ported, the latter unknown. (Neither the ass nor mule is found ; hut the
island has a fine breed of small horses (jérari), strong, fleet, and well made.
A still
“ resembling (according to the account they.gave- of it) that produced by the ingas of this
“ island, the thus vernix of Japan, and. the rhus radicans of North America. The anchar,
“ like the trees in its neighbourhood, is on all sides surrounded by shrubs and plants:, ,in no
“ instance have I observed the ground naked or.barren in its immediate circumference. The
“ largest tree I met with in Balambangan, was so closely environed by the common trees and
“ shrubs of the forests in which it grew, that it was with difficulty I couldapproach.it. Several
“ vines and climbing shrubs, in complete health and vigour, adhered to it, and ascended
« to nearly half its height; and, at the time I visited the 'tree and -collected the juice, J
was forcibly struck with th,e egregious misrepresentation of Foersch. Several; young trees
“ spontaneously sprung from .seeds that had fallen from the parent, put'me in mind of a.,|me
*).in Darwin’s Botanic Garden:—
“ Chaiii’d a tliis I’pot twoAcion demons dwell; ' ?
V while in recalling his beautiful description ofthe upas, my vicinity :to the tree gave me reason
« to rejoice that it was founded in fiction. .
“ D e sc r ip t io n of t h e Chbtik.—The fructification ofthe dhetfic is still unknown: after
« ,all possible ’research in the district where it tgrows, I have: not been- able to find utfiin a
« flowering state. It is a large winding. shrub. . The root extends creepin^>.h..éonsiderabfë
« distance parallel to the‘Surface, sending off.srihll fibres at different curves, .'whilpithe main
“ root strikes perpendicularly intoi'the gound. The stem, which in generaljis shrubby, some'
« times acquires the size of a small tree. The poison is prepared from the bark of the root.
“ The chetik grows only in'close, shady, almost inaccessible forests, in a deep, black, fertile
•« vegetable m ould. - Tt is yery.rmrely>mef with «even in the wildernesses of, B alambangan. j
“ P e e pa e a t io n o f t h e .P oison from t h e A n ch a r .;—This process was performed for
« me by an old Javan, who was celebrated for his superior skill in preparing «th'e^oison; .about
« eight ounces of the .juice of the anchar, whidihad been collected the preceding evening in the
“ usual arianaer, and .been, preserved. in the joinVof «abambu, was carefully strained ihto Ik
« bowl. . The sap of the-following substances, which had been finely gfated:and«bifuise&, was
“ careftdly expressed and ’poured into it, viz. arum .(nampU), kempferia ■ galahga (kenchur);
“ anoraum'.(bengli) a vaiWy of Crumbed, common onion and’ garlic, of each' about .half'a
ttsdram. Thb same quantity of finely powdered black pepper was then added, and the;mixture
“ stirred. The preparer now took an «entire fruit of capsicum fructicosumor'. Guinea pepper,
« and havihg -opened it, he carefully «separated a single seed, andfplaced it an the fluid in the
“ middle'of the bowl. Ttiimmediatelyfbegan to reel; round rapidly, now forming ia regular
« «circle, thun darting towards the margin-of the vessel, with a perceptible commotion on the
« «surface of .the vliquifr, which- continued .about one minute. Being completely at rest,. the
« same quantity of pepper was again addöl, and «another seed of'the capsicum laid on as
« before.. A similar commotion took place in the fluid, but in a less degree, and «the seed
“ was'Camediround with diminished rapidity. fThe^addition of tfie same quantity of pepper
“ was repeated a third '.tune, when - a''seed * of the - capsicum being carefully placed in the
.“•centre of the fluid,, remained quiet, forming a regular circle about itself,in the fluid,
“ resembling
A still finer breed nisi imported from BimSB'on.tke neighbouring island of
Sumbdwa, which by competent^itdges has heeni said to, resemble the Arab in
1 every
« reSembiing ofctbe; moon.,'. I This is considered.as. a sign that the: preparation of .the
“ poie'on|ssf,complete. ‘
-PnEPARATipN of xhSe Foisgn-from the Ch-etcc.—.The bark of the root is careftdly
« .separated andJcrieared of aft.the-adherefit earth,^proportionate quantity; of water.is poured
H H an(i is'boflcdlabout aqhoi»;, when: the fluid is careMIy filtered .through a white efotb;
ita sth en exposed-fo-thfeffire again, and hojledfjdcgra !to -nearlyfhe eansist&rcejofvam e x tra c t:
.^<'-m«tHis:&tateritfcpchresembles^thiek.syrup. I The following!spices; ’having-been prepared as
« a&ove-deseribed? are added'in the s^me. proportion as to the anchar, v&i kempferja. galanga
.«■ (ken'ehuk),tt(stintr)^ anomuiq «angbber (shai), common -onion,- garlic, land. Mack pepper.
« T h at expressed jhice'; of. these, is -poured in to 'th e " vessel1,' which is'once more-exposed
:*< tfetb&tffiry&r a 'fe y minutes,' when«the'preparation is ebmpletel -■ The upas of both kinds
“ «xtEustJ.be preserved'm very close ve’ssels. «■ , < 1 1
Dr. H. then details the. particulars of twenty, experiments made omdifferent animals with, these
poiSdffSi'asl weUtinvtheir-'simpleStateaSproeured- from th e .bark powerfully prepared in the manner1^
(above stated;1* inJwhicK thewictehce.-tof'-thpipaisori was manifested:t and’ concludes. with
-Bon^e geiferai obseWafcianSffrom which the following are extracted.
lTfe#’Phe operation o fth e -tw o different prikSnssefr the^mimal-system is essentially different.
«-The ‘first %-gv^nteefi^expferim^k, were- made: with, the -anohat. T h e rapidity ofi ifaweffect
« depends 18 3’g'rBatