120 



CERAM. 



[chap. XXV. 



charged with sago starch passes on to a trough, with a 

 depression in the centre, where the sediment is deposited, 

 the surplus water trickling off by a shallow outlet. When 

 the trough is nearly full, the mass of starch, which has a 

 slight reddish tinge, is made into cylinders of about thirty 

 pounds' weight, and neatly covered with sago leaves, and 

 in this state is sold as raw sago. 



Boiled with water this forms a thick glutinous mass, 

 with a rather astringent taste, and is eaten with salt, 

 limes, and chilies. Sago-bread is made in large quan- 

 tities, by baking it into cakes in a small clay oven 

 containing six or eight slits side by side, each about 

 three-quarters of an inch wide, and six or eight inches 

 square. The raw sago is broken up, dried in the sun, 

 powdered, and finely sifted. The oven is heated over a 

 clear fire of embers, and is lightly filled with the sago- 

 powder. The openings are then covered with a flat piece 



of sago bark, and in about 

 five minutes the cakes are 

 turned out sufficiently baked. 

 The hot cakes are very nice 

 with butter, and when made 

 with the addition of a little 

 sugar and grated cocoa-nut 

 are quite a delicacy. They are soft, and something like 

 corn-flour cakes, but have a slight characteristic flavour 



.SAGO OVEX. 



