THE SAGO PALMS, BEEAD-rRTJIT, <^C. 



317 



Malays Sangoo tampin, or bundles of sago ; each bundle weighs 

 about 30 lbs. 



On its arrival at Singapore it is purchased by the Chinese 

 manufacturers of sago, and is thus treated : — Upon being carried 

 to the manufactory, the plantain-leaf covering is removed, and the 

 raw sago, imparting a strong acid odor, is bruised, and is put 

 into large tubs of cold spring water, where it undergoes a process 

 of purification by being stirred, suflered to repose, and again 

 re-stirred in newly-introduced water. When well purified thus, 

 it is taken out of the tubs by means of small vessels ; and being- 

 mixed with a great deal of water, the liquid is gently poured 

 upon a large and slightly inclined trough, about ten inches in 

 height and width ; and in the descent towards the depressed 

 end, the sago is deposited in the bottom of the trough, whilst 

 the water flows into another large tub, where what may remain 

 of sago is finally deposited. As the strata of deposited sago 

 increases in the trough, small pieces of slates are adjusted to 

 its lower end to prevent the escape of the substance. When 

 by this pouring process the trough becomes quite full of sago, it 

 is then removed to mahe room for a fresh one, whilst the former 

 one is put out into the air, under cover, for a short time ; and on 

 its bemg well dried, the sago v^ithin is cut into square pieces and 

 taken out to be thoroughly dried, under cover, to protect it from 

 the sun. It has then lost the acid smell already noticed, and has 

 become quite white. After one day's drying thus, it is taken into 

 what may be called the manufactory, a long shed, open in front 

 and on one side, and closed at the other and m the rear. H ere the 

 lumps of sago are broken up, and are reduced into an impalpable 

 flour, which is passed through a sieve. The lumps which are re- 

 tained by the sieve are put back to be re-bruised, whilst that por- 

 tion which has passed is collected, and is placed in a long cloth bag, 

 the gathered ends of which, like those of a hammock, are attached 

 to a pole, which pole being suspended to abeam of the building by 

 a rope, one end of it is sharply thrown forward with a particular 

 jerk, by means of which the sago within is shortly granulated 

 very fine, and becomes what is technically termed "pearled." It 

 is then taken out and put into iron vessels, called quallies, fcr 

 the purpose of being dried. These quallies are small elliptical 

 pans, and resemble in form the sagar coppers of the West Indies, 

 and would each hold about five gallons of fluid. They are set a 

 little inclining, and in a range, over a line of furnaces, each one 

 having its own fire. Before putting in the sago to be dried, 

 a cloth, which contains a small quantity of hog's-lard, or some 

 oily substance, is hastily passed into the qually, and the sago is 

 equally quickly put into it, and a Chinese laborer who attends it, 

 commences stirring it with a pallit, and thus continues his labor 

 during the few minutes necessary to expel the moisture contained 

 in the substance. Thus each qually, containing about ten pounds 

 of sago, requires the attendance of a man. The sago, on being taken 

 off" the lu-e, is spread out to cool on large tables, after which it is fit 



