302 
SAGO. 
MANUFACTURE OF PEARL SAGO. IN SINGAPORE BY CHINESE. 
The greater number of the Singapore manufactories are 
placed on the flat ground between the bases of Pearl’s and 
Oo Long’s hills and the winding and branching creeks and 
canals of the Singapore river, a situation admirably adapted 
for them, ior the creeks bring the sago boats up to them in 
front and the hill supplies them from behind with an abun¬ 
dance of pure water. To procure a constant supply, wells are 
dug on the lower slope of the hill, and the water is led into 
the manufactories by a succession of wooden troughshaving 
their bottoms lined with clay, and which are supported by 
cross sticks fastened at the place of contact by rattan. 
The essential features of every manufactory are, the landing 
place where the sago is taken from the boats, a rude shed 
where it is removed from the sago leaves in which it is enve¬ 
loped, a second shed where it purified, and the large house 
where it is formed into pearl sago. Besides the tables, fur¬ 
naces, and bins required for the sago, the latter contains the 
beds, stools and dining tables of the workmen, and occasion¬ 
ally heaps of boxes. Hitherto it has been an attap shed 
roughly put together and often only partially closed at the 
sides. But some of the more wealthy manufacturers are now 
raising substantial edifices of brick and tile, and it is to be 
hoped will also introduce into their establishments a little 
atttention to cleanliness and comfort At present the mass of 
decomposing vegetable matter which surrounds the sheds 
produces a sour, disagreeable smell. The sago leaves and re¬ 
fuse accumulating in some places for the last 30 years, have 
there formed extensive beds, spongy at the top and solid below, 
six or seven feet in thickness. 
The tampins having been placed in heaps in the shed, the 
first step is to open them, cast the contents on a plank frame 
about 12 feet square, surrounded by a rim rising about 2 
inches from the surface. The sago, massed together by hav¬ 
ing remained compressed in the tampin, is here broken ud bv 
the common chankal.* * y 
The raw sago having been thus made ready for the manu¬ 
factory the first process to which it is subjected is that of a 
thorough washing, without which it would remain impure and 
coloured, ror this purpose strong tubs are employed, about 
inches deep, 40 inches in diameter at the top and 6 inches 
more at the bottom; they are bound by three hoops each form¬ 
ed of about six thick rattans twisted together, A piece of 
* A kind of hoe. 
