New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-27
/ .N.4RTELLOUS PALM
From TI.s Nadras Times.


The town of Nellore and its vicinity are At pres
ent under great excitement IN consequence Of an
ex ;raordinary phenomenon observed 10 Ini'u ualo
tree PhGnix SylyestrIs, OF the natural ORDER
PalmaceP known IN Tamil ~ the name EencL0o,
and In Telugu Eeta." The MahOmetans call 1t
Sevndieu in HndustanI. The tIee lssltuatcd ID the
village of Pedur within eight miles OF the collec:
tors Headquarters fortnight ago the children or
Paraichery. who plucked some fruits from the tree
like those of other dates-very delicious even before
ripeuiuu and flocked to IL early next morning 10
gather mOre. To their surprise the crops, when 10
the previous evening almost touched the grouni,
were far above their heads. They ran TO their
parents with the singular story that date tree
which they saw the first day lying on the ground
" rs then standing. This Circumstance drew the
attentlOn of the pariahs 10 the tee. and they OBJ
served that the tree had been changing It's position
every morniGg ami evening The news spread IN
all rectlOns like lightning, and people from the
neighborhOod fOckei to the spot 70 witness the
marvel with their own eyes. Inc report gained
strength daily and every observer cofroborated the
statements of his predecessor. Dedication soon
followed, and ceremonies OF wOrshlD nave already
begun in small degree Although was exceedingly
anxious to observe the phenomenon personally,
was still somewhat sceptlcal. and requested the
Uuzur Sershtadar and the assistant su, geon 10
depute an astute and intelligent obser, er Ia the
place to determine the truth. Brabmln OF con-
siderable experience who has travelled much and
who cannot be easily imposed upon, was accord
ingly selected aud sent, WHO returned add assured
me that th3 dIlrnal tall aud nocturnal rise ol the
date were facts beyond doubt;
The Aforementioned gentlemen ana myself, To-
cether with the Brahmin first sent. went there on
saturday afternoon, the 18th Instant ami reached
the spot exactly at 5:3O p. ~; Inc pace "as
crowded aud found there The District Mrusiu OF
Neore the Head Master Of the Neore liindoo Hugh
school and other educated gentlemen WHO hai gone
early in the morning f0r the same purpose a. our
selves. The District 1lunsln had tied str'hg 10
the TOP of the tree where the leaves De4h 10 shool
or rather the stems OF the lower leaves Degh 10
spread out and fastened 10 tight 10 another nee III
order TO ascertain how loose the string hangs al he
maximum rise of the tree. The tree 10 eleNei iees
high, excluding the leaves aud stems ana has
grown ia "a curve from the middle WIN t"lst
round east. AT $50 tne tree was almo>t ~ Ing 10
warl the west. The leaves were not wiihered but
fresh and green, touching the ground me 1901 Oi
the tree at an angie OF uVe 10 seEoh ue.Ieess
with the ground, and We were gwen 10 uh'ei s.1he
that 1t had already commenced Ia rise rom 4
o'clock handkerchief when had hcen leu ny
the District NunsIh TO Of the leaves % that lts
other end might just tOnch the ground. had Ilsrn
six inches. and the string al'o began To siacken.
We took three measurements from the ground 10
the tree one 4 about two feet from the root. hn-
other ID about four feet. and the third c halfway
between the twisting point and the top. Desides
these three there were the string ana The kefc.!eI
10 denote the rise OF the top and the leaves. AZ
p. m the kerch!ct was eighteen Inches rom the
ground and the string when drawn tlglt leIl
fold hanging four inches double. or elght inches on
the whole. The rise at was one-eighth oil an
inch. at 2 one aud at twelve. The neasnfeinents
AZ 3 a. M we're as follows: kerchlei nine feet,
string-foh twenty inches the rise at TWO ihcnes.
n four inches and { eighteen inches. Ihe stem or
the tree made there an angie oil nteen % Why
de frees with the ground. oar me lsuIeihtnts ~
a m exactly corresponded with those at 3, and We
were not sure whether the tree Kept the same post
ton all throu ghOut from ) O. a III, OF kept rising
fnrthrr tlll J. and thereafter began To fall As.
however the tree commenced rising ut .. NJ II Is
very probable that the downward movement also
began at ( a. m and that the upward movement
continued from 3 To 4. We observed at > a. III. tue
twist little turned to the left and the curve toward
ne TOP of the tree Strengthened To some extent 30
that the rise is much greater neal the TOP OF tho
tree than near the foot. Tue turning OF ne twIst
toward the left was apparently evident, as The Her.
chief which Was west by north when ia''eheu az
4 D. H. was nOrth-nOrthwest at a. IN.