exposed during 
the night that it may cool and become firm. If after the usual time 
they find the 4d¢ continttes rather moist, and that it does not 
appear to possess 4 sufficiently adhesive quality, they buty it in the 
earth for three or four days, after which it becomes dark and hard, 
but the people never eat kat of this description ; it is used by masons 
who mix it with lime. 
By dawn in the morning the females ate at work againj 
they take the kat out of the troughs in masses, and place it in 
baskets, to permit any remaining liquid to run off more freely, and 
at the expiration of three or four hours, they take the baskets to the 
merchant. Here they divide it into sniall lumps about the size of 
fig. They give ten of these lumps for a dhabbit (half anna). They 
will sometimes manufacture a sufficient quantity to allow of thei 
disposing of the value of eight or ten dhabdus in one day. 
When the Kdtoris deliver the fresh kdt to the ierchant, it is 
placed on the ground in the shade to dry, with a quantity of small 
chips previously scattered over the place, to pteverit the earth adher- 
ing to the kit, It takes three of four days to harden} during this 
time, each of the little lumps is turned over once a day, and gently 
pressed with the hand to accelefate the drying process. The kat 
must always be dried in the shade, for if exposed to the heat of the 
sun it would dissolve and turn black, 
The Katoris are paid for the greater pait in such necessaries a9 
they may be in want of, and whatever balance remains is credited by 
the merchant to liqitidate the sim due to the village grain-dealers 
for giving the Katoris permission to quit their villages. 
