"The gharu-tree is a tall forest tree, sometimes reaching the size of fifteen feet in diameter. The bark is of a silvery gray colour, and the foliage close and dense, of a dark hue. The Malay name for the tree is "tabak," and no other may be used by the Pawang when in search of the kayu gharu. [371] Gharu, the diseased heart-wood of the tabak, is found in trees of all sizes, even in trees of one foot in diameter, thus showing that the disease attacks the tree at an early stage. "The gharu is found in pockets, and may sometimes be discovered by the veins which run to these pockets. In other trees the veins are absent, which renders the process of searching more difficult. The tree is generally cut down and left to rot, which exposes the gharu in about six months. "'Pockets' are found to contain as much as 104 catties; a single tree has been known to yield 400 catties. [372] Gharu is seldom found in the sap-wood, generally in the heart-wood or teras. "Many tabak-trees do not contain gharu at all. To select the right trees is the special province of the Pawang or wise man. The tabak-trees are under the care of certain hantu or wood-spirits, and it would be hopeless for the uninitiated to attempt to find gharu; even the Pawang has to be very careful. "The following is the process as far as I have been able to ascertain it:-- "On the outskirts of the forest the Pawang must burn incense, and repeat the following charm or formula:-- "Homali hamali [373] matilok (mandillah ?) serta kalam mandiyat serta teboh. Turun suhaya [374] trima suka turun kadim serta aku kabul kata gharu mustajak [375] kata Allah Berkat la ilaha il'allah. Hei Putri Belingkah, [376] Putri Berjuntei, Putri Menginjan [377] aku meminta isi tabak. Ta'boleh di surohkan, ta'boleh lindong kapada aku kalau di-suroh di-lindong-kan biar durâka kapada tuhan." "There is no "pantang gharu" except that the words "isi" and "tabak" must be used instead of "tras" and "gharu." [378] "He then proceeds to search for a likely tree, and upon finding one he again burns incense and repeats the spell as above. The tree having been cut down, the next thing is to separate the gharu from the sap-wood. The best way is to let the tree rot, but the Pawang is often "hard-up," and does not mind wasting some of the gharu in his hurry to realise. "The following are said to be the tests for finding gharu in a standing tree:-- 1. The tree is full of knots. (Berbungkol.) 2. The bark full of moss and fungus. (Bertumuh berchandawan.) 3. Heart-wood hollow. (Berlobang.) 4. Bark peeling off. (Bergugor kulit.) 5. A clear space underneath. (Mengelenggang.) 6. Stumps jutting out. (Berchulak.) 7. Tree tapering. (Bertirus.) 8. The falling of the leaves in old trees. "There are great differences in the quality of gharu, and great care is taken in classifying them. It requires a skilled man to distinguish between some of the varieties. "The names are as follow:--