ÖÖI 8x 3 ^c- 0 - Acehbooks.org

S U M A T R A . 129
every purpofe the other is applied to. There is likewife a gum which
I have feen in fmall quantities, brought from the country, called ampallou,
which I believe to be gum lacca, refembling it in hardnefs and
color. i\
The forefts contain a great variety of valuable fpecies of wood, which Variety 0{\
though not in general confidered by the natives as objects of trade, are
employed as fuch in other countries and might perhaps in this, be turned
to account, if properly attended to. Ebony trees (jooar) are in the Ebon ygreateft
plenty. Safafras (cayoo gaddees), or a tree pofleffing its flavor,
qualities and virtues; but liker to the elm, than the fir, which that of
South America is faid to referable; grows in great abundance, and is
ufed in medicine, as a fvveetener of the blood. The fpruce pines which Pme '
Captain Cook mentions to have met with indifferent iflands of the South
Sea, particularly at that which he named the ifle of Pines, appear from
the defcription and the plate, to be exactly the fame with the arou of
Sumatra, which we have been ufed to call the baftard pine, without reflecting
on the probability of its yielding the fpruce. I have before
remarked of this tree, that it delights in a low, fandy foil, and is
ever the firft that grows on land relinquifhed by the fea: by what means
propagated, I know not, unlefs the cones float on the water, and are
driven on the beach by the tide. On the weft coaft of Sumatra, there
are no arou trees to be met with to the fouthward of Allafs, except near
Siggin bay, where the river is called Wye arou. Sandal wood (chendana), s , .
alfo the celebrated eagle or aloes wood (garoo), are the produce of
Eagle or Aloes.
this ifland, and have been much boafted of by the early writers; but I
fufpect that they have, fince thofe days, loft much of their reputation,
as well as the different kinds of bezoars, procured from the bodies of
various animals, which are now furfered to live unmolefted. For fhipbuilding
there is much excellent timber, and fome which is found by
experience to refill the worm, but the ftiallownefs of the rivers and
dangerous furfs, will ever prevent its being made ufe of for that important
purpofe. Teak Qattee), the pride of the eaftern forefts, though Teak>
growing in abundance to the north and fouth of the ifland, at Pegu and
L 1 Java,