The fum of the fquares of the indices of the 5th and 6th letters of the zd word is 520; and their product being added to the fquare of the index of the 6th letter, the fum will be 448; the faid 6th letter being least. The fum of the indices of the first letter of first word, and 3d letter of zd word being fubtracted from the fum of their fquares, will leave 62; and if their product be added to their fum, it will make 35; the faid 3d letter being leaft. The 7th, or laft letter, of 2d word is the fame as the third letter of the first word. Nate. If figures be put over the twenty-four letters of the alphabet in this manner 1 2 3 4 5 -a, b, c, d, e, &c. I call them indices; becaufe, if the index be known, the letter it belongs to is known; and these letters being difpofed as is here directed, they will form the name of the propofer. 31. QUESTION II. by Mr. GEORGE SANDERSON. July the 5th, 1775, the diftance of the moon's fartheft limb from Antares was obferved to be 55° 41'17", when the altitude of the moon's lower limb 42° 2′ 15", and the altitude of Antares 29° 12'20"; required the latitude and longitude of the fhip, the dip of the horizon being 4' 20". 32. QUESTION III, by STEREOGRAPHICUS. I have a ftereographical projection of the fphere on the plane of the meridian, in which the parallels of delineation are drawn to every 5 degrees; but fufpecting that the parallels near the equator are not truely arcs of circles, I measured the distance from the center to the interfection of the hour circle of 3, and parallel of 5 degrees of declination; and found it juft 7,52 inches the diameter of the primitive being a yard. From hence it is required to determine the error in declination (if any) of the point of interfection, fuppofing the hour circle is correctly drawn. 33. QUESTION IV. by IRK. Three points being given, it is required, by the interfection of right lines only, to find a 4th, in the fame plane, where lines drawn from the former three hall make given angles with each other. 34. QUESTION V. by Mr. DUFFAUT, of the Academy at Greenwich. A fhip fails in the N. W. quarter from lat. 55° N. and 5° 30' E. longitude into lat. 58° 20' making her difference of longitude and distance equal; the then alters her courfe, and runs into lat. 60°, making the difference of longitude thereby half as much again as the diftance; fhe fhifts her course a second time into lat. 63° 24', fo that her difference of longitude is double the distance. Required the three courfes, the longitude in, and her bearing and distance from the place of her departure. 35. QUESTION VI. by y DRACONIS. Suppofing two fides of a spherical triangle to remain conftant, it is required to find the relation of its angles when the area is a maximum. The anfwers to thefe queftions are required to be fent, poft-paid, to Mr. Baldwin, in Paternofter-row, London, before the 1ft of March, 1784. THE HE following defcription of the ВOHON UPAS, or POISON-TREE, which grows in the ifland of Java, and renders it unwholefome by its noxious vapours, has been procured for the London Magazine, from Mr. Heydin ger*, who was employed to tranflate it from the original Dutch, by the author, Mr. Foerfch, who, we are informed, is at prefent abroad, in the capacity of furgeon on board an English veffel. This account, we muft allow, appears fo marvellous, that even the Credulous might be ftaggered. The readers of this narrative will probably think of the celebrated Pfalmanazar, and his equally fainous Hiftory of the Ifland of Formofa. But this narrative certainly merits attention and belief. The degree of credibility which is due to the feveral circumftances refts with Mr. Foerfch. With regard to the principal parts of the relation, there can be no doubt. The existence of the tree, and the noxious powers of its gums and vapours, are certain. For the ftory of the thirteen concubines, however, we should not choose to be refponfible. Travellers and naturalifts have mentioned trees of the fame destructive nature in other places, and particularly, if we are not mistaken, in fome parts of South America. This very Bohon-Upas is mentioned by the learned Kemptfer, but its fituation, its nature, and its deftructive qualities, have never been fo clearly, fo fully, or fo philofophically defcribed, as by the author of the fol lowing defcription. It may probably be asked, why no efforts have been made to deftroy fo dreadful a tree?