Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
nearest water, where a washing-machine is put up, which is composed almost entirely of the
sago tree itself. The large sheathing bases of the leaves form the troughs, and the fibrous
covering from the leaf-stalks of the young cocoa-nut the strainer. Water is poured on the
mass of pith, which is kneaded and pressed against the strainer till the starch is all dissolved
and has passed through, when the fibrous refuse is thrown away, and a fresh basketful put in
its place. The water charged with sago starch passes on to a trough, with a depression in the
centre, where the sediment is deposited, the surplus water trickling off by a shallow outlet.
When the trough is nearly full, the mass of starch, which has a slight reddish tinge, is made
into cylinders of about thirty pounds' weight, and neatly covered with sago leaves, and in
this state is sold as raw sago.
Sago washing
Boiled with water this forms a thick glutinous mass, with a rather astringent taste, and is
eaten with salt, limes, and chilies. Sago-bread is made in large quantities, by baking it into
cakes in a small clay oven containing six or eight slits side by side, each about three-quar-
