RANGE OF THE GUTTA TABAN COLLECTORS, AND PRESENT AMOUNT OF IMPORTS INTO SINGAPORE
In the first number of this Journal, an account of Gattá Tábán appeared* which we are happy to inform our able contributor has been republished in a very great number of periodicles both in India and Europe, and has been acknowledged on all hands to be the best and most complete description of the Gattá that has yet been given. At a later period we gave some details respecting its collection by the Orang Binua in Johore.+ At that time the principal supply was obtained from Johore, into the jungle of which parties of Malays and Chinese had penetrated in all directions, while nearly the whole indigenous population were engaged in the search. In con-sequence of the equivocal position in which [Government?] appear to consider it politic to allow the Sultan to remain, the Tamungong has absolute power over the country, and it is to his energetic measures that Singapore has been indebted for a large part of the Gattá hitherto imported. Following the usual Malay policy the Tamungong declared the Gattá a Government monopoly, so as to secure to himself the greatest share of the profit on the product. The price allowed by him was a fair one, sufficient to induce the Malays to give the col-lection of Gattá a preference to other employments, and to leave them a profit of 100 to 400 per cent on what they procured from the Binua. The Tamungong himself sent out numerous parties of from 10 to 100 persons, and caused the tribes of hereditary serfs, such as the Orang Sletar, to be entirely employed in searching for Gattá. For the same purpose the Sabimba tribe were transported into Johore from the forests of Battam. ++ Subsequently the islands of the Johore Archipelago were laid under contribution, and "mena-ban"$ became the cry amongst all their land, river and sea tribes. ||
- Gutta Percha, by T. Oxley Esq., ante vol. i. p.22.
+ The Binua of Johore, ante vol. i. p.261. ++ Ante, vol. i. p.336. $ A word which the discovery of Gitta Taban has added to the Malay language. The greater number of Malay nouns admit of conversion into verbs by a prefix. Menaban, from taban, signifies to collect Gitta tabán. || Ante, vol. i. p.295.