-more dreadful, indeed, in its effects, than the union of plague, peftilence, and famine. The reafons are obvious. No man could venture to remain near it for fo long a space of time as would be requifite to cut down a tree of fuch magnitude; nor could materials to fet it on fire be carried to the place without almoft certain deftruction. But of all the arguments, the most forcible probably is, that the Emperor derives a very confiderable revenue from the fale of the gum which is distilled from the Bohon-Upas. The auri facra fames! the rage for poffeffing riches, is too powerful to be withftood, even in the moft cultivated ages, and among the moft polifhed nations! What then can be expected from an inhabitant of Java, and that man an Emperor! Who, like Achilles, Jura neget fibi nata, nihil non arroget armes!" DESCRIPTION OF THE POISON-TREE, IN THE ISLAND OF JAVA, BY N. P. FOERSCH. .TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL DUTCH, BY MR. HEYDINGER. HIS deftructive tree is called in the Malayan language, BoHONUPAS, and has been defcribed by naturalifts. But their accounts have been fo tinctured with the marvellous, that the whole narration has been fuppofed to be an ingenious fiction by the generality of readers. Nor is this in the leaft degree furprifing, when the circumftances which we fhall faithfully relate in this defeription are confidered. I must acknowledge, that I long doubted the existence of this tree, until a ftricter enquiry convinced me of I fhall now only relate fimple, unadorned facts, of which I have been an eye-witnefs. My readers may depend upon the fidelity of this account. In the year 1774, I was ftationed at Batavia, as a furgeon in the fervice of the Dutch East-India Formerly a German bookfeller near Temple-Bar. fifteen fifteen or fixteen miles diftant. The letter proved of great fervice to me in my undertaking, as that prieft is appointed by the Emperor to refide there, in order to prepare for eternity the fouls of thofe who for different crimes are fentenced to approach the tree, and to procure the poifon. The Bohon-Upas is fituated in the island of Java, about twenty-feven leagues from Batavia, fourteen from Soura-Charta, the feat of the Emperor, and between eighteen and twenty leagues from Tiukjoe, the prefent refidence of the Sultan of Java. It is furrounded on all fides by a circle of high hills and mountains, and the country round it, to the distance of ten or twelve miles from the tree, is intirely barren. Not a tree, not a shrub, nor even the leaft plant or grafs is to be feen. I have made the tour all around this dangerous fpot, at about eighteen miles diftant from the center, and I found the afpect of the country on all fides equally dreary. The eafieft afcent of the hills, is from that part where the old ecclefiaftic dwells. From his houfe the criminals are fent for the poifon, into which the points of all warlike inftruments are dipped. It is of high value, and produces a confiderable revenue to the Emperor. ACCOUNT OF THE MANNER IN WHICH THE POISON IS PROCURED. THE POISON which is procured from this tree, is a gum that iffues out between the bark and the tree itfelf, like the camphor. Malefactors, who for their crimes are fentenced to die, are the only perfons who fetch the poifon; and this is the only chance they have of faving their lives. After fentence is pronounced upon them by the judge, they are afked in court, whether they will die by the hands of the executioner, or whether they will go to the Upas tree for a box of poifon? They commonly prefer the latter propofal, as there is not only fome chance of preferving their lives, but alfo a certainty, in cafe of their fafe return, that a provifion will be made for them in future, by the Emperor. They are alfo permitted to afk a favour from the LOND. MAG. Dec. 1783. Emperor, which is generally of a trifling nature, and commonly granted. They are then provided with a filver or tortoifefhell box, in which they are to put the poisonous gum, and are properly inftructed how to proceed while they are upon their dangerous expedition. Among other particulars, they are always told to attend to the direction of the winds; as they are to go towards the tree before the wind, fo that the effluvia from the tree are always blown from them. They are told, likewife, to travel with the utmost difpatch, as that is the only method of infuring a fafe return. They are afterwards fent to the houfe of the old priest, to which place they are commonly attended by their friends and relations. Here they generally remain fome days, in expectation of a favourable breeze. During that time, the ecclefiaftic prepares them for their future fate by prayers and admonitions. When the hour of their departure arrives, the prieft puts them on a long leather cap with two glaffes before their eyes, which comes down as far as their breaft, and alfo provides them with a pair of leather gloves. They are then conducted by the priest, and their friends and relations, about two miles on their journey. Here the priest repeats his inftructions, and tells them where they are to look for the tree. He fhews them a hill, which they are told to afcend; and that on the other fide they will find a rivulet, which they are to follow, and which will conduct them directly to the Upas. They now take leave of each other, and amidst prayers for their fuccefs, the delinquents haften away. The worthy old ecclefiaftic has affured me, that during his refidence there, for upwards of thirty years, he had difmitted above feven hundred criminals in the manner which I have defcribed; and that scarcely two out of twenty have returned. He fhewed me a catalogue of all the unhappy fufferers, with the date of their de parture from his houfe annexed, and a lift of the offences for which they had been condemned. To which was added the names of those who had 3 U returned returned in fafety. I afterwards faw another lift of thefe culprits, at the gaol-keeper's at Soura Charta, and found that they perfectly correfponded with each other, and with the different informations which I afterwards obtained. I was prefent at fome of thofe melancholy ceremonies, and defired different delinquents to bring with them fome pieces of the wood, or a fmall branch, or fome leaves of this wonderful tree. I have alfo given them filk cords, defiring them to measure its thicknefs. I never could procure more than two dry leaves, that were picked up by one of them on his return; and all I could learn from him concerning the tree itself, was, that it flood on the border of a rivulet, as defcribed by the old priest, that it was of a middling fize, that five or fix young trees of the fame kind flood clofe by it; but that no other fhrub or plant could be feen near it; and that the ground was of a brownish fand, full of ftones, almoft impracticable for travelling, and covered with dead bodies. After many converfations with the old Malayan prieft, I questioned him about the firft difcovery, and asked his opinion of this dangerous tree, upon which he gave me the following anfwer in his own language: "Ditalm kita ponjoe Alcoran Baron Suda tulis teulce Scratus an Soeda jlang orang Soeda Dergal difenna orang jakat di Soeda main Same Die punje finatang pigidu kita pegi Sam prambuange." Which may be thus tranflated: We are told in cur New Alcoran, that, above an hundred years ago, the country around the tree was inhabited by a people ftrongly addicted to the fins of Sodom and Gomorrha. When the great prophet Mahomet determined not to fuffer them to lead fuch deteftable lives any longer, he applied to God to punish them; upon which God caufed this tree to grow out of the earth, which deftroyed them all, and rendered the country for ever uninhabitable." Such was the Malayan's opinion. I fhall not attempt a comment, but mut obferve, that all the Malayans confider this tree as an holy inftrument of the great prophet to punish the fins of mankind, and, therefore, to die of the poifon of the Upas is generally confidered among them as an honourable death. For that reafon I alfo obferved, that the delinquents, who were going to the tree, were generally drefled in their beft apparel. This, however, is certain, though it may appear incredible, that from fifteen to eighteen miles round this tree, not only no human creature can exift; but that, in that space of ground, no living animal of any kind has ever been ditcovered. I have also been affured by feveral perfons of veracity, that there are no fifh in the waters, nor has any rat, moufe, or any other vermin been feen there: and when any birds fly fo near this tree, that the effluvia reaches them, they fall a facrifice to the effects of the poifon. This circumftance has been afcertained by different delinquents, who, in their return, have feen the birds drop down, and have picked them up dead, and brought them to the old ecclefiaftic. I will here mention an inftance which proves this a fact beyond all doubt, and which happened during my stay at Java. In the year 1775 a rebellion broke out among the fubjects of the Mafiay, a fovereign prince, whofe dignity is nearly equal to that of the Emperor. They refuted to pay a duty impofed upon them by their fovereign, whom they openly oppofed. The Maniay fent a body of a thoufand troops to difperfe the rebels, and to drive