130 
SUMATRA. 
' Java, is there fcarce to be met with, except where it has been recently 
planted*. This wood is in many rcfpedis preferable to oak, working 
more kindly, and equal, at leafl, in point of duration ; many fliips 
built of it at Bombay, continuing to fvvim for fo many years, that none 
can recollect the period at which they were launched. Its appearance 
is ftatcly ; the leaves are broad and large, and yield when prefled a red 
Jkladiinecl. jiiiee. The rangee or manchineel, well known in the Weft Indies, is 
found here, and proves ufeful from its quality of refifting the dcftruftive 
Iron-wwrf. ravages of the termes or white ant. The iron w^ood (cay^to tray) is from 
its extraordinary hardnefs, applii able to many ufeful purpofes, Maranti 
maramly and mnrhow^ are in much eftimation for building. Camooning: 
the appearance of this tree is very beautiful, refeqibling in its leaves 
the larger myrtle, with a white flower- The wood, which is ligiit 
colored, clofe, and finely veined, takes an exquifite poUlh, and is uCed 
for the flieaths of creefes. There is alfo a red grained fpccies inferior to 
this. Langfanui has alfo a beautiful grain and is ufed for cabinet and 
carved work. 
The foregoing is but a very imperfect view of the treafures of forefts, 
that feem to pofTefs an inexhauftable fund of variety, but of which it 
muft be owned, that the greater number of the fpecies of wood, from 
their porous nature, and pronenefs to decay^ are of very little value, 
and fcarcely admit of feafoning, ere they are rotten. Before I quit the 
fubjed: I cannot avoid mentioning a tree, which though of no ufe, and 
not peculiar to the ifland, deferves, for its extreme Angularity, that it 
<hould not be paHed over in filence. I mean that which is, by the En- 
Banyan-tree, glifh ID the Wcftoflndia^ termed the barman tree; by the Portugueze, 
nr tor de rails y and by the Malays z^Wcd.jawee jawte. It pofleffes the 
pn common property of dropping roots or fibres from certain parts of its 
Mr. John Marfden, when rcfideiit of Layt, in ihe year 1776, fowed fome feeds of ttic Teak 
lue ^aad diftributed « quantity amongfl the inhabitants of his diftrift. The former at leaft^ 
throve exccdingly, as if in their natural foil, Mr. Robert Hay had a pSantaUon of them near 
Bencoolen, but the fituation fecmcd unfavoriibie, At Vt^ it is faid to be otUed Ucamf from 
«rheiice the name of Uak, 
toughs 
