OF THE COCO-NUT TREE. 
127 
ration. The seamen belonging to the Royal Navy in the 
Indian Seas are furnished with this spirit in place of rum. 
Ceylon exports annually, and, for the most part, to the 
Presidences of Bengal, Madras, and Bombay, from 5000 
to 6000 leaguers of arrack, each containing 150 gallons. 
Including freight, duties upon exportation and importation, 
this spirit is sold at Madras at about 3 s. Sd. per gallon. 
The prime cost of arrack in Ceylon varies from 8d. to 
lOd. per gallon. It is stated by Mr Bartolacci, that 
aiTack distilled at Batavia, is said to be sold in India from 
10 to 15 per cent, cheaper than that brought from Colombo.* 
Ten per cent, duty is levied upon arrack exported from 
Ceylon. In England, this spirit has brought as high a 
price as from 5 to 6 shillings per gallon. 
Batavian arrack is made from a mixture of molasses, 
palm-wine, and rice, in the following proportions : 
Molasses, - - -62 parts. 
Toddy (palm-wine), 3 ditto. 
Rice, - - - 35 ditto. 
100 parts of these materials yield 23 J of distilled proof 
arrack. 
The rice is first boiled ; and, after cooling, a quantity of 
yest is added to it, and is pressed into baskets. In this 
condition, it is placed over a tub or tubs, for eight days, 
during which time, a liquor flows abundantly from the 
mixture. At the end of that time, the liquor which has 
subsided, is taken out and mixed with the molasses and 
palm-wine, which has been previously combined. The 
mixture remains in a small vessel for one day only, when 
it is removed into large fermenting vats, in which it re- 
mains for seven. The liquor is finally removed into the 
still ; and, according to the number xjf distillations it un- 
* Bartolacci on the llevenue and Commerce of Ceylon. 
