Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1832-03-16
Miscellaneous.

The Poisonous Valley Of Jara.-Un.
der this head we find the following sin.
gular story in one of our late London
! journals. The account was communi,
Gated to the Royal Geographical Socie.
ty in London, at its meeting on the 20th
of November, by John Barrow, Esq. to
whom it had been written, in the form
of letter from Mr.. Alexander London
the circumstances related are true, the
existence Of this poisonous valley may
account for the fabulous tales concerning
the Upas tree. There is nothing in il
positively incredible, as the effects attri-
buted to the atmosphere might be occa-
stoned by the exhalation of gases from
poisonous minerals, and the whole valley
only another Grotto del Care on larger
scale.
This letter contained the account of a
visit to a small valley in the island of ia
va, which is particularly remarkable for
its power of destroying in very short
space of time the life of man or any ami
NAL exposed to its atmosphere. 1t is
distant only three miles from Batur, to
Java, and on the 18th of July, 1881, MIR.
London, with party offriends set out to
visit it. 1t is known by the name of
Guevo Upas, or Poisoned Valley and,
following path which had been made
for that purpose, the party shortly after
wards reached it, with couple of dogs
and some fowls, for the purpose of max
ing experiments. On arriving at the
mountain the party dismounted, and
scrambled up the side ola hill, distance
of quarter of mile, with the assistance
of the branches of trees and projecting
roots. In consequence of the heavy
rain that had fallen during the night, this
was rendered more difficult, and occasion
ed much fatigue. When few yards
from the valley, strong nauseous IL suf-
ocatingsmellwas experienced, but on APP
( preaching the margin this inconvenience
was no longer found. The scene that
now presented itselfis described as one
of the most appalling ill nature. The
valley is about halfa mile in circumfer-
ence, of an oval shape, and about thirty
or thirty-fve feet in depth. The bot
tom of it appeared to be flat, without "a
ny vegetation, and few large stones scat
tered here and there. The attention of
the party was Immediately attracted to
the number of skeletons of human beings,
tigers. bears, deer, and all sorts of birds
and wild animals, which lay about in pro-
fusion. The ground OH which they lay
at the bottom of the valley appeared to
be hard sandy substance, and no yapor
was perceived issuing from it, nor any
opening through which it might escape,
and the sides were covered with vege-
tation. TWAS now proposed to enter it,
and each OF the party, having lit segar,
managed to get within twenty feet of the
bottom where asickening, nauseous smell
was experienced, without any difficulty
in breathing. A dog was fastened at the
end of bamboo, and thrust to the bot
tom Of the valley, while some ofthe par
ty, with their watches in their hands, OBJ
served the effects. At the expiration of
fourteen seconds the dog fel, off his legs,
without moving or looking round, and
continued alive only eighteen minutes.
The other dog now left the party and
went to his companion on reaching him
! he was observed to stand quite motion.
less, and at the end of ten seconds he fell
down; he never moved his limbs after,
and lived only seven minutes. A fowl
was now thrown in, which died in a
minute and hall, and another was thrown
in after it which died in the space of a
minute and half. A heavy shower OF
rain fell during the time these expert
ments were going forward, which, from
the interesting nature ofthe experiments,
was quite disregarded. On the opposite
side ofthe valley to that which was visit
ed, lay human skeleton, the head rest
ing on the right arm. The effect of.the
weather had bleached the bones as white
as ivory. Two hours were passed in
this valley of death, and the party bad
some difficulty in getting out Of it. owing
to the rain that had fallen. The human
skeletons are supposed to be those of re.
bels, who had been pursued from the mair
road, and had taken refuge in the valley
without their knowledge of the danger
to which they were thus exposing them
selves.