114 Xatural History of the Coco-iVut Tree 



mixture : it is composed of the betel leaver, areca cut vcrv" 

 thin, a little hnie spread over the leaves, cardamoin, fine 

 spiceries, and cachou, rolled up in small ccjrnets in a leaf 

 of betel. The Indians ascribe to this preparation, which 

 gives to the saliva and lips a very bright rose colour, the 

 propertv of allaving hanger, perfuming; the breath by cor- 

 rectnig the humours of the breast and stomach, and of fa- 

 cilitating digestion. This mastication, in their opinion, 

 prevents also perspiration, or spcedilv restores it; preserves 

 from megrim and pains of the head ; strengthens the gums, 

 and secures the teeth I'rom rottenness : in a word, it inspires 

 gaiety, removes spasms and attacks of the ner\ cs, prevents 

 suppression of the menses, and maintains the tone of the 

 fibres. According to njy experience, all these ideas are well 

 founded. 



That substance which we call cncho?/ and the Indians 

 cafecaiiil'c, of which the Portuguese have nrade catccamhrc, 

 a word adopted by all the Europeans, though corrupted, is 

 the inspissated juice of the areca-nut. Naturalists have 

 entertained a variety of opinions on this object of natural 

 history. In speaking of this drug, which has many pro- 

 perties with which we are unacquainted, I shall endeavour 

 to remove all uncertainty by making known the process for 

 preparing it, and the manner in which the Hindoos extract 

 that concrete juice of the areca known under the name of 

 cacliou. The proces^s, as I saw it practised in different parts 

 of the peninsula of India, in Ceylon, and even in Pegu, 

 where immense quantities of it arc made, is as follows : 



The arcca-nuts, very fresh, are cut into three or four 

 small pieces with a kind of shears named kat'ipak, which 

 signifies the areca-kuife : they are then put into a very 

 large glazed earthen-ware pot, as a copper vessel would be 

 dangerous, and one of iron would give to the cachou a black 

 colour and a ferruginous taste. About a third of the quan- 

 tity of water which the pot is capable of containing is put 

 into it: this water is as nmch impregnated with selenite as 

 possible, and about twelve or fifteen pounds of the bark of 

 the kutai bahala, a prickly plant of the family of the mi- 

 mosa and genus of the acacia, is infused in it over a mode- 

 rate fire for twenty-four hours. From this tree the Indians 

 extract a gunr similar to that known in Europe under the 

 name of gum arabic. A shrub of the same kind is culti- 

 vated in the gardens in the south of France, and is so well 

 known that it is needless to describe it. 



As soon as the pieces of areca have been thrown into the 

 pot it is covered, and the cover L> luted with clay or paste. 



After 



