INTRODUCTION OF GUTTA PERCHA INTO ENGLAND. 139 
in person to the forest, and was therefore obliged to satisfy 
myself with such information as the natives could give me. 
I ascertained, however, that the tree producing it is one of 
the largest of the forest, growing to the size of three or four 
feet diameter; that the wood is of no value as timber, but 
that an edible concrete oil is procurable from the fruit, and 
often used by the natives with their food. 
On extending my inquiries, I found the substance was 
quite unknown to the people at Malacca, although, that 
place is only about a degree to the north of Singapore, and 
was told that the natives of the island of Sumatra did not 
know it, although at first 1 was inclined to suppose that the 
substance might have obtained its name from that island, 
the Malayan name for the island of Sumatra being " Pulo 
Percha." 
1 ascertained, however, that the tree was common in 
many places in the island of Singapore, and also in the fo- 
rests of Johore, at the extremity of the Malayan peninsula; 
and was informed by the Buggese traders that it grew at 
Coti, on the south-eastern coast of the island of Borneo ; and 
on requesting Mr. Brook to inquire about it at Sarawak, 
on the west coast, was informed by that gentlemen that it 
was found in the forests there also. 
The following is a quotation from Mr. Brook's commu- 
nication to me : " The tree is called Niato by the Sarawak 
people, but they are not acquainted with the properties of 
the sap ; it attains a considerable size, even as large as six 
feet diameter; is plentiful in Sarawak, and most probably 
all over the island of Borneo. 7 ' 
I have reason to believe also that it is abundant on the 
thousand islands that cluster to the south of the straits of 
Singapore. 
That it is very abundant is satisfactorily proved from the 
circumstance of its being now collected at Singapore to the 
extent of some hundreds of tons annually, although un- 
known to the public in 1842. But although the tree is at 
