hering, and after being
dried are ready for use. It is called lombok by the Malays. They
always carry about a quantity of it, and use it at every meal. One
small plot was devoted to the cultivation of tobacco. That also was
almost ready for use, and my uncle said we should have a good supply for
the voyage. The leaves, as soon as they have grown to a sufficient
size, are plucked off, and the petiole and part of the midrib are cut
away. The leaves are then cut transversely into strips about
one-sixteenth of an inch wide. These are then hung up to dry in the
sun, and have very much the appearance of bunches of oakum. It is in
this state ready for smoking in pipes. When employed for making cigars,
the leaves are not cut, but dried more carefully in their whole state.
Neither tobacco nor maize are natives of this region, but were brought
from the New World two hundred years ago.

In the evening Tanda arrived with the bundles of sugar-cane.
Fortunately the machine which my uncle had invented for crushing them
was at some distance from the house, and had escaped destruction. It
was sufficient for the object, though rather roughly made. After the
juice had been pressed out it was boiled, and allowed to run into a
number of pots, where it was to cool and crystallise. It was then of a
dark brown colour. While so doing, a quantity of clay and water, of
about the consistency of cream, was poured over it. The effect of the
water filtering through was to purify the crystals and make them almost
white. My uncle told us that it was discovered that the clay would
produce this effect by a native, who observed that when birds stepped on
the brown sugar with their muddy feet, wherever their claws had been
placed it became curiously white. When the finer part of the juice had
been pressed out, the remainder, which is thick brown molasses, is
allowed to ferment with a little rice. Palm-wine is afterwards added,
and from this compound arrack, the common spirit of the East, is
distilled. My uncle manufactured it for the sake of preserving his
specimens; but he said he considered it one of the most destructive
stimulants which can be taken into the human body, especially in this
hot country.

We had all gone to bed last night, and I believe everybody was asleep,
when Grace and I were awoke by a curious sensation, as if our beds were
being rocked. We sat up and began talking to each other, both having
experienced the same f