Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1831-01-13

quences of coming within the reach of the
far-tamed poison Tree. A botanist who
was sent to Java by Bonapar.e in 1910,
describes the Upas as situated in valley,
watered by rivulet at about forty miles
distant from Batavia. The hills in the vi
cinity he represents to be entirely barren,
as the pestilential vapor Of the Tree caus-
es destruction to all vegetation, wherever
it is waited by the breeze. He says the
poison is gum which like the camphor,
issues from the bark; and that malefactors
are the only personsswho are compelled to
gather that deadly gum; that the devoted
criminals remain in the vicinity until the
wind blows in a favorable direction so as TO
bear the effluyia from them; and that al
though every precautions Is made use of to
guard against the pestifefons gum, not more
than thirty, out Of eight hundred beings,
who have undertaken to collect the poison,
have returned alive.
In the Magazine Of Useful knowledge
is scientific article, on this subject, which
we should be happy to transfer to our col
umns entire bot as its length forbids that,
we must limit ourselves to hasty abridge-
ment. "The true history of the Bohon
Upas has of late years been investigated
and as usually happens with most of those
relations which SO highly interest the ina
gination, all the marvellous characteristics
attributed to it are found to be perfectly
recenclable with the ordinary laws of ma
turc. 1t is to be regretted that the pages
of natural history, which ought to be the
record Of rigid truth and fact, should be SO
often dis6gured by relations either fabrica-
ted by unprincipled and mendacious narra-
tors, or credulously received from ignorant
and superStitious natives, who are always
willing to minister to the appetite Of this
class of men for the unnatural and prodi-
gious.
1t sno less to be regretted that such is
the proneness in mankind to indulge in
these monstrous creations Of fancy, that
lhcir influence often remains long after
their utter falsity has been detected"
The poison called Upas is used by the
natives Of Molucca and the neighboring
islands, and has always been an object of
much curiosity, from the wonderful effects
that have been ascribcd to it by the Indians
of those places. The tree, as described
by Leschenault, is large, rising to the
height of 100 feet, and with trunk of Is
feet in circumference. 1t is found in fer
tile places, surrounded by other plants ON
which it has no sort of influence. The
juice Of tho trunk is ola bitter taste, and
exudes copiously when an incision is made.
The exhalations from the tree are similar
10 those which proceed frcm the poison SUI
snack, it produces on some constitutions
very troublesome effect, not only when
handled, but on coming within the exhala-
tions that proceed from it. Great irrita-
ton of the skin, and painful swellings are
the consequence, while to others it is per-
fectly harmless. Leschenault employed
Javanesc to procure Towering specimens
from a tree but before he had reached
she top, he was affected with nausea and
dizziness, and was obliged to descend; he
continued sick several days. Another Ja-
-Yanese assembled tho same tree, and procu-
red the desired specimens without expe-
.riencing the least Inconvenience. The va
:rious animals which inhabit the trees in the
vicinity, we're as frequently seen on its
trunk as ON any other, and birds were as
often observed perched on its branches.
The natives of Java and the neighbour
ing places prepare poison from the juice
of ths Upas with which they point their ar
Ycws. The juice is used as an Ingredient
in amixture of several plants ofacid prop
critics, which are boiled together until the
detection is evaporated to proper thick
ness. Then its effects are extremely pow
cerful.- Middleser Gar.