SUGAR MANUFACTORY. <-> 



or sugar-cane, interspersed with large patches and 

 belts of wood. These looked like pieces of jungle 

 left uncleared, but were in fact villages, the houses 

 of which were concealed by groves of fruit-trees. 

 At about fourteen miles from Sourabaya we stopped 

 to see a sugar manufactory belonging to the Messrs. 

 Vandenbruck, three Belgian gentlemen. We were 

 very kindly received in a large and handsome house, 

 and conducted over the establishment behind. This 

 was very extensive and complete. The mill was 

 set in motion by water, and the canes, after being 

 crushed, are carried into the fields to dry, and 

 afterwards used for fuel. The juice runs into some 

 large vats, and thence into a great boiler, where 

 quick-lime is added to it while boiling, to throw up 

 the scum and refuse, which swims in a thick crust 

 at the top. It comes out thence pretty clear, and 

 runs into other vats, where animal charcoal (burnt 

 bones) is added, and it afterwards passes through 

 great tubs of that substance, by which it is filtered. 

 After passing through one or two processes of this 

 kind, it is admitted into pans where it is rapidly 

 boiled till ready to crystallize. This is the most 

 delicate part of the process, and was superintended 

 by a Chinese, who judged of the exact moment by 

 repeatedly taking a little on a stick, and dipping it 

 into cold water. When ready, it is drained off into 

 large pots, where it is left to crystallize and cool. 

 Wet clay is then spread over these pots, the water 

 from which gradually drains through the sugar, 



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