St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-04-05
For the alrd"nian.
The Bohon Upas Tree.


This beautiful though treacherous
tree is found in Java, Borneo and Suma-
ira. 1t grows i'll groups i'll the low val
lcys of these islands, or volcanic cratcrS,
which are 81 filled with carbonic acid
gas which rises from the soil is to he
detrimental to animal and most Vcgcta-
bic life. 1t is one of the most brilliant
and majestic forest trees i'll the world
Ii has Il trunk free from branches to the
height of - or 30 feet, hearing al"ft
crown of foliage surprising i'll magnlti-
ccnce that of amy other tree; but the
Juice of the bark which is ever ready to
squirt forth on pumcture. Is one of the
most acrid and powerful of the vegeta
bile poisonS. At ilSt it is white and of
creamy consistence, but when dry
turns to II dark brown or black, but
retains its poisonous qualities for years.
There is however no eilluvia or poison
ou> cminatinms from the tree. The fol
low ing description l. from the pen OF
Surgeon Fncr~ch. of the Dutch East
India Co., written i'll l11l, and trans
lated from the German. The account
/ is correct only III relation to the poison
ouS gases which are aScIihed to the
/ tree instead of the valley i'll which it
was situated. There are several lunches
of these trees not only in Java, but ON
the other islands before mentioned. He
SAYS:
This destructive tree is called. in
the Malagan language, Bohon-l pas,
and has been described 10y naluralstS {;
but their accounts have been So tine
turcd with the marvellous, that the
whole narration has been supposed to
he an ingenious fiction, by the general
ity of readers Nor is this i'll the least
degree surprising, when the circum-
stances. which We shall faithfully relate
in this description, are considered. |
must acknowledge that | long doubted
the existence of this rec. until ii strictcl
inquiry convinced me of my error.
shall now only relate simple, unadOrncd
facts, of which have been an eye Wit
ness. My readers may depend upon
the fidelity of this account. In the
wear I774. | was stationed at Batavia,
as IA surgeon. in the service of the
+ Dutch East India Company. During
my residence there. received several
different accounts OF the Bohon-UpaS
and the violent effects of its poison.
They then all seemed mcreditable tC
me, but raised my curiosity Ill so hlgl
Il degree, that resolved to investigate
this subject thoroughly, and to trust
only to my own observations. In con-
sequence of this resolution, Iapplied tt
the Governor General for ii pass t,
travel through the country my reques
was granted; and having procure,
every information, set out on my ex
petition. had procured recommen
daton from an old Malagan priest t'
another priest, who lived on the near
est habitable spot to the tree, which Il
about fifteen or sixteen miles distant
The letter proved of great service t.
me in my undertaking, us that priest il
appointed 10y the Emperor to resid'
J. there, i'll order to prepare for eternit,
l. the souls of those who, for ditleren
crimes, are sentenced to approach tin
tree, and to procure the poison.
y The Bohon-Cpas is situated Ill TIN
island of Java, about twenty -sevel
J leagues from Batavia. 1t is surrounde'
on all sides 10y II circle of high hills AM
D. mountains; and the country around
to the distance of ten OF twelve mile
from the tree, Is entirely barren. No
il tree, nor Il shrub, nor even the leas
, plant or grass is to he seen. hav
made the tour all around this danger
t GUS spot, at about eighteen miles dis
tant from the centre, and | found tn
aspect of the country on all sides equal
/ ly dreary. The easiest ascent of til
hills is from the part where the ol
ecclesiastic dwells. From his house til
criminals are sent for the poison, int
which the points of all warlike instru
ments are dipped. 1t is of high value
and produces considerable revenue
Z the Emperor. The poison which
a. procured from this tree, is gum ths
ct issues out between the bark and tn
tree itself, like the camphor. Malefa'