The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-02-01

the most marvellous. The turning
Of the rod OF Moses into ser
pent has long been explained rs a
piece q Eastern necromancy Many
travellers In India have seen jugglers
perform the very same feat. The smit-
ing OF the rock for water has long been
deemed simply an instance OF practical
judgment on the part OF the great He
brew prophet In discovering a spring
and dIvulglng Il to his people with dra-
matte effect. But the burning bush"
has always been regarded as n miracle
that must be taken upon faith alone
The Scrlptural account Ito be found In
Exodus 81, 2-5l says And the angel
OF the Lord appeared unto him Moaasl
In flame Of fire. out OF the midst OF a
bush: and he looked aud. behold. the
bush burned with FIRE. and the bush was
not consumed. And Moses said. Will
now turn aside and see this great sight.
why the bush Is not burned. And
when the Lord saw that he turned
aside 10 see. God called unto
him out OF the midst OF the bush. and
said. Moses. Moses. And he said. Here
am !. And he said. Draw not nigh hith-
er; put of thy shoes from on thy feet. for
the place where0n thou standest is holy
ground" In recent English foreign
Office report there Is a description OF a
lately discovered stunted tree that goes
by the name OF the chaparro. II this be
not the veritable burning bush" that
burned with FIRE and was not con-
sumed" II Is very close to Il. for expert
ments have revealed that II not only
resIsts FIRE for very long time, but
that its trunk Is practically incombusti-
Bile. II seems actually 10 thrive on
great forest fires In which Il alone re-
mains unconsumod. for II long period
passes without a conflagration the cha
parro gradually decays and dies, In a
huge connagratlon this strange tree
seems 10 start into life. as an ordinary
plant does when II Is wet with rain
after a long drouth. Amid the swirling
reds and yellows Of the flames II takes
on a new life. and after the fire has
swept past Il In seen with new shoots
OF vivid green springing out OF Il. Al
such times the chaparros stand alone.
sturdy and strong. amid the surround
ing blackened trunks. the only living
things In land reduced 10 sterIllty.
II Is not accurate TO say that the entire
tree comes out Of forest IRE un-
scathed While the body OF the tree is
incombustlblc. its smaller branches and
twlgs burn. They burn very slowly.
while the rest OF the woodland Ia going
up In smoke The London scientists
who have looked into the matter believe
that the trunk OF the tree. AMI ne
branches Ia smaller degree. eXude un.
der the influence OF great heat a moist.
ure that IS sufficient. owing 10 It's pecu-
liar chemical properties. TO protect the
wood Commenting on the chaparros,
the English foreign office repor, says:
1T Is very remarkable that these fire.
begotten plantations are nowhere
crowded TO excess. on the contrary. the
trees are so regularly placed that their
aspect v.es with that Of the most care
fully formed gardens" While the word
"trcc" Is used Ia the report the term
bush" would be- more accurate for the
chaparro Is little more than that II
seldom grows TO a height OF more that
eight feet. and In appearance II much
more resembles a bush than even a
smallish tree Il grows mainly IN South
AFRICA. being more frequently met with
In the wild regions far to the west OF
the Transyaal. In districts where few
white men have been. The natives look
upon Il with superstitious awe, and Inn
aginc that a god dwclls within It's
trunk. They avoid the groves OF these
trees after nighliall. The wood is
tough and unyielding. and after a FIRE
will dull the edge OF the sharpost in
strument. A specimen Of chaparro bark
Is on exhibition In the museum Of the
Pharmaceutical Society, In Bloomsbury
square, London.