IX LIFE IN THE JUNGLE 151 



from trees of more than a score of species. The 

 best is known as Kayan gutta, because it is gathered 

 and sent to the bazaars by the Kayans in a pure 

 form. The trees are felled and the stem and 

 branches are ringed at intervals of about eighteen 

 inches, a narrow strip of bark being removed at each 

 ring. The milky viscid sap drips out into leaf-cups, 

 which are then emptied into a cylindrical vessel of 

 bark. Water is then boiled in a large pan beside 

 the tree, a little common salt is added to the water, 

 and the gutta is poured into the boiling water, when 

 it rapidly congeals. Then, while still in a semi- 

 viscid state, it is kneaded with the feet and pressed 

 into a shallow wooden frame, which in turn is com- 

 pressed between two planks. In this way it is 

 moulded into a slab about one and a half inches 

 thick, about a foot long, and about six inches across 

 at one end, two inches across at the other. While 

 it is still warm a hole is pierced through the 

 narrower end ; and the slab is then thrown into 

 cold water, where it sets hard. In this form it 

 reaches the market at Singapore, where it is valued 

 at about five hundred dollars (;^5o) the hundred- 

 weight. 



Gutta of an inferior quality is obtained in large 

 quantities by tapping a large tree {Jelutong) which 

 grows abundantly in the low-lying jungles. 



The best rubber, known 2.^ ptilut by the Kayans, 

 is obtained by them from a creeper, the stem of 

 which grows to a length of fifty to a hundred feet 

 and a diameter of six inches or more. It bears 

 a brilliant red luscious fruit which is eaten by 

 the people ; its seeds being swallowed become 

 distributed in this way. The Punans carefully 

 sow the seed they have swallowed, and transplant 

 the young seedlings to the most suitable positions. 

 The milky juice of the creeper is gathered and 

 treated in much the same way as the gutta. It 



