“Wangkang floats in water, fibrous blocks whitish in colour.
“The chandan tree differs from other gharu-trees in having a maximum diameter
of about 1½ feet, and very soft sap-wood.
“Gharu varies in price between 200 and 50 dollars a pikul^174 according to the
variety. The chandan and the tandok are the most valuable.
“Chinese and Malays burn it in their houses on high days and festivals—the
latter generally take a supply with them on the pilgrimage to Mecca. The better
varieties are used in the manufacture of aromatic oils.”^175
Before setting out to search for gharu, the gharu-wizard burns incense and
repeats these words, “O Grandsire Duita, Divinity of Eagle-wood, if you are far,
be so good as to say so; if you are near, be so good as to say so,” and then sets
out on his quest. On finding a karas-tree he chops the bark of the trunk lightly
with his cutlass, and then puts his ear to the trunk to listen. If he hears a kind of
low singing, or rather whispering noise (bunyi ting ting) in the tree, he takes this
as a signification that the tree contains gharu (isi),^176 and after marking the bark
with a cross (silang ampat) he collects wood to build a temporary shelter
(pondong) for himself, and when about to plant the first post repeats the
following charm:—
“O Grandsire Batara of the Earth, Earth-Genie, Earth-Spirit,
Idol of Iron, Son of Wani, Solitary Wani,
Son of Wayah, Bandan the Solitary,
I ask you to show me (an eagle-wood tree),
If you do not do so
You shall be a rebel against God,” etc.The result of this invocation is, or should be, that the gharu-spirit appears to the
wizard (generally, no doubt, in a dream), and informs him what kind of sacrifice
he requires on this particular occasion. Whatever kind of sacrifice is asked for,
must of course be given, with the exception of a human sacrifice which, as it is
expressly stated, may be compounded by the sacrifice of a fowl.
When the tree has been felled you must be exceedingly careful to see that
nobody passes between the end of the fallen trunk and the stump; whoever does