l88 TlMEHRI. 
dispose of their milk in the same state, or they dry it, 
adopting which ever way happens to be most convenient 
for them, or that their circumstances will permit. In the 
latter case they gain a shilling on every gallon of milk, 
but they have to wait possibly weeks for it to dry. The 
same prices are paid by all the agents for the liquid and 
dry balata respectively. The price for pure milk is four 
shillings per gallon, or occasionally a dollar, and for'clean 
well dried balata, one shilling per lb. In the early years 
of the industry the prices obtained were much higher, 
but with the depression, which I have described, that soon 
after followed in the trade, they fell so low as to be 
unremunerative, and at last till the demand at any price 
entirely ceased.* Considering the circumstances of the 
people who follow it, balata collecting, if pursued with 
industry, is a paying business. Not only have the regu- 
lar river inhabitants greatly prospered by it, of which the 
condition of their habitations of which I have spoken is 
proof, but it has drawn away, more especially of late 
years, a large part of the labour from the mouth of the 
river that used to be given to the sugar estates there. 
The river inhabitants ascribe a very large share of the 
damage that has been done to the Crown lands to these 
outsiders, and I believe myself, from the number of 
boats I passed ascending the river containing the 
appliances for collecting, that much of the depredations 
is justly to be ascribed to other collectors than the per- 
manent river people. The calling pays better, while 
* The first price they received for balata, the collectors told me, was 
50 fts. per lb. ; it then fell to 30 6ts., 20 6ts., 18 els., 12 £ts., till there 
was no demand at all. Since the revival it has remained constant at 
24 6ts. per lb. 
