American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1823-11-18
From Clark's Wouders Of the World.

From Ctark'S W0ndprs Of the Wortd.
The Bantam or Burr Tree, is considered one of
the and beautiful OF natures produc
ltlons in he genial climate OF Inda whete she sp IT'S
with he greatest pfottsion and variety. Every tree
lis in itself grove ana some of them oil a
mazng size, is they de continually lncreasng and
lconiray 10 most oihrr animal and vegetable produr
tons, seem to be exempted from deca, for every
bi anch from the inaIn dy rhfow7 out its roo
III st III small tender hptes, several yards from the
around, which continually grow thicker; unit! by al
gtadua desc ent TIL MS suelace where srlk
Ing in, the increase 10 large trunk and become
! parent tree throwing out new branches from the
itop. these in time extend their roots, and. receiving
nourishn enl from tn It'll. sws II into trunks, and
sh ,ot forth other branches hus con ioung in state
81 prog esson long the first parent of them all
| supplies her sUstenance.
| bantam tree wi'h many trunks, forms the most
beautiful walks vstas ard cool Tecesses that can
be imagined The leaves large, soft, and of al
lively green the lruit is small 6g, when ripe oil
4 bright scarlet affording sustensnce to monkeys,
squirrels, peacocks, and birds OF various kinds which
dwell among the branches.
! The Hlndons are peculiarly found OF this tree ;
they consider its long duration, its outstretchiog
arms, and overshadowng benehcence. as embems
4 of the Deity, and almost pay it divine honors
/ The Brahmns who thus " find fame in every sacred
grove" spend much OF theft time In religious SOIL
ude under the shade of the banian Tree; they plant
il neal the dewas, or Hlndoo temples, improperly
called pagados; AID in those villages where there's not
any st uctu e tor public orshIp they place animage
luuder one OF these trees AID there perform mo u.
Ing and evening sacrifice
! These the trees undeT which sect OF naked
; PHILOSOPHERS, called Gymnosophists, assembled IN
Arms days. and this historian Of ancient Greece,
it is observed Ivy Forbes, in his Oriental Men oIs,
I, fords tine picture Of the modern Hindros. In
r tha nene nj
j. suns rays the open air and 10 summer whenth
heat becomes excessive, they pass their time in cool
and moist places unde la ge trees which according
u 10 accounts OF Nearchus, cover circumete ocs o
Eve acres and extend their branches far. that
t thousand men can ivy Il d shelter under them
, On the banks of the Naibudda, il the province oil
N Guzzeret is banlan tree, supposed by some per
. sons to be the one described in Nearchus, and
y ,aly not interior to it. 1t is distinguished by the
!, name Of Cubbeer Burr, which given to it in
s. honor of famous saint. High floods have, at va
ous times, swept away considerable parts OF this
!, extraordinary but what sill remains is nearly
u two thousand feet in circumference, measured rounc
i the principal stems the overhankng branches, moi
II vet struck down cover a much larger space ant
u under II grows number OF custard apple, and o
: Their fruit trees. The large trunks of this single
o Tree ann unit to $50, and the smaller ones exceed
n 0oO-each of these is constantly sending forth
u branches and hanging roots to form other trunks
10 and become the parents OF future progeny.
This tree, so patriarthed in its appearance, SO ap
IL and fair an emblem of the state OF society in paste
raj age when the ancient ia hers Of their rlbes wer
seen with many generations of their race arount
them is too striking object not TO have attract
ed the poets eye, in its survey of the PICTURESQUE
productions Of nature. Mr. Soulhthsy ha, giyeI
, the following description Of il in his curse OF Re
hama.
Twas fair scene wherein they stood,
| A green and s.iny glade amid the Wood,
And in the midst aged bantam grew
| 1t was goodly sight 10
The venerable tree;
Far DER the lawn, irregular'y spread
Fifty straight columns propt lis lofty head;
And many long depending shoot,
Seeking to strike its roo
straight like pummet rev towards the ground
Some on the lower bonghs, which crost their way,
Fixing their bearded hbres round and rolnd
With many a ring and wild contortion wonnd.
Some to the passing Winds times, with sway
OF gentle motion swung,
o hers Of Younger growth, unmov'I were hing
Lake sone-drrps from the cavems cited he ght.
Beneath was smooth and fair to sight,
Nor weeds nor briers defomed the natural floor,
And through the leaIy cope which bowerd it DER
Came CLEANS of checquered light.
So like a temple did it seem, that there
A pous hearts first impulse would be prayer.