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Chhut.\ ORIENTAL COMMERCE. m 



Dragon's Blood, or Sanguis Dracoxis. — This drug is said to be ob- 

 tained from a large species of rattan, (Calamus Draco), growing abun- 

 dantly on Sumatra, where it is manufactured and exported to China ; it is 

 there held in much estimation. It is either in oval drops, wrapped up in 

 flag leaves, or in large and generally more impure masses, composed of 

 smaller tears. It is externally and internally of a deep dusky red colour, 

 and when powdered, it should become of a bright crimson ; but if it be 

 Mack, it is worth little. It easily melts over the fire, and is inflammable, 

 diffusing a singular, hut not disagreeable smell. When broken, and held up 

 against a strong light, it is somewhat transparent. It has little or no smell 

 or taste ; what it has of the latter is resinous and astringent. The dragon's 

 blood in drops is much preferable to that in cakes, the latter being more 

 friable, and less compact, resinous, and pure than the former. Other com- 

 positions, coloured with true dragon's blood, or other materials, have been 

 sold instead of this article. Some of these dissolve like gums in water, and 

 others crackle in the fire without proving inflammable; whereas the genuine 

 dragon's blood readily melts and catches flame, and is scarcely acted on by 

 watery liquors. It is most prudent to purchase the drops, rejecting the 

 impure masses. For freight, the ton is 20 Cwt. 



Galangal. — There are two species of this root, the great and small ; 

 of these the latter is most esteemed. 



Great galangal is a tough woody root, about an inch and a half thick, 

 of a brown colour on the outside, and whitish within, having a very thin 

 bark, which is beset, at about a quarter of an inch distance, with rings or 

 circles. It is of a bitterish taste, and somewhat aromatic, but weaker in 

 all its qualities than the small galangal, which is a much shorter and smaller 

 root. It is to be met with in pieces about half an inch thick, seldom so 

 long as two inches, of a reddish brown colour on the outside, and a pale 

 red within, being knotty, and having several circular rings that stand out 

 beyond the rest of the surface. It is of an extremely firm compact texture, 

 but not heavy. It cuts with difficulty, and the knife leaves a smooth glossy 

 appearance. It is to be chosen full and plump, of a bright colour, very 

 firm and sound, and of an acrid, hot, peppery taste, leaving a stronger 

 impression in the mouth than that which spice does. The ton, for 

 freight, is 12 Cwt 



Gamboge (Gahkatu, Cingalese), or Gumgutt, is the concrete juice of 

 a tall tree with spreading opposite branches, a native of Cambodia and 

 China ; it is in cakes or rolls, externally of a brownish yellow, internally of 

 a deep reddish orange colour ; of a smooth surface, equal and uniform 

 through its whole texture. The Siamese gamboge occurs in small tears, 



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