The leaves are usually boiled twice, and, after being well washed upon the shoot, the washings are thrown into the cauldron, so that none of the extract may be lost. The leaves are then consigned to their final destination, that of being strewn over the soil of the pepper plantations. The liquor remaining in the cauldron, as well as the drainings, is reboiled, and inspissated until it arrives at the consistence of a very thick extract: it is then placed into oblong moulds. At this time, it resembles very much a very light yellowish-brown clay. After remaining some time in the mould, it is taken out, divided with a knife into pieces, subdivided into small squares, and placed upon a raised platform in the sun to dry. It becomes, when hard and dry, of a very dark-brown colour, displaying in the interior, on being fractured, a light-yellowish brown.[67] From my own observation, as well as from the assertions of all the Chinese manufacturers of this extract, whose boiling-houses were visited, no sago was used in the preparation, although it has been asserted by many writers, that the sago is required to give consistence to the extract; but a good extract ought certainly to have sufficient density in itself without the addition of any other substance.[68] The flavour of the extract is very pleasant, having at first the agreeable sweetish taste of the liquorice-root, and afterwards a not unpleasant astringent bitter flavour. The largest quantity of this extract is consumed in Java; being used by the Javanese in coarse dyes, as well as a masticatory. The Dutch government encourage, to a great extent, the cultivation of Gambir, at their settlement of Rhio, on the Island of Bintang, as they derive a large revenue from its importation and extensive consumption in Java: a prohibitory duty being also placed upon all Gambir produced in foreign settlements, has still further caused the increase, and still increasing, preparation of it at Rhio. I am indebted to the kindness of a mercantile gentleman at Singapore, who visited and resided for some time at Rhio, for the following observations upon the cultivation and preparation of the Gambir at that settlement, together with the quantity annually exported.