420 
his ic de it appears to be also a species of Ficus. The natives 
of N uinea, the trader told me, allowed the sap of the tree to 
run over their arms and body and when it was sufficiently solid 
removed it and rolled it up into lumps. "The lumps were rather 
jash than a cricket ball and it was worth to the New Guinea 
traders from 2s. 6d. to 3s. per lb. 
SAGO. 
"x species of sago palm grows wild ee oil the Solomon 
Group in inexhaustible quantities, the nuts being exported as 
vegetable ivory, as described above. So far no attempt has been 
made to utilise the sago contained in the pith of the tree. 
The natives of Shortland Island and ee ae Island understand 
e on 
pith i in salt water and bake the resulting sago into cakes wrapped 
in leaves, frequently been ihe addition of pounded almonds. 
These cakes, as I can testify, are most excellent and sustaining 
food. From their portability, they are taken by the natives 
upon canoe hie as they are not liable to damage by salt 
water and, moreover, are most convenient to sit upon. 
more eastern donent 6 of the group the natives do not understand 
the manufacture of the sago, but in times of scarcity they bake 
; pei of the pith itself, and they tell me it is not unpalatable 
* During my stay this year at Ugi, while waiting for the return 
of H.M.S. * Pylades,” I made experiments in the m anufacture of 
n axe made 
which I chipped out about a buahe] of the soft white pith. This 
I carried to a stream and grated up the lumps of pith in a bucket 
of water, I poured the resulting milky water through a piece of 
muslin into another bucket and allowed it to settle. The sago 
quickly settled on the bottom, when I poured off the water and 
removed the sago and dried it in the sun. I took the sample iis 
me to Sydney, and was told that as starch alone it would hav 
value of at least £8 to £10 perton. Even at this low price it 
might pay to manufacture on a large scale. The trees are in great 
quantity and a small apparatus for grating the pith, worked by 
water power, and wooden settling troughs might be erected at 
very trifling expense. But apart tin E any commercial value it 
may possess, the natives should be taught its use as food.” 
CANES. 
* Canes suitablefor making baskets occur every where in the bush 
and reach a great length. Some have lately been sent to Sydney 
in consequence of an inquiry for them. 
TIMBER. 
es Sanaa wood has never, so far as I know, vo found in vend 
Solomons, but a very dark wood resembling ebony is found in fai 
quantities on New Georgia, and would in Pp d je valuable for 
cabinet making 
