EJOO OR GOMUTO FIBRE. 99 
It is the Kittul of the Cingalese ; of which, according to Knox, 
“the inside is nothing but a pith, as the former. It yieldeth 
a sort of liquor, which they call ¢eddigee: it is rarely sweet and 
pleasing to the palate, and as wholesome but no stronger than 
water.” It “bears a leaf like to that of a betel-nut tree, which 
is fastened to a skin as the betel-nut leaves are, only this skin 
is hard and stubborn, like a piece of board ; the skin is all full 
of strings as strong as wire; they use them to make ropes 
withal:’ In a recent account of the ‘ Vegetable Products of 
Ceylon,’ by Mr. Ondatjee, of which the author has been good 
enough to send me a copy, it is said that the black fibre from the 
leaf-stalks of the Caryota urens (kittul) is manufactured into rope, 
which is of great strength and durability, being used for tying 
wild elephants. The Rodyahs, or outcasts among the Kandyans, 
make this rope, generally with considerable skill, as it is both 
regular and compact. There is also a woolly material found at 
the base of the leaves, which is stated to be sometimes used 
for caulking ships. 
Esoo or Gomuto Fisre (Arenya saccharifera, Labil.; Saguerus 
Rumphii). 
Malay—Ejoo, Sejee. Sumatra—Anou. 
The Ejoo or Gomuto fibre, so well known in Eastern com- 
merce and as used in Hastern shipping, is hardly known in the 
‘Western world. It is, however, occasionally heard of by the 
name of “vegetable bristles,” Though a portion of the fibres 
may be likened to stiff bristles, the greater part is more like 
black horse-hair. This is celebrated, in the countries where it 
is produced, both for its strength and for its imperishable 
nature, even when exposed to wet. It is supposed to be the 
same as the Cabo negro of the Spaniards of Manilla, The tree 
yielding it was described and figured by Rumphius (‘ Herb. 
Amb.,’ i, p. 57, t. 13) under the name of Gomuto, or Saguerus ; 
but the latter name being too similar to that of the true Sago 
tree, has been changed to Arenga, from the native name Areng, 
under which it was described by Labillardiere. The specific 
name has been given from the large quantity of sugar procura- 
ble from its sap by cutting the spadices of the male flowers. 
