.^2 



of (jetah iu each cut. It is removed by the tiuger tip and theu scraped 

 off iuto a bamboo. The getah is of a creamy cousisteucy and of a 

 pale yellow colour, Avith a characteristic smell. Examined under the 

 microscope it is seen to be an emulsion. 



It is next run out of the bamboo into a piece of white cloth, This 

 is folded up lengthwise, the ends gras])ed by the two hands and the cloth 

 twisted tightly, till all the fluid has been rung out; leaving only the 

 chips of bark and other refuse in the cloth. To one i)art of the getah, 

 two parts of spirits of turpentine are added, and the whole put into 

 either a brass cooking pot or an iron knaJi. This is placed over a fire 

 and the contents brought to the boil three times in succession, when 

 it is ready for use as a varnish. As thus prepared, it retains a 

 considera1.)le amount of water and is still an emulsion of a pale 

 yellowish -Itrowu colour. Some Malays say they use minyak kapor 

 harus, or camphor oil, but the oil I have been shown under this wauie 

 appears to be only turpentine, with possibly a little camphor in it. In 

 Larut. any way, common spirits of turpentine is used. It was called 

 miitijnk kayn pideh l)y my informant, which is the Malay name for 

 Cajeput oil, but turned out to be turpentine on examination. 



Foiinerly, it was considered that it should be cooked only at 

 midnight and the operator had to woi'k in a state of nature ; otherwise 

 the process could not be brought to a successful termination. 



To apply the varnish, a rag is sometimes used, but the best results 

 are obtained by laying it on with the ball of the thumb, which has 

 l)een previously smoothed by rubbing on a sharpening stone. If this 

 is not done, the grain of the skin leaves marks on the fiaished surface 

 of the varnish. No oil is emjiloyed to prevent sticking, as in the 

 somewhat similar process of French polishing. Having been coated, 

 the article is hung up to dry, usually under the eaves. This takes 

 from three to five davs according to the state of the weather. As first 

 |)ut on, the vaniish is translucent from the admixture of water ; but, as 

 it dries, the water evaporates and it becomes transparent. 



The wood, previous to varnishing, is i-eudered as smooth as possible 

 by means of a knife, and the final finish given to it by ruljbing it down 

 with the leaves of a white-flowered climber, called inamjdas kasaj) 

 (Dclima mnnnutom, Linn.;, or those of several species of rough-leaved 

 tigs may be employed instead. These leaves give a smoother surface 

 than the finest glass-jjajjer can ini[)art. With hard, close-grained 

 woods like kainiuuag {Mun-aya exotica, Linn.), one coat of the varnish 

 is sufficient ; but with softer and more absorbent woods two are 

 required. Nothing in the way of size is employed by the Malays to 

 fill the grain l>efore varnishing, as is done in Eui'ope. It has, therefore, 

 to be filled with tlie varnish itself. 



The ai-tides wljicl} are UKj.st fre<|uently coated with tliis varnish 

 aiv the: scabbards and l)andles of weapons. The surface is bright and 



