Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-12-20

s ~, u.,,nre can veoetate where The brc92e
watts the residential sa,ars that arise ir"'n Tie
pestlferous gam of the Upas. The French DO
tanis,, anxious, on his return to France. Z" nave
been able To lay before the Emperor cofFcct ne
scriptlon OF the Java tree. made. az the ti9N VI
his life. ,nur all round this dangerous spo', al
about four lcanues distant from It's dcie'erou' IN
nupuce. and IN every direction ct his circuit nc
found vegetation literally annihilate,'. and the
aspect Of the country the most dismal and drea-
re- that could be imagined Near The easiest as
cent of one Of the hills about sixteen miles t'nm
the staten Of the tree, thcie resided then, an old
Na,ayan priest, whose Office il was TO prepare
for eternity the syuls Of those who Tor dli' rc'''
crimes. were sent to procure the poison, "h'cl; Is
a commodity that Yields the native government
considerable revenue. The poison is gum
which. like the camphor, issues from the barS.-
| Malefactors under the sentence at death, are
the ONLY persons who arc compelled TO gather NE
deadly and baleful gum. The ministers OF the
native sovereign provide them with l"r'mse
| shc, box, in which they are to put the pes'i'e,
rous rum. These devoted criminals then proceed
to the house Of the High Priest. where Trey re-
man unit, the wind blows in Il favorable dircc-
| ten so as to bear that efhyyia i.on them. As
soon as the desired breeze arises the priest pre-
pares them for their approaching la'c. ~ ''c
moment of departure the priest puts on them
long lc-'her cap, with two glasses before li!er
ewes, rlich canes down to the breast. nus
euui;:ncd. the, set out on journey to that fata'
=. bourne'' from whence but Few travellers re-
turn. The Oh! ecci"siasic assured our traveller
| that during A residence of thirty years on this
,horouahiare "f death, he had witnessed the de.
rartuie to he upa, of more than eight hundred
unharD i.eiirs-ou' of whom not more than thr-
~ ever returned. These who escaped The dread
/ ul influence sf ,he Upas. test ribcd IT as md
dliug sized tree. decorated with branches OF the
mos; vi,id ysrtnre. 1t brands suicnly over
ri,ulet, a. . lan,!,nlk of vegetation IN the barren
vale ni' The wilderness, over which 1t waves ITS
poisoned foliage.
y h,le oar traveller remained on the island of
Java. he Witnessed the following horrid instance
of the desirne i've powers OF the pas poison. III
| February 1910. he was present at the execution
If L nf the layanese kings mistresses. who
were convicted Of being taith!e>s To his bed.
The fair and interesting criminals were led IN
to the great cOurr of the palace OF Soura Char'a'
where jndye passed sentence OF death on them.
After going through many religious ceremonies,
the execurioncr stripped their breasts, and then
claiming each Of he hapess deiinGuents to post,
he proceeded TO make an inci,ion on the bosom
with a lancet poisoned with the Cpas. The OPP
" two minutes. and it'll snch CELEBRITY did the
poison destroy the vital principles. that these IN
fortunate women. the victims ol savage. were
all dead il less than quarter "t an hour.
Sume hours after their death, saws our ira
weller. "ther bodies were full of lyd spots.
their faces sweIlrd. the ccor of their skin chang
ed 20 kind Of blue, and their eyes were com
rieteIy spotted with yellow hucs.''
4 We believe that medical men estimate the
Upas as the most deadly of all vegetable polsons.
Ia times If war, is the practice of the Malay
aus to throw the UjRs gum into the springs and
rivucs la order to poison item. Inc other parts
nf he islarl of Jssissc remarkably healthy. pro
i,6c. and rich. in soil that produces an abon-
dance If the finest fluis-such as the cocoa,
i ,iaIm, shaddock. oranges, Lemons. utrons tama-
rmds, mansocs pine apples. bananas. sweet Sops.
rapys, cus,ard apples. meluns. poniegrtnate>,
IFS ard the delicious mangoSteen. esteemed me
best fruit of the east The tree on which ii
grows is extremely beautiful. and saiiy ar'ayed
like the orange tree, in the spang led yesture OF
fruit and flowers.
| .9aecdote. months ago. the Rev. James
Armstron. preached at Harmony. near the Wa
bash, when a Doctor at that place. protested
Dest or lnidel. called on his associates to az
company him. while he attacked the Methodist:
as hr said At fi,st he asked MIR. Armstrong it
he did not follow preaching to save sonls. lie
answered in the affirmative. He asked Nr.
Armstrong ifhe ever saw soul-no; II he ever
heard a soul-no: if he ever smelt soul-no; II
he ever felt soul--ycs. thank God, said Mr..
Armstrong Well, sid the doctor, there are four
If The five senses against one to evidence that
| there is no soul. Mr., Armstrong then asked the
gentlemen If ne was doctor OF Medicine? and
he answered in the affirmative. lie then asked
the d. if he ever saw pain-no, replied the
Doctor: if he ever heard pain mo; 1t ne ever
smelt pan--no; il he eyer tasted paIn-no;
if he ever felt pain-yes. Mr. Armstrong then
said there are four senses against one to evidence
there is no pain. and vet, air. you know there is
pain. and know there is IA soul The Doctor
appeared confused and walked oft
-os355sG55ss~
We learn from the Gazette. that EX-president
! ADAMS and hi, lady. Sir WILLIAM CAMPBELL,
and several other strangers. accompanied bv the
President and some of the Directors OF the Bal
more and Ohio Rii Road Company. made an eX'
| cursioD IN the road Yesterday morning. Mrs.