The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1890-06-28
great demand. They are rare, and

are gat0eTeQ only IN Lne spring
Local tradition says that these bird
died Of exhaustion, or of consump
ton in it's advanced stages, befor
, the end of the second winter. Sci
entists being scarce among the An
! namese, and the French colonist
not having yet had sufficient tim
for observation, it is not known
whether this disease is peculiar only
to part of the birds or whether tn
salivary secretion that causes th'
malady causes the death Of all o
them after a year or two of exist
ence. The smallness of the quantity
: Of these nests annually gathered
which is only three or four pounds
would seem to indicate that the
disease is only partial and peculiar
to those possessed of the weakest
lungs. All other nests (yan soo)
are classed as second quality. Moth
ing but the sail va of the bird enters
into their construction. They are
gathered in the spring, summer,
and autumn. The spring harvest
is the most valuable because it in
cludes the two qualities. Two nests
of the first quality weigh one ounce,
and are worth at the place Of pro-
duction five Mexican dollars at
current value in AMMAN. Those Of
the second quality are worth little
more than half as much. The sum-
mer gathering is entirely of nests
of the second quality. They are
smaller and less compact. It re-
quires four of these to make an
ounce, which is worth two Mexican
dollars. The autumn harvest is
still less valuable Tie nests are
scarce and not highly esteemed. 1t
requires seven to make an ounce,
which is not worth more than 81 90
to 81 40. Experts express the opin-
ion that this third gathering should
be dispensed with, since it is worth
so little and there is danger of de-
stroying the eggs. Nearly all the
nests are sold to the Chinese living
in the cities of Amman and Tonquin
or sent to Chinese ports. Only the
Chinese and some high mandarins
of the Court Of Hue, who prefer
the Chinese cuisine, can afford the
luxury. They are eaten by the
Chinese cooked with flesh or with
sugar, having first been cleaned of
all extraneous substances by a lib
eral application of hot water. When
cooked with fowl or game, fruit of
the water lily is added. Chinese
physicians prescribe them as a SOW
ereign remedy for diseases of the
lungs, asthma, disordered digestion
and most other maladies. If they
have curative qualities of the kind
mentioned, they probably share
them with other alimentary sub
stances containing more or less
gelatine. The good qualities of the
nests are estimated no doubt in pro-
portion to the prices. It is certain
that, as an article of diet, they have
made little impression on western
nations.
The harvest is made in a manner
simple and picturesque. Sections
of bamboo are thrust into the holes
in the side all the way up the prec-
ipice, forming an immense ladder
by whose rounds the coolies ascend,
letaching with knife as they go
The nests glued to the walls. One
Of the family which monopolizes
he industry watches meanwhile
below to see that the la
oorer does not in gathering detach
some portion Of the precious nest
md secrete it about his person.
The operation is full of danger, and
annually costs several lives. The
is at this moment in dan
ger of passing into other hands. A
'ich Chinese company of Hong
Kong, which, is building a handsome
European hotel at Tourane, and
which has branch houses in the
principal cities of AMMAN and Ton
luin, is offering the Hue govern
nent a handsome bonus for the
privilege of gathering the nests.
The monopolists are greatly excited
It the prospect of losing it, and in
of their claim are offering
n evidence the very document given
0 their ancestors by the Emperor
Tia Long. Money is needed at the
ourt of Hue, and the ancient man
lscript will be critically scrutinized
y Annamese officials to discover if
t is indeed grant in perpetuity or (
vhether there is not chance to [
make a good round sum by the ]
ransfer. In the meantime the (
wallows, instead of seeking haunts ]
rec from invasion, come back pune
ually with every recurring season,
egardless Of their health and this {
ncreasing spoliation. Other swal- ,
Dws in other countries can return
eacefully to their last years nests
4 the ensuing spring. These swal-
ows of AMMAN must keep on pan
ering to an aristoeratic desire, ,
uilding and rebuilding their homes t
nd giving their ife's blood forever