The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1881-02-12

Next, l may glance at drugssTound in
every apothecary's shop in Christetdom, and
obtained from every forest Of Malaysia. The
hest Of champion is the sole product Of
Sumatra, and is the concreted oily sap of tn =
lofty Dipterocarpus Of botanists. This Is
not the common drug of the shops chief
brought from China, and worth from o.
dollar to fifty cents a pound but this be
Of Sumatra, IS worth its weight in silver
Singapore and 8her East Indian markets.
This costly ca8phor never reaches the
western apOthecaries, being all bought I'D by
the Chinese and it is supposed these thrifty
and cunning AsIatics manufacture the conn
mon drug Of commerce out Of the Intense
concrete Of Sumatra, along with other
material. At any rate, it IS one Of the un-
explained mysteries Of East India trade.
something like the question about green teas.
why the camphOT of Sumatra shoulc readily
command among Chinese purchasers over
one thousand dollars a hundred weight 4:
and yet they will sell to US tae same
quantity Of champion that we use for
about twenty-five dollars thus, the one, and
apparently same article, being worth FORTY or
fifty times more than the other.
Benzoin, the styrax of botanists, is another
of the famed specialIties of Suma.ra. [ have
told you how the barter for it is carried on
by Kubus and other wild tribes of the island
with outside traders. These natives pick I'D
of this gum what spontaneously exudes from
the trees, for none is brought to European
markets but what has the appearance of
having been exposed to water and atmos-
pheric action. The gummy Jumps are found
at the base OF trees, and oftent les floating
cl the small streams of the swampy Kubu
wilderness. 1t is hard, dark brown, and
brittle, like a lump of rosin when so found.
To burn 1t and inhale its aromatic smoke is
the delight Of Malays. They combine other
fsagranres Of gums and woods with it, FORM
mr. ing an intense and intoxicating LOa9aes Of
odor, which is thrilling and captivating to
the senses and IT is in such clouds of de-
lights that the Malay gallant sometimes
seeks to win the preference of Sumatran
damsels. To add to the wooing influence
of his presence, he rubs his palms and cheeks
with the calambuco, or eagle wood of COM
merce. This is a knotty portion Of the
agila, and supposed to be a diseased excres-
ence of the tree but when portions are
rubbed between the hands, there arises a
rich aroma-pleasUrable, like music to the
senses. The sweet, woody scents Of these
isles and the fragrances Of leaf, bark, flower.
seed. and sap, send up an eternal incense
offering for their lavish, superlative vegetable
wealth.
But there is yet u long list Of drugs and
OF various pEOuuCtS entering lnuO uldIeIld
medica. The ~cajeput is a peculiar one, found
alone on the island of Buru. OF Boeroe, as
speIt by the Dutch. This pungent essential
oil, so valuable for rheumatic disorders is OBJ
tanned by boiling the leaf of the white barked
MeIaleuca, and the Wilderness has given the
name. as the Malays call tine volatile drug,
cayu putt, or white wood. The Malay
name has been corrupted by illiterate traders
into cajeput- The betel, peculiar to these
islands and some portions Of Asia, may be
deserving Of your attention. BY the term
betel is commonly known a masticatory, or
substance chewed as tobacco. by perhaps
one hundred millions Of islanders and conti-
mental Asiatics. But the term d~esignateS
three articles which are used the nut of
the areca palm, the leaf Of the piper beiel
called sirih, and Stacked lime. A piece of
areca as large as a Lima bean. and Of pure
white lime, as large as a garden pea. are en-
veloped in a betel leaf, and when chewed
produce a pleasant pungent effect titillating
TO the glands of the mouth, and soothing to
the nervous system. This Is the habit OF
man, woman aud child, of prince and coolie.
Of priest and pirate of the Archipelago. This
soothing masticatory cheers the Malay IN
every toll and pursuit. and is in general use
among every Oceanic people that can pro-
cure il. Ii seems TO do good to the swarm
ing millions of Malaysia and might 1t not
be introduced with advantage among their
kindred Hawaiians, to exclude tobacco, ava,
and other hurtful masticatories and drinks
The betel chewers are noted as contented
and assidious workers, and never use any
thing Intoxicating. | have no doubt but that
the areca a /. -..a, reprsi ..Ild be success
fully cultivi ..' . fIase ISLAM Island still less
do / doubt t.. immediate loption OF the
betel combir .. 81. q ma--- Itory. And 1t
II no that m .. are certain rrIdes of human
itv like ru ..-s animals. hat must have
something chew. the Jetel is decidedly
better than 1. and Is eve ywhere, where
used, prefer e. 81 he brown races.
OF article ii1inal. ADD peculiar to Ma
Iaysia. the | very great but my present
onnortunitie .I not permit me 10 enter into
enumeration ard descriptions, chiefly Of in-
terest to tn 11armaceutIst lne Diaiay
physician b. bourtirui sssortment Of
botanic RENE -sr~ .hIus that they are
iudiciously e oyec. ard t-zt Malay prac-
tice. mostly j. ,inill hands, Is eminently
promotiye Of rsi L-'s hsalth.
But the n ~ death -e abundant as
the antidotes ons, ana All
that is most I.E,sr.. . rIr1 ssnt IN vega
table iuices, Cd, ls .... n.rs. Here you
obtain strych and OLA. .E2sioris Tori
.orio of lava the fame. and deadly upas
tree. This Is ... fearful estructlve TO
life as was on 1oes not Kill
the bird that 8 ranches nor
stop the pulls VINO Shoulo
- +, T,,le ~ . shade, but if
, man will Ie -.. even gently,
against IT'S baI .r" ma swell ms
flesh with pautr. IA II would
require but a Ia. or .a r IT'S sap to put
him in his ora
What fnifne --r .e. ere is of all
things Ia thes r-- ..1 see mere a
tree that rou risr. q. uu-and an i