The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1784-08-02 00:00:00, page 2

Description of the Poison Tree in the Island es
Java. Continued from our last.
Account of the manner in uhich the Poison is pro
cured.
THE Poison which is procured frore this tree, is
a gum that issues out between the bark and the
tree itfelf, like the camphor. Malefactors, who for
their crimes are sentenced to die, are the only per
sons who fetch the poison; and this is the only chance
they have of saving their lives. After sentence is
pronounced upon them by the judge, they are alked
in court, whether they will die by the hands of the
executioner, or whether they will go to the Upas
tree for a box of poison? They commonly prefer
the latter proposal, as there is not only some chance
of preserving their lives, but also a certainty, in case
of their fafe return, that a provision will be made
for them in future, by the Emperor. They are also
permitted to ask a favour from the Emperor, which
is generally of a trifling nature, and commonly granted.
They are then provided with a silver of tortoife-fliell
box, in which they are to put the poisonous gum, and
are properly inftruded how to proceed while they are
upon their dangerous expedition. Among other par
ticulars, they are always told to attend to the direc
tion of the winds ; as they are to go towards the tree
before the wind, so that the effluvia from the tree are
always blown from them. They are told, likewise,
to travel with the utmost dlfpatch, as that is the on
ly method of ensuring a fafe return. They are after
wards sent to the house of the old priest, to which
place they are commonly attended by their friends
and relations. Here they generally remain some days,
in expectation of a favourable breeze. During that
time, the eccleiiadick prepares them for their future
fate by prayers and admonitions.
When the hour of their departure arrives, the
pried puts them on a long leather cap with two
glasses before their eyes, which com?s down as far as
their bread, and also provides them with a pair of
leather gloves. They are then conducted by the
priest, and their friends and relations, about two
miles on their journey. Here toe priest repeats his
lot. to. do. 532 acres and twenty-fix hundredths, but
after deducing three smaller surveys of said
Delaney's included therein, containing 155
acres and seven hundredths, there remains
377 hcres and nineteen hundredths in part
nership, situate in Wantage, on the weft
fide of Papecotting, in the possession of John
Tims and others.
31, 58. A tract of land containing 76 acres and eighty
nine hundredths, situate in Hardifton, join
ing lands surveyed for Abraham Ogden, Esq.
late in the possession of Col. Anthony Brod
rick.
33. 59. A trad of land containing 80 acres and thir
ty hundredths, situate in Wantage, join
ing other lands of said Delaney, also joins
Abraham Westbrook's plantation.
33. 60^ A traCtof land containing 69 acres and fifty
fix hundredths, situate in Wantage, near Ste
phen Mead's plantation, joining lands of
Henry Cuyler.
34. 61. A trad of land containing within the bounds
169 acres and thirty-two hundredths, but
after deducting 120 acres of Henry Cuyler,
included therein, there remains in partner
ship 49 acres and thirty-three hundredths,
situate in Wantage, at a place called and
known by the name of Hendrick's fly or
meadow.
35. 62. A trad of land containing 42 acres and eleven
hundredths, situate in Wantage, joining the
aforefaid 120 acres of Henry Cuyler.
36. 63. A trad of land containing 37 acres and seven
hundredths, situate in Hardifton, joining
Henry Cuyler's land, and includes nearly
all the possession of Benjamin Skinner.
37. 64. A trad of land containing 132 acres and eigh
ty-one hundredths, situate in Hardifton, on
the southeast fide of Pochuck mountain,
including the possession of Joseph Godwin.
38. 65. A traCtof land containing 431 acres, ftriCt
measure, situate in Hardifton, on both sides
of the Wawayonda creek, including part
of the improvement of the late Colonel De
kay, deceased.
3^ 66. A tract of land containing 186 acres and for
ty-fix hundredths, situate in Newtown, on
the south fide of Papecotting creek, on, the
road leading from Colonel Biddle's farm to
'Squire Carey's.
40. 67. A trad of land containing 186 acres and twen
ty hundredths, situate in Newtown, includ
ing the improvement of James Kemble.
41. 68. A trad of land containing 118 acres and nine
ty-three hundredths, situate in Newtown,
about two miles southward of Papecotting,
including the possession of Abraham Mon
tanie.
42. 69. A tract of land containing 47 acres and se
venty-three hundredths, in two surveys, si
tuate in Wantage, near a meadow called
M'Quin's meadow.
43. 70. A tract of land containing 212 acres and se
venty-two hundredths, situate in Hardifton,
on the road that leads from Elijah Collard's,
deceased, to Paulinglkill.
