The Opelousas courier., 1890-10-18
EDIBLE SWALLOWS NESTS
A DELIoACY DBAR TO THE oH1.
NESE PALATE.

Gathering the Nests fs an InhpotxAnh
1adustry-What They Are Com
posed of-The Annual Harvest.
Travellers going from Hong Kong 10
Bangkok or Singapore BY steamer Dass
along the coast off AMMAN and near !
group Of islands that are at once pictur-
esque n deurious. Several of these isl.
ands produce an important article of
conan,srce-that is, the edible birds,
ngss, which have caused considerable
learned discussion among scientists. They
are as dear to the Chinese palate as to the
Chinese purse. 1t isa singular fact that
AMMAN is the only country that produces
them. Why the swallows select this To-
cality as a habitation, and no other, when
there are islands apparently as eligible
scattered all along the Asiatic coast from
Snmatra to Korea, is a mystery that the
scientists who have given the subject so
much attention have never attempted to
elucidate.
The swallows nexts are a source Of
riches to the region. The nests are the
product of a ~salivary secretion of the
birds. As to their mercantile value.
they are divided Into three distinct cate
gories. The most valuable are those into
which there enters a certain proportion
of the blood. These are called rel
huyes. singalarly enough, they can only
reproduced by the birds affected with q
uaalady which resembles consumption,
and which is attended by copious ham
qrrhage. Nests of this kind are In great
demand. They are rare, and are gath
cred only in tAe spring. Local tradition
says that these birds die of exhaustion,
or of consumption in its advanced stages,
before ths end of the second winter.
The sEnallness of the quantity of these
nests annually gathered-which is only
three or four pounds-would seem to in
dicate that the disease is only partial and
peculiar to those possessed of the weak
est lungs. All other nests (yan soo) are
classed as second quality. Nothing but
the saliva of the bird enters into their
construction. They are gathered in the
spring, summer and autumn. The spring
harvest il the most valuable, because it
includes the two qualities. Two nests
of the first quality weigh one ounce, and
are worth at the place of production five
Mexican dollars at current value in An
nam. Those of the second quality are
worth little more than half as much.
The summer gathering is entirely of
thefseeond quality. They are smaller and
less compact. 1t requires four of these
20 make IN ounce, which is worth two
Mexican dollars. The autumn harvest is
st5ps less valuable. The nests are scarce
and not highly esteemed. It requires
seven to make an ounce, which 10 not
worth more than $40 to $1.40.
Nearly all the nests are sold to the
Chinese living in the cities Of AMMAN and
Tonquln or sent to Chinese ports. Only
The Chinese and some high Mandarins
of the Court of Hue, who prefer the Chi
nese 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 q
liberal application of hot water. When
cooked with fowl OF game, fruit of the
water lily is added. Chinese physicians
prescribe them as a sovereign remedy for
diseases of the lungs, asthma, d~isordered
digestion, and most other maladies. Ii
they have curative qualities Of the kind
mentioned, they probably share theEa
with other alimentary substances contain
ing more or less gelatine. The good
qualities of the nests are estimated no
doubt in proportion to the price. It is
certain that, as an article of diet, they
have made little impression on Western
nations.
The harvest is made in a manner sim
pie and picturesque. Sections of bamboo
are thrustinto the holes in the side all the
way up the precipice, forming an i'm
mense ladder BY whose rounds the COO
lies ascend, detaching with . knife O.
they 90 the nests glued to the walls. One
of the family which monopolizes the in
dustrY watches meanwhile anxiously be-
low to see that the laborer does not in
gathering detach some portion of the
precious nest and secret it about his per-
son. The operation is full of danger,
and annually costs several lives.-Shdng-
hal Courier.