The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1897-08-04
THE DEADLY uPAs.

Detailed Version of This Myth with
which Few Are Familiar.
Everybody has heard of the deadly
upas tree; yet few, probably. even of
those who use the phrase with fine
rhetorical effect have any very definite
conception of its meaning OF course.
the whole thing is a myth: but the fol-
lowing version. extracted from a quaint
old book may serve to render our ideas
less hazy about It, says an exchange.
The Bohon upas is situated in the
island Of Java. between eighteen and
twenty leagues from Tinkjoe. which is
the residence of the king OF that coun-
try II is surrounded on all sides by
a circle OF high hills and mountains
and the region around IT, to the dis
tance of ten or twelve miles from the
tree. is entirely barren. Not another
tree nor a shrub, nor even the least
blade of grass is to be seen. | have
made the tour all around this danger
GUS spot and | found the aspect OF the
country on all sides equally dreary.
The easiest ascent of the hills is from
that part where dwells an ancient her
NIT. From his house the criminals are
sent for the poison, into which the
points OF all warllke instruments are
dipped; it is of high value and brings
a considl-g lie revenue TO the king. The
poison which is produced from this
tree is gum that issues out between
the bark and the tree itself. like cam
phor Malefactors who for their crimes
are sentenced TO die are the only per-
sons who fetch the poisons. and this
is the only chance they have OF saw
ing their lives. After sentence is pro-
nounced upon them by the judge they
are asked in court whether they will
die by the hands OF the eXecutioner or
whether they will go to the upas tree
for box or the poison They com
monty prefer the latter proposal. as
there is not only some chance of pre-
serving their lives, but also the GER
| tainty in case Of a safe return that a
provision will be made for them in flu
! ture by the king. They are also per-
mitted to ask a favor from him, which
is generally Of a trifing nature and IS
commonly granted They are then
provided with silver or tortoise
| shell box in which they are to put the
/ poisonous gum aud are properly in
! structed how they are to proceed while
they are upon their dangerous expe-
! ditiOn. They are always told to at
tend to the direction OF the wind; they
are to go toward the tree before the
wind so that the efIluyia from 1t may
be blown from them They go first to
the house Of the old ecclesiastic, who
prepares them by prayers and admoni-
tions for their future fate; he also puts
on them long leathern cap with two
glasses before their eyes. which comes
down as far as the breast and provides
them with n pair OF leather gloves.
Thereupon they are conducted by the
priests and their friends and relations
about two miles on their journey.
The old ecclesiastic assured me that
in upward of third years he had dis
missed above 200 criminals In the man
ner described and that scarcely two
out of twenty had returned. All the
Malayans consider this tree as a holy
instrument of the great prophet to
punish the sins OF mankind: therefore
TO die by the poison of the upas is re-
garded among them as an honorable
death. This, however, is certain, that
from fifteen to eighteen miles around
this tree not only no human creature
can exist, but no animal Of any kind
Sas ever been discovered, There are
no hsh in the waters. and when any
birds ny so near this tree that the
enluyia can reach them they drop down