60 BALSAM OF PERU. 



10,0001bs. When the season has been more rainy than usual the product 

 is much lower ; but in order to meet this difficulty, the Indians heat the 

 body of the tree by fire, — by this means causing the gum to exude more 

 freely ; this operation invariably causes the decay of the tree. 



Should this mode of extracting the gum by heat not be put a stop to, the 

 tree will soon disappear from the coast. This fact has been brought to the 

 notice of the Government, and inquiries into the matter have been made in 

 consequence. 



The Indians employed in collecting the gum say that such trees as are 

 well shaded yield a greater quantity, but that those which have . been 

 planted by hand yield the most. This has been proved by experience, 

 particularly in Calcutta, where a considerable quantity is yearly collected 

 from trees which have been so planted. During the months of December 

 and January, the gum oozes away spontaneously. This class of gum is 

 called " Calcauzate." It is orange-coloured, weighs less than the other, 

 emits a strong odour, and is volatile and pungent. 



The export of balsam from Salvador in 1855, was 22,8041bs., valued at 

 19,827 dollars. On the coast of Chiquimulilla, in Guatemala, there are 

 many trees of the description that yield the balsam : but, hitherto, it has 

 not attracted the attention of the people of the country to collect it, and 

 bring it to market. That part of the coast in the State of Salvador, ex- 

 tending from Acajutla to Libertad, is emphatically termed the "Balsam 

 Coast," because there only is collected the article, known in commerce as 

 the balsam of Peru. 



The particular district is intermediate to the two ports, and does 

 not reach either of them within three or four leagues. Lying to the 

 seaward of a low lateral ridge of mountains, the whole tract, except- 

 ing a few parts on the borders of the ocean, is so much broken up by 

 spurs and branches thrown off from the main eminence, and so thickly 

 covered by forest, as to be nearly impassable to a traveller on horseback. 

 From this cause it is so rarely visited, that very few residents, either of 

 Sonsonate or Salvador, have ever entered it. Within this space are 

 situated some five or six villages, inhabited solely by Indians, who hold no 

 intercourse with other towns than what is necessary for carrying on their 

 peculiar traffic. Their chief wealth is the balsam, of which they take to 

 market from 18,000 to 23,0001bs. weight annually. It is sold in small 

 portions at a time, in the before-mentioned towns, to persons who purchase 

 for exportation. The trees yielding this commodity are very numerous on 

 this privileged spot, and apparently limited to it ; for in other parts of the 

 coast, seemingly identical in soil and climate, rarely an individual of the 

 species is met with. The balsam is extracted by making an inci- 

 sion in the tree, whence it gradually exudes, and is absorbed by pieces 

 of cotton rags inserted for the purpose. These, when thoroughly saturated, 

 are replaced by others, which, as they are removed, are thrown into 

 boiling water. The heat detaches it from the cotton, and the valuable 

 balsam being less of gravity than the water, floats on the top, is skimmed 



