21 
caves. In 1929 the Government sliare of the proceeds from these caves amounted 
to l|45,(385.2'2 : the total proceeds were $91,313.44. Considering the limited ai-ea 
of the caves and the obvious fact that only a small portion of them is used by the 
birds, the benefit to be gained from the exploitation of even an additional twenty 
squdrc yards of roof or a hitheito unexplored hole is obvious. Tlie climbers admit 
that they know places where nests are plentiful but unworkable. 
The actual climbers (Orauff Sungei) are inhabitants of the kampongs Bilit 
and Hukau on the Kinabatangan River. Kot all the w^orkers who visit the caves 
are capable of doing the higli climbing, comparatively few "tukangs" having this 
distinction. The men with no head for heights are employed on the ground work. 
Fatalities among the climbers during the harvest are not unknown. 
XVIII. MARKETINa 
In the foregoing sections of this report various suggestions have been made 
with a view to increasing the yield of nests but the writer considers that, regarding 
the industry as a whole, his suggestions are only of minor importance and that if 
any great increase of revenue is expected it must be done from the marketing side. 
The industry should in fact be subjected to the scrutiny of an exjierienced man of 
business w'ith an intimate knowledge of local n^arkefcs. 
The writer nmst perforce content himself with a statement of facts Hkely to 
be of use in this connection. 
After their collection in the caves the nests are bundled up ( white and black 
are kept separate) and after detailed weighing formalities at the caves and at Bilit 
or Sukau they are taken to the Randakan Customs by boat, weighed again and 
stored in a godown. As soon as jjossible they are sold by tender to local Chinese 
who ship them to the best market. A very small quantity is kept for local sale 
but most of the nests are exported to Ilong Kong. 
It v^'ould appear that little or no attempt is made to clean the nests in 
Sandakan, but that they are sorted and spread out to dry ( in a building, not in the 
sun } and shipped as soon as possible. 
It is said that in the past one firm cleaned the nests before export but that 
the practice has been discontinued. 
Another method involving the use of sulphur made the nests very white and 
therefore commercially attractive, but this method did not find a great deal of 
favour as the nests were subsequently liable to taste of sulphur. 
Hong Kong is of course the obvious port to w^hich the nests should find their 
way as most of the Sandakan Chinese have their regular business connections 
there. The Gomantong nests are sold in Sandakan; those from the east coast are 
sold in Lahad Datu and the Mantanani crop in Jesse! ton or Kudat. 
The Commissioner of Customs and Trade provided the following information : — 
White nests sold in Sandakan average $7.10 per catty. 
Black nests sold in Sandakan average S'200-250 per picul. !^ ' 
In Lahad Datu the prices are rather higher i — 
The white nests average about :?15 per catty. 
The black nests average $800-400 per picul. 
In February of this year I could not buy white nests in Singapore for less 
than $15 per catty and these w^ere of [joor quality. Nests of good average quality 
