CATECHU. 197 



dried in the sun ; when sufficiently hardened, it is cut into 

 small square pieces and thoroughly dried, and in this state 

 packed into cane baskets for exportation. This variety has 

 a light chocolate-brown colour, and the cubes are about an 

 inch square, having an earthy fracture and external appear- 

 ance. The other variety, Cutch, is of a darker colour, rich 

 brown, with a shining appearance and fracture; it comes 

 much mixed with the broken leaves on which it has been 

 laid to dry ; it is packed in a similar manner to the catechu, 

 but is most generally run into one mass. 



Gambier, or Gambir, is an extract of the leaves of the 

 Nauclea Gambir : this plant belongs to the Natural Order 

 of the Cinchonas, or Jesuits' bark trees. It is made by boil- 

 ing the leaves and evaporating the decoction to dryness ; in 

 appearance it resembles cutch, but is not so glossy in its 

 fracture, and rather lighter in colour. It is mostly imported 

 from Singapore, where it is extensively cultivated. 



Small quantities of a remarkably fine kind of catechu 

 have occasionally been imported in the form of small round 

 cakes, about one inch in thickness and two inches and a 

 half in diameter, and rounded at the edges. These cakes 

 are of a very dark brown colour, and rather glossy ; they 

 come in cases carefully packed, with a small piece of maize- 



