Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-07-06
THE TRAVELLERS TREE.


which it prevails, may be derived from thC
native name, ravinalla, by which 1t Is des
ignated by SOnnerat, its discoverer.-
Ravinalla is, literally, leaf of the forest, a:
if it was the leaf by which the forest wa:
characterized, which is the fact where i
abounds, though in many parts it is not me-
with at all. The tree rises from the grounC
with thick succulent stem like that Of thu
plantain, or the large species of sterlltza
to both of which it bears a strong resem
blance. 1t sends out from the center O.
the stem long broad leaves, like that of th'
plantain, only less fragile, and rising moi
around the stalk, but in two lines on oppo
site sides, 50 that as the leaves increase, anC
the lower ones droop at the end, or extend
horizontally, the tree presents the appear.
ance of large open fan. When the stem
rises ten or twelve feet high, the lower part
of the outer covering becomes hard and
drv. like the bark of the cocoanut tree
Many of the trees in this region were at
least thirty feet from the ground to the
lowest leaves. frequently counted twen-
ty-four leaves on single tree, the stalk Of
each leaf being six or eight feet long, and
the broad leaf itself four or six feet more
The whole of these twenty-four bright
green gigantic leaves, spread out like fan
at the top of trunk thirty feet high, pre-
santed a spectacle as impressive as it was to
me rare and beautiful; and in this part of
the country they were the most conspicuous
objects for miles together, and were it not
that these vast bright-green shining leaves
are slit on each side by the winds, and so
futter in small portions with the passing
breeze the prevalence of this tree would
impart degree of almost ineonceivable
magnifcence to the vegetation of this coun-
try.
In the fan-like head of the Travellers tree
there were generally three or four branches
of seed pods. The parts of fructifcation
seems to be enclosed in tough, firm spathc,
like those of the cocoanut; but the subsc-
quent development was more like that of
the fruit of the plantain. Whcn the pods,
or seed vessels, of which there were forty
or fifty on each bunch, were ripe, they burst
open, and each pod was seen to inclOSe thir-
ty or more seeds, in shape like a small bean,
but enveloped in a fine silky fibre of the
most brilliant blue or purple color. But
this tree has been celebrated for containing,
even during the most arid season, large
quantity of pure, fresh water, supplying to
the traveller the place of wells in the desert,
Whenever inquired of the natives, they al
wavs affirmed that such was the fact, and
that so abundant and pure was the water,
| that when the men were at work near the
trees, they did not take the trouble to 60 to
the stream for water, but drew off and drank
the water from the tree. Having formerly
been somewhat skeptical on this point, L
determined to examine some of the tree /;
and during my journey this morning we
stopped at clump of the trees. One of
my bearers struck spear four or five inches
deep into the thick, firm end of the stalk of
the leaf, about six inches above its junction
with the trunk, and on drawing it back, a
stream of pure, clear water gushed out
about a quart of which We caught in a
pitcher, and drank it on the spot. 1t was
cool, clear, and perfectly sweet. On further
examination, found that there was no FL
tering of the water through any part of the
plant, as 1 had been led to suppose when L
had seen water drawn by Sir William
Hooker from one of the specimens in the
palm house at Kew. There was kind Of
natural cavity, or cistern, at the base of the
stalk of the leaves, above its union with
the stem, and the water which had been COL
lected on the broad and ribbed surface of
the leaf had flowed down a groove or spout
on the upper side of the stalk into this nat
ural reservoir, whence it supplied nutriment
to the tree, and refreshmcnt to the traveller
or the laborer.
But in Madagascar this tree might with
propriety be called the builders tree, rather
than the travellers tree Its leaves form
the thatch of all the houses on the eastern
side of the island The stems of its leaves
form the partitions, and often sides of the
houses; and the hard outside brak is strip
ped from the inside and soft part, and having
been beaten out fiat, is laid for flooring,
and have seen the entire floor of long,
well-built houses covered with its bark,
each piece being at least eighteen inches
wide and twenty or thirty feet long. The
leaf when green, is used as a wrapper for
packages, and keeps out the rain Large
quantities are sold every morning in the
markets, as it serves the purpose Of table
cloth, dishes and plates, at meals; and, fold
ed into certain form, is used instead of
spoons and drinking vessels.-Three pasits
to Madagascar, Gy Rer. Nr.EHis.
An excellent author says, '.if the pros
pect around you is sad, look upward y
But, if man turn his eyes upward even in