SAGO MANUFACTORY. 211 



The raw sago is imported in cone-shaped 

 packages, each probably weighing about twenty 

 pounds ; the mass is of rather soft consistence, 

 and of a dirty white colour, occasioned by 

 being mingled with several impurities, and the 

 whole is enveloped in the leaves of the Pan- 

 danus tree.* It first undergoes several dif- 

 ferent washings in large wooden tubs, being also 

 strained, after washing, through cloth-strainers. 

 When the raw material has undergone sufficient 

 ablutions, the masses which remain at the bot- 

 toms of the vessels are collected, broken into 

 pieces, and placed upon platforms in the sun 

 to dry ; being broken into still smaller pieces as 

 the drying proceeds. 



As soon as the pieces are sufficiently, although 

 still not always thoroughly, dry, they are pounded 

 and sifted upon long benches, through sieves made 

 of the midrib of the leaves of the cocoa-nut palm, 



native boats from Borneo, and is used at this settlement 

 during a scarcity of rice by the poorer class of peo^^le. 



* In the list of imports published in the Singapore Chronicle* 

 the raw sago is usually designated as sago tamping, (tamping 

 signifying a package, from the raw sago, being always im- 

 ported wrapt in the leaves of the Pandanus tree ;) it is im- 

 ported in this country by fleets of ten boats, or even more, 

 having to the amount of twenty thousand tampings or pack- 

 ages on board ; the packages vary in weight, some weighing 

 more and some less to the pecul. 



p2 



