which conJlrv.Sls eatable NeJIs. 12 ■? 



fourth time; but this is not probable, as all experienced 

 people brought up to this employment confidently aflert, 

 that a neft as long as it remains entire is continually enlarged 

 by the bird, or made thicker, until it is entirely defertecfby 

 her when it has become dry or hairy in the infide. 



When the nefts have been colle&ed, no farther trouble 

 is neceflary than to dry them and clean them, after which 

 they are put in bafkets and fold to the Chinefe. The price of 

 them is variable, and depends on their whitenefs and fine- 

 nefs. Some of them have a grey, and others a reddifh ap- 

 pearance. Thofc of the belt fort arc exceedingly fcarce. 

 They are fold at the rate of from 800 to 1400 rix-dollars per 

 125 pounds. This high price, and the infatiable avarice of 

 the Chinefe, give rife to much difhoncfty and thieving; 

 efpecially as the Chinefe make no ceremony of bribing the 

 watchmen with money, opium and cloth ; and this, even 

 with the utmoft vigilance, cannot be entirely prevented. 



The two places above mentioned, Calappa Nongal and 

 Sampia, belonged formerly to the Dutch Eaft India company; 

 but as the advantages arifing from them were in part much 

 leflened by the Javanefe, and in part not well underftood, 

 government refolved, in the year 1778, to fell them by 

 auction to the higheft bidder, and received for them almoft 

 a hundred thoufand rix-dollars, a fum far exceeding what was 

 generally expeeled. Befides thefe, there are feveral other 

 places of the like kind, in the above range of mountains, 

 though of lefs importance. There are two or three alfo in 

 the high land in the interior parts of the country, and feve- 

 ral fmall ones which are kept concealed with great care. Three 

 ponfiderable bird mountains, Goa Daher, Gcde, and Nanga- 

 fari, arc fituated in the government of Samarang in Java ; 

 and thefe are wafted by the fea, which forces its way fo deep 

 into the latter, that fifli may be caught in it. In thefe places 

 the nefts are of an excellent quality ; but it is exceedingly 

 dangerous to cylled them on account of the ftcepnefs of the 

 >5 rocks 