them, with their families, out of his dominions. Thus four hundred families, conitting of above fixteen hundred fouls, were obliged to leave their native country. Neither the Emperor nor the Sultan would give them protection, not only becaufe they were rebels, but alfo through fear of difpleating their neighbour, the Malay. In this difirefsful fituation, they had no other refource than to repair to the uncultivated parts round the Upas, and requefted permiffion of the Emperor to fettle there. Their requeft was granted, on condition of their fixing their abode not more than twelve or fourteen 4 miles miles from the tree, in order not to deprive the inhabitants already fettled there at a greater diftance of their cultivated lands. With this they were obliged to comply: but the confequence was, that in lefs than two months their number was reduced to about three hundred. The chiefs of thofe who remained returned to the Maffay, informed him of their loffes, and intreated his pardon, which induced him to receive them again as his fubjects, thinking them fufficiently punished for their mifconduct. I have feen and converfed with feveral of thofe who furvived, foon after their return. They all had the appearance of perfons tainted with an infectious diforder; they looked pale and weak, and from the account which they gave of the lofs of their comrades, of the fymptoms and circumstances which attended their diffolution, fuch as convulfions, and other figns of a violent death, I was felly convinced that they fell victims to the poifon. This violent effect of the poifon, at fo great a distance from the tree, certainly appears furprifing, and almoft incredible; and efpecially when we confider, that it is poffible for delinquents who approach the tree, to return alive. My wonder, however, in a great measure, ceafed, after I had made the following obfervations: I have faid before, that malefactors are instructed to go to the tree with the wind, and to return against the wind. When the wind continues to blow from the fame quarter while the delinquent travels thirty, or fix and thirty miles, if he be of a good conftitution he certainly furvives. But what proves the most deftructive is, that there is no dependance on the wind in that part of the world for any length of time. There are no regular land winds; and the fea wind is not perceived there at all, the fituation of the tree being at too great a distance, and furrounded by high mountains and uncultivated forests. Befides, the wind there never blows a fresh regular gale, but is commonly merely a current of light, foft breezes, which pafs through the different openings of the adjoining mountains. It is alfo frequently dif ficult to determine from what part of the globe the wind really comes, as it is divided by various obitructions in its palage, which eafily change the direction of the wind, and often totally deftroy its effects. 1, therefore, impute the distant effects of the poifon, in a great measure, to the conftant gentle winds in thofe parts, which have not power enough to difperfe the poifonous particles. If high winds were more frequent and durable. there, they would certainly weaken very much, and even destroy the obnoxious effluvia of the poifon; but without them, the air remains infected and pregnant, with thefe poifonous vapours. I am the more convinced of this, as the worthy ecclefiaftic allured me that a dead calm is always attended with the greateft danger, as there is a continual perfpiration iffuing from the tree, which is feen to rife and fpread in the air, like the putrid fteam of a marfhy cavern. EXPERIMENTS MADE WITH THE GUM OF THE UPAS-TREE. IN the year 1776, in the month of February, I was prefent at the execution of thirteen of the Emperor's concubines, at Stura-Charta, who were convicted of infidelity to the Emperor's bed. It was in the forenoon, about eleven o'clock, when the fair criminals were led into an open space within the walls of the Emperor's palace. There the judge paffed fentence upon them, by which they were doomed to fuffer death by a lancet poifoned with Upas. After this, the Alcoran was prefented to them, and they were, according to the law of their great prophet Mahomet, to acknowledge and to affirm by oath, that the charges brought against them, together with the fentence and their punishment, were fair and equitable. This they did, by laying their right hand upon the Alcoran, their left hands upon their breaft, and their eyes lifted "towards heaven; the Judge then held the Alcoran to their lips, and they Kiffed it. 3 U 2 These |
