Foreign Vegetables. 403 
thick Matter which fettles at the Bottom. This 
Sediment infpifTated by itfelf goes under the Name 
of Khaath , and is uled in the fame manner as the 
Extract Cate ; but to improve its Virtues they add 
to it Water, wherein the green Bark of Kheir or 
the Acacia lafl mentioned, bruifed, has been mace- 
rated for three Days, and boil them together to the 
Confidence of a foft Extract. Afterwards they ex- 
pofe the inlpiffated Mafs to the Heat of the Sun 
upon Mats of Straw, and form it into Tablets or 
Paflils. 
The great and more opulent People of the Coun- 
try, not content with this Khaath or Catechu , mix 
with it Cardamom, Aloes-wood, Mufk, Amber- 
greafe, and other Subfiances, to render it more 
grateful to the Palate. Such is the Compofition of 
a Sort of Tablets prepared among the Indians , in 
Figure round and flat, about as big as the Nux Vo- 
mica. , which are brought into Europe by the Dutch y 
under the Name of Siri Gata Gamber. Of the fame 
Kind likewife are the black Paflils which come to 
us under different Forms, having fometimes the 
Form of Pills, fometimes of Seeds, Flowers, Fruits, 
Flies, Infedls, or the Dung of Mice, Thefe 
are made by the Portugueze in the City of Goa , and 
are for the mofl Part rejedled by the French on Ac- 
count of their flrong aromatick Fragrancy. But as 
thofe People are extremely fraudulent, they ufually 
mix with this Extra#, Sand, Clay, and other hete- 
rogeneous Subfiances to increafe its Weight, info- 
much that it feldom comes pure from their Hands. 
Garcias and Bontius obferve that the Fruit of Are- 
ca termed Faufel , being maflicated when unripe affeds 
the Brain with a fudden Giddinefs, not unlike that 
which is occafioned by Excefs oi Wine. But this 
Alteration, upon taking a little Salt and a Draught 
of cold Water, prefently vanifhes. 
D d 2 
The 
