gg2 TRAVELS IK THE EAST INDLUf AECBEPELAGO. 



poor to own a lamp» he hm instead a small fire of 

 cliarcoal raised on the top of an m*n-sliaped vessel 

 of eartlien-ware. By liis side are seen vessels for 

 making tea, and by copious draughts of that stimulant 

 he will try to revive his dead limbs by and by, when 

 he awakes from his contemplated debauch, and finds 

 his whole energy gone, and, as it were, his very lite 

 on the point of leaving the body. 



My next excui'sion, after a week in the woods, 

 was with the commandant of the fort to a high bluff 

 on the eastern side of the entrance of the bay of 

 Kayeli. The fires which rage here year after yeai^ 

 de3troy much of the thick forest, and a tall, coarse 

 grass takes its place. In these praiiies grow 

 many Jcayu-pnti^ or whitewood-trees, so called from 

 their bark, which makes them resemble our white 

 birches. Their branches ai-e very scattering, and 

 bear long, nan-ow leaves, somewhat like those of our 

 willow, which are gathered about this time of year, 

 for the sake of their " oil " It is obtained in the 

 following manner: the leaves are plucked off by 

 hand and placed in baskets which are caiiied to 

 sheds, where they are emptied into large kettles, 

 that are partly filled with water, and carefully closed. 

 From the centre of the cover of the kettle rises a 

 wooden tube, to which is joined another of ch)th, 

 that is coiled up in a barrel containing cold water. 

 A fire being made beneath the kettle, the volatile 

 "oil'* is carried over and condensed in the tube. 

 About eight thousand bottles of this article are man- 

 ufactui'ed here every year. Indeed, it fonns almost 

 the only export from this large island. The price 



