244 COMrENDIUM OF GEOGKAPHY AND TRAVEL 



dammar and gutta-percha — the latter a product of great 

 vahie : all these are largely exported. Considerable 

 quantities of beeswax are brought down to the coast by 

 the natives, especially in North Borneo ; but, excepting 

 rattan, by far the most important and valuable article of ex- 

 port from this district is birds' nest. Probably not less than 

 fifteen or twenty thousand pounds' worth are annually 

 sent to Singapore and China. The nest in size and shape 

 may be compared to the vertical half of a small teacup, 

 and its appearance is that of having been constructed of 

 threads or fibres of gelatine. The best are white and 

 glassy-looking, and may fetch as much as fifty shillings 

 per lb., but the inferior nests contain many impurities, 

 and are perhaps worth not more than two shillings. This 

 curious article of commerce is produced by a small swift 

 of the genus Collocalia (C. llnchi and others), and is used 

 by rich Chinese for making soup. Although a few nests 

 are sometimes seen built against the sea-cliffs in the full 

 glare of the sun, the vast majority occur in caves in the 

 limestone rock, and are often in complete darkness. In 

 such places the birds build in incredible numbers. Thus, 

 the yield from the Gomanton caves is valued at over 

 £5000 annually. The collecting is chiefly carried out 

 by Buludupi Dyaks, who show the most extraordinary 

 skill and daring, obtaining the nests even from the roofs 

 of the caves, which are sometimes three or four hundred 

 feet or more in height. Long bamboos with a candle 

 affixed near the end are used for detaching the lower 

 nests. To obtain the others slender rattan ladders are 

 pegged against the walls, and skeleton stages of bamboo 

 run out in what appear to be utterly inaccessible situations. 

 When it is remembered that the work is carried on 

 almost in darkness and at such dizzy heights, it is only 

 remarkable that there are not more fatal accidents than 



