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| 0358 |
The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 |
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of the Archipelago, if not of the world,* reaching a height of 200 feet. One of the
middling size which I had cut down measured at the base, where the camphor leaks
out, 7½ Paris feet in diameter (about 8 feet English); its trunk rose to 100 feet, with
an upper diameter of 5 feet, before dividing, and the height of the whole tree to the
crown was 150 feet. The precious consolidated camphor is found in small quantities,
¼ lb. to 1 lb. in a single tree, in fissure-like hollows in the stem. Yet many are cut
down in vain, or split up the side without finding camphor. The camphor oil is
prepared by the natives by bruising and boiling the twigs." The oil, however, appears
also to be found in the tree, as Crawfurd and Collingwood mention, corroborating the
ancient Arab.
It is well known that the Chinese attach an extravagantly superior value to the
Malay camphor, and probably its value in Marco's day was higher than it is now,
but still its estimate as worth its weight in gold looks like hyperbole. Forrest, a
century ago, says Barus Camphor was in the Chinese market worth nearly its weight
in silver, and this is true still. The price is commonly estimated at 100 times that of
the Chinese camphor. The whole quantity exported from the Barus territory goes to
China. De Vriese reckons the average annual export from Sumatra between 1839
and 1844 at less than 400 kilogrammes. The following table shows the wholesale rates
in the Chinese market as given by Rondot in 1848 :—
Qualities of Camphor. Per picul of 133⅓ lbs.
Ordinary China, 1st quality . . . . 20 dollars.
,, 2nd ,, . . . . 14 ,,
Formosa . . . . . . . 25 ,,
Japan . . . . . . . 30 ,,
China ngai (ext. from an Artemisia) . . 250 ,,
Barus, 1st quality . . . . . 2000 ,,
,, 2nd ,, . . . . . 1000 ,,
The Chinese call the Sumatran (or Borneo) Camphor Ping-pien "Icicle flakes,"
and Lung-nau "Dragon's Brains." [Regarding Baros Camphor, Mr. Groeneveldt
writes (Notes, p. 142): "This substance is generally called dragon's brain perfume,
or icicles. The former name has probably been invented by the first dealers in the
article, who wanted to impress their countrymen with a great idea of its value
and rarity. In the trade three different qualities are distinguished: the first is
called prune-blossoms, being the larger pieces; the second is rice-camphor, so called
because the particles are not larger than a rice-kernel, and the last quality is golden
dregs, in the shape of powder. These names are still now used by the Chinese traders
on the west coast of Sumatra. The Pên-ts'au Kang-mu further informs us that
the Camphor Baros is found in the trunk of a tree in a solid shape, whilst from the
roots an oil is obtained called Po-lut (Pa-lut) incense, or Polut balm. The name of
Polut is said to be derived from the country where it is found (Bars.)."—H. C.]
It is just to remark, however, that in the Ain Akbari we find the price of the
Sumatran Camphor, known to the Hindus as Bhim Seni, varying from 3 rupees as
high as 2 mohurs (or 20 rupees) for a rupee's weight, which latter price would be
twice the weight in gold. Abul Fazl says the worst camphor went by the name of
Bâlûs. I should suspect some mistake, as we know from Garcias that the fine
camphor was already known as Barus. (Ain-i-Akb. 75-79.)
(Mas'udi, I. 338; I. B. IV. 241; J. A. sér. IV. tom. viii. 216; Lane's Arab.
Nights (1859), III. 21; Battalander, I. 107; Crawf. Hist. III. 218, and Desc. Dict.
81; Hedde et Rondet, Com. de la Chine, 36-37; Chin. Comm. Guide; Dr. F. A.
Flückiger, Zur Geschichte des Camphers, in Schweiz. Wochenschr. für Pharmacie,
Sept., Oct., 1867.)
Note 4.—An interesting notice of the Sago-tree, of which Odoric also gives an
account. Ramusio is, however, here fuller and more accurate: "Removing the first
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731
732
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