of Sumatra; 3 



on the N. W. side of Sumatra, from the line 3 N. 

 nearly. The wood is useful for domestic purposes^ 

 being soft and easily worked. It is by many imagin- 

 ed, that camphor is produced by a chemical process. 

 This is a mistaken idea, farther than regards the in- 

 ferior kind arising from the distillation of the oil. I 

 shall give a brief account of the mode of obtaining and 

 preparing it, as practised by the natives of Sumatra, 

 from the time of the establishment of the E?2gllsh on 

 the island. The Swnatrans, previous to their setting 

 out in quest of camphor, assemble on the confines of 

 the country they intend exploring, and discharge a 

 variety of religious duties and ceremonies, calculated 

 in their opinion, to promote the future success of their 

 undertaking. They enter the woods, and, from ex- 

 perience, soon distinguish such trees as contain cam- 

 phor. They pierce them ; and if they yield oil plen- 

 tifully, it is presumed they contain concreted cam- 

 phor, which is found in small whitish flakes, situated 

 perpendicularly, in irregular veins, in and near the 

 centres of the trees* The tree is cut down, divided 

 into junks, and carefully divested of its camphor. 

 When the oil has been drawn off from young trees, 

 the camphor, which they afterwards afford, is of a 

 less valuable nature, and is termed belly ox foot cam- 

 phor, in proportion to the degree of affinity it bears 

 to head, or the best sort. When brought for sale, it. 

 is repeatedly soaked and washed in soapy water, to se- 

 parate from it all heterogeneous and sandy particles 

 that may have adhered to it. When clean, it will 

 sink in water, and be of a white, glossy, rmooth ap- 



B 2 pcarance. 



