1836.] Jompdle Gominchi. 261 



white vein of rock, the matrix of the gold, and. termed the Beting. It 

 is generally between three and four feet in diameter : underneath lies 

 a bed of whitish earth, below which gold is never found. 



The next process is that of breaking up the Beting, for which pur- 

 pose the Ferjong is employed. From the extreme hardness of the 

 rock this is a very laborious and tedious task. The coarse pieces are 

 then pounded in a sort of large mortar cut from the quartz rock. The 

 pulverized stone is then passed through sieves (Kisye) of ratan, and 

 carried in small baskets to a running stream, where the smaller stony 

 particles are washed away, while the gold dust, with the grosser pieces, 

 sink to the bottom of the conical vessel in which it is subjected to the 

 action of the stream. 



The refuse is picked out, and the gold dust again carefully washed 

 and collected in a cocoanut shell or leaf of the Pallas tree, and con. 

 veyed to the Bongsal, where it is dried by means of a red hot piece of 

 charcoal being repeatedly passed over its surface. After the adherent 

 finer particles of the sand have been removed, it is weighed into 

 quantities, generally of one tael each, which are carefully folded up in 

 small pieces of cloth. 



These packets constitute the Bunkals of commerce. 



In Sumatra, according to Marsden, the parcels or Bulses, in which 

 the gold is packed up, are formed of the integument that covers the 

 heart of the buffalo e. 



The Bunkals are, as in Sumatra, frequently used as currency instead 

 of coin. 



The weights* for gold formerly used as Chimendros and Taon (a 

 place about half a day's journey thence) are as follow : 



2 small sagas {Saga kechil) = 1 large saga (s&ga besar). 



8 Saga besdr, = 1 Maiam. 



16 Maiams, = 1 Tael or Bunkal. 



20 Taels, = 1 Cattie. 



The Saga is a sort of small scarlet pea with a black spot, the 

 Abrus Maculatus. 



Besides Chimendros and Taon, I have not heard of any place on the 

 peninsula where gold is obtained from the solid rock. On Sumatra 

 it is frequently found in this state. 



The gold dust at Pahang and Jellye is procured in the same manner 

 as that in the mines at the foot of Mount Ophir, already described in a 

 paper published in this Journal ; (vol. it. page 497 .J 



The mines at Reccan are estimated to produce annually about 20 

 catties of gold dust. 



* At Malacca 10 Saga besdr or 4 Kapongs are equal to one maiam. 



