AND CANES. 43 



streams on rafts by the Dyaks for a very small remune- 

 ration ; they are principally exported finally from Ba- 

 tavia and Singapore to India and China. 



To the natives themselves they are very useful in the 

 manufacture of baskets and mats, of great durability, 

 and very fine workmanship ; they are also of the greatest 

 importance as cordage, where nails are not known, and 

 the timbers of houses are secured by them : for this 

 purpose the outer and hard parts only are used, the 

 rattans being split, and the inner part carefully re- 

 moved. The drug called Dragon's Blood is procured 

 from one of the large species of rattans ; but as its 

 manufacture in Borneo is peculiar to the southern 

 parts of the island, which I have not yet visited, I can 

 give no satisfactory information respecting the method 

 of preparing it. Large quantities of it are annually 

 exported from Banjarmasin to Singapore and Batavia, 

 and thence to China, where it is held in high 

 estimation. 



The nipah (Nipa fruticans), though in growth 

 amongst the humblest of the palm tribe, in its value 

 to the natives of this island is inferior to few of them. 

 It is found on the margins of the rivers as far as the 

 salt water extends, and large salt marshes at the 

 mouths of rivers are covered with it to the extent of 

 thousands of acres; its chief value is for covering 

 houses, the leaves of which for this purpose are made 

 into ' ataps/ and endure for two years. Salt is 

 made in some places from its leaves by burning them, 

 and in others sugar is extracted from syrup supplied 



