Part 11 - Philippine Islands

Turning to the Philippine Islands, one of the earliest mentions of areca-nuts is to be found in the Chu-fan-chī, already quoted on p. 256. The author describes the chief products of the country as yellow wax, cotton, pearls, tortoise-shell, medicinal areca-nuts and yū-ta cloth.

One of the first detailed accounts of chewing is that given by De Morga at the end of the sixteenth century. He describes the betel leaf and the areca-nut as if they both came from the same tree. As the main part of the account tells us nothing new I shall merely give extracts.

“The ordinary dainty in all these islands,” he says, according to Stanley’s translation,^[1]

“and in many kingdoms of the mainland, of these parts is the buyo. This is made from a tree which has a leaf of the pattern of the mulberry leaf, and the fruit is like an acorn of an oak, and the inside is white; this fruit, which is called bonga, is cut lengthwise in parts, and each one of these is put into a wrapper or envelope, which is made of the leaf, and a powder of quicklime is put inside with the bonga, and this composition is put into the mouth and chewed... all their treats and luxury consist in dishes and salvers for buyos much gilt, and well arranged, as chocolate is served in New Spain; in these buyos poison has been given to many persons, of which they have died poisoned, and this is a very common occurrence.

“The natives, when they go out of their houses, especially the great men, carry with them for state and show their small boxes which are called buccetas of buyos ready made up, and the leaf and nut and quicklime separately; with these curious boxes of metal and other materials, and scissors and other tools for making buyos with care and neatness, wherever they stop they make and use them, and in the Parians, which are the markets, they are sold, ready prepared, and the materials for making them.”

About a hundred years later we find a good account given by William Dampier^[2] during his voyage round the world. He is discussing the products of Mindanao, and says:

“The Betel-Nut is much esteemed here, as it is in most places of the East-Indies. The Betel-Tree grows like the Cabbage-Tree, but it is not so big, nor so high. The Body grows strait, about 12 or 14 foot high without Leaf or Branch, except at the Head. There it spreads forth long Branches, like other Trees of the like nature, as the Cabbage-Tree, the Coco-Nut Tree, and the Palm. These Branches are about 10 or 12 foot long, and their stems near the head of the Tree as big as a Man’s Arm. On the top of the Tree among the Branches the Betel-Nut grows on a tough stem as big as a Man’s Finger, in clusters much as the Coco-Nuts do, and they grow 40 or 50 in a cluster. This Fruit is bigger than a Nutmeg, and is much like it, but rounder. It is much used all over the East-Indies. Their way is to cut it in four pieces, and wrap one of them up in an Arek-leaf, which they spread with a soft Paste made of Lime or Plaster, and then chew it altogether. Every Man in these parts carries his Lime-box by his side, and dipping his Finger into it, spreads his Betel and Arek-leaf with it. The Arek is a small Tree or Shrub, of a green Bark, and the Leaf is long and broader than a Willow. They are packt up to. sell into Parts that have them not, to chew with the Betel. The Betel-Nut is most esteem’d when it is young, and before it grows hard, and then they cut it only in two pieces with the green Husk or Shell on it. It is then exceedingly juicy, and therefore makes them spit much. It tastes rough in the Mouth, and dies the Lips red, and makes the Teeth black, but it preserves them, and cleanseth the Gums. It is also accounted very wholsom for the Stomach; but sometimes it will cause great Giddiness in the Head of those that are not us’d to chew it. But this is the Effect only of the old Nut, for the young Nuts will not do it. I speak of my own experience.”

Readers will at once see that Dampier has confused the areca-nut with the betel leaf. However, he soon discovered his mistake, and when writing on Tonquin, in his next work, Voyages and Discoveries (p. 52), made the necessary corrections. After repeating the manner of preparing a “chew” he speaks of the betel-boxes:

“The poorer Sort carry a small Pouchful about with them: But the Mandarins, or great Men, have curious oval Boxes, made purposely for this use, that will hold fifty or sixty Betle Pellets. These Boxes are neatly lackered and gilded, both Inside and Outside, with a Cover to take off; and if any Stranger visits them, especially Europeans, they are sure, among other good Entertainment, to be treated with a Box of Betle. The Attendant that brings it, holds it to the left Hand of the Stranger; who therewith taking off the Cover, takes with his right Hand the Nuts out of the Box. ’Twere an Affront to take them or give or receive any thing with the left Hand, which is confined all over India to the viler Uses.^[3]

“It is accounted good Breeding to commend the Taste or Neatness of this Present; and they all love to be flatter’d. You thereby extreamly please the Master of the House, and iṅgage him to be your Friend: and afterwards you may be sure he will not fail to send his Servant with a Present of Betle once in two or three Mornings, with a Complement to know how you do. This will cost you a small gratuity to the Servant, who joyfully acquaints his Master how gratefully you received the Present: and this still engages him more; and he will complement you with great Respect whenever he meets you.”

Further descriptions are unnecessary. I shall therefore refer readers to that enormous work on the history of the Philippines, 1493-1898, in fifty-five volumes, by Blair and Robertson.^[4] The index occupies the last two volumes. Full references to betel-chewing will be found in vol. liv, p. 144, under the word “Buyo.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Issued by the Hakluyt Society, 1868, p. 280 et seq.

[2]:

A New Voyage Round the World, London, 1697, pp. 318-319. I have just brought out (1927) a new edition of this important work as the second publication of the Argonaut Press. It contains a really excellent Introduction by Sir Albert Gray, President of the Hakluyt Society. The betel reference will be found on page 219.

[3]:

For the unclean left hand among the Moslems see Burton, Nights, vol. i, p. 264,264n³, and vol. iv, p.129n¹.

[4]:

Published at Cleveland, Ohio, 1903-1909.