32 
authors, however, say that it is derived from the Cochin Chinese word 
to drop or distil. Whatever may be the origin of the word Catechu, it 
would save much ambiguity if it could be restricted to the extract from 
Acacia Catechu instead of being made popularly to include one or two 
properties, but Ri are obtained from widely vg ent plants ex 
In 
manufaetured in countries separated from each o our Trade 
and Жоков Returns the exportation appears as ‘Cutch and 
Gambier,’ from one would naturally infer that both Catch (or 
Catechu) and Gambier were exported from India, the relative pro- 
portions of which had not been determine ed, however, 
by my friend Mr. J. E. O'Conor that this practice is a remnant of the 
time when the Straits Settlements returns were published with those 
of India. At present, therefore, by ‘Cutch and Gambier’ is meant 
in all Eos chiefly Catechu ; a small amount only of Gambier is 
re-expor 
The ы characters of dut and Pale Cuteh are contrasted by 
Dr. Watt as кү (1. os 35) :— 
* Commercial Catechu occurs in great meme 6 by leaves or 
broken into ncs blocks in balls, cubes, or irr r-shaped pieces. 
colour it is externally of a rus ty brown, internally в a dirty orange to dark 
liver colour—in some cases almost black, in others port-wine coloured. 
It is inodorous, with an astringent an =з bitter aea followed by a sense 
of sweetness. It is brittle, e breaks with a — more or less 
resinous and shining. The pale form "Kath is bee ured, porous, 
and under the omer t is sei at be composed of боран masses 
of needle-shaped сг 
* Kath, or Pale else: is the restricted name given in Northern India 
to a grey crystalline substance prepared from a concentrated decoction 
of Acacia Catechu wood by placing in it а few twigs and allowing the 
decoction to cool. The twigs are removed, and the crystalline substance 
collected. Whether the liquid is rejected, or я тонет 4 down to 
produce a poor quality of dark Catechu or Cutch, 
As sold 
tained. sold in the bazaars this crystalline babine occurs either 
in irregular pieces or in square blocks similar to the dark orange-brown 
us Catechu. This is the substance eaten by the 
D 
Kumaon, although the substance is universally used in 
" ‘ne portion of the Khairis is — employed in cutting down 
the best trees, and for these the i hav search far in the jungles; 
only € o with an abundance of red че ie en wil answer. This is 
жама few inches square. Under two large sheds are the 