44. 71. A trad of land containing 53 acres and eighty
(For the remainder fee the fourth page.)
[ was present at some of thole melancholy ceremo
nies, and desired different delinquents to bring with
them some pieces of the wood, or a small branch, or
some leaves of this wonderful tree. I have also given
them silk cords, desiring them to measure its thick
ness. I never could procure more than two dry
leaves, that were picked up by one of them on his
return ; and all I could learn from him concerning
the tree itfelf, was, that it stood on the border of a
rivulet, as described by the old priest; that it was
of a middling size; that five or fix young trees of the
fame kind stood close by it; but that no other flirub
or plant could be seen near it ; and that the ground
was nf a browmih sand, full of stones, almod imprac
ticable for travelling, and covered with dead bodies.
After many conversations with the old Malayan priest,
I questioned him about the lirft discovery, and alked
his opinion of this dangerous tree, upon which he
gave me the following answer in his own language :
" Ditalm kila ponjoe Alcoran Baron Suda tulis
touloe Seratus an Soeda jlang orang Soeda Dengal
difenna orang jahat di Soeda main Same Die punje
pinatang pigidoe Rita pegi Sam prambuange."
Vl hich may be thus translated:
inftrudions, and tells them where they are to look
for the tree. He ihews them a hill, which they are
told to afeend ; and that on the other fide they will
find a rivulet, which they are to follow, and which
will conduct them directly to the Upas. They now
take leave of each other, and amidst prayers for their
success, the delinquents hasten away.
The worthy old ecclefiaftick has assured me, that
during his residence there, for upwards of thirty
years, he had dismissed above seven hundred crimi
nals in the manner which I have described ; and that
scarcely two out of twenty have returned. He Ihewed
me a catalogue of all the unhappy fufferers, with the
date of their departure from his house annexed, and
a lift of the offences for which they had been con
demned. To which were added the names of those
who had returned in fafety. I afterwards saw ano
ther lift of these culprits, at the gaol-keeper's at Sou
ra Charta, and found that they perfectly correspond
ed with each other, and with the different informat:
ons which I afterwards obtained.
" We are told in our New Alcoran, that above an
hundred years ago, the country around the tree was
inhabited by a people strongly addicted to the fins of
Sodom and Gomorrha. When the great prophet
Mahomet, determined not to fuffer them to lead such
detestable lives any longer, he applied to God to pu
nish them ; upon which God cauled this tree to grow
out of the earth, which dedroyed them all, and ren
dered the country forever uninhabitable."
Such was the Malayan's opinion. I shall not at
tempt a comment, but must observe, that all the Ma
layans confider this tree as an holy instrument of the
great prophet to punish the fins of mankind, and,
therefore, to die of the poison of the Upas, is gene
rally considered among them as an honourable death.
For that reason I also observed, that the delinquents,
who were going to the tree, were generally dressed
in their belt apparel.
This, however, is certain, tho' it may appear in
credible, that from fifteen to eighteen miles round
this tree, not only no human creature can exist, but
that, in that space of ground, no living animal of any
kind has ever been dilcovered. [ have also been as
sured by several persons of veracity, that there are
no fifh in the waters, nor has any rat, mouse, or any
other vermin, been seen there; and when any birds
fly so near this tree, that the effluvia reaches them,
they fall a facrifice to the effects of the poison. This
circumstance has been ascertained by different delin
quents, who, in their return, have seen the birds drop
down, and have picked them up dead, and brought
them to the old ecclefiaftick.
I will here mention an indance which proves this
a fad beyond all doubt, and which happened during
my day at Java.
In the year 1775, a rebellion broke out among the
fobjeds of the Maffay, a sovereign prince, whose dig
nity is nearly equal to that of the Emperor. They
refufed to pay a duty imposed upon them by their so
vereign, whom they openly opposed. The Maffay
sent a body of a thousand troops to disperse the re
bels, and to drive them, with their families, out of
his dominions. Thus four hundred families, confid
ing of above sixteen hundred fouls, were obliged to
leave their native country. Neither the Emperor nor
the Sultan would give them protection, not only be
cause they were rebels, but also through fear of dis
pleasing their neighbour, the Maffay. In this dif
trefsful situation, they had no other resource than to
repair to the uncultivated parts round the Upas, and
requested permission of the Emperor to fettle there.
Their request was granted, on condition of their fix
ing their abode not more than twelve or fourteen
miles from the tree, in order not to deprive the inha
bitants already fettled there at a greater distance, of
their cultivated lands. With this they were obliged
to comply ; but the consequence was, that in less than
two months their number was reduced to about three
hundred. The chiefs of those who remained re
turned to the Maffay, informed him of their losses,
and intreated his pardon, which induced him to re
ceive them again as his fubje&s, thinking them fuffi
ciently punished for their mifconduCt. I have seen
and conversed with several of those who survived,
soon after their return. They all had the appearance
of persons tainted with an infectious disorder; they
looked pale and weak, and from the account which
they gave of the loss of their comrades, of the symp
toms and circumstances which attended their difTolu
tion, such as convulsions, and other signs of a violent
death, I was fully convinced that they fell victims to
the poison.
This violent effect of the poison, at so great a dis
tance from the tree, certainly appears furprizing, and
almost incredible; and especially when we confider,
that it is possible for delinquents who approach the
tree, to return alive. My wonder, however, in a
great measure, ceased, after I had made the follow
ing observations:
I have said before, that malefactors are indruded
to go to the tree with the wind, and to return against
the wind. When the wind continues to blow from
the fame quarter while the delinquent travels thirty,
or fix and thirty miles, if he be of a good constitu
tion he certainly survives. But what proves the molt
deftruCtive is, that there is no dependence on the
wind in that part of the world for any length of time.
There are no regular land winds ; and the sea winds
are not perceived there at all, the situation of the
tree being at too great a distance, and surrounded by
high mountains and uncultivated forefts. Besides the
wind there never blows a frefh regular gale, but is
commonly merely a mere current of light foft breezes,
which pass through the different openings of the ad
jacent mountains. It is also frequently difficult to
determine from what part of the globe the wind re
ally comes, as it is divided by various obstructions in
its passage, which easily change the direction of tire
wind, and often totally destroy its effects.
I, therefore, impute the'didant effects of the poi
son, in a great measure, to the constant gentle winds
in those parts, which have not power enough to dis
perse the poisonous particles, if high winds were
more frequent and durable there, they would cer
tainly weaken very much, and even destroy the ob
noxious effluvia of the poison; but without them,
the air remains infected and pregnant with these poi
sonous vapours.
I am the more convinced of this, as the worthy
ecclefiaftick allures that a dead calm is always at
tended with the greatest danger, as there is a conti
nual perspiration ifluing from the tree, which is seen
to rife and spread in cue air, like the putrid fleam
of a marihy cavern.
Experiment made with the Gum of the Upas Tree.
i N the year 1776, in the month of February, I
was present at the execution of thirteen of the Em
peror's concubines, at Soura-Chaita, who were con
victed of infidelity to the Emperot's bed. It was in
the forenoon, about eleven o'clock, when the fair cri
minals were led into an open space within the walls
of the Emperor's palace. There the judge parted sen
tence upon them, by which they were doomed to fuf
fer death by a lancet poisoned with Upas. After
this, the Alcoran was presented to them, and they
were, according to the law of their great prophet
Mahomet, to acknowledge and to affirm by oath,
that the charges brought against them, together witli
the sentence and their punishment, were fair and equi
table. This they did, by laying their right hands
upon the Alcoian, their left hands upon their breads,
and their eyes lifted towards heaven ; the judge then
held the Alcoran to their lips, and they kissed it.
These ceremonies over, the executioner proceeded
on his business in the following manner:—Thirteen
posts, each about five feet high, had been previously
ereCted. To these the delinquents were fattened,
and their breads dripped naked. In this situation
they remained a Ihorttime in continual prayers, at
tended by several priests, until a signal was given by
the judge to the executioner; on which the latter
produced an inftrunient, much like the spring lancet
used by farriers for bleeding horses. With this in
strument, it being poisoned with the gum of the Upas,
the unhappy wretches were lanced in the middle of
their breads, and the operation was performed upon
them in less than two minutes.
My astonishment was raised to the highed degree,
when I beheld the sudden effects of that poison, for
in about five minutes after they were lanced, they
were taken with a tremour, attended with afubfultus
tentinum, after which they died in the greatest ago
nies, crying out to God and Mahomet for mercy.—
In sixteen minutes by my watch, which I held in my
hand, all the criminals were no mote. Some hours
after their death I observed their bodies full of livid
spots, much like those of the Petechia, their faces
swelled, their colours changed to a kind of blue, their
eyes looked yellow, &c. &c.
About a fortnight after this, I had an opportunity
of feeing such another execution at Samarang. Seven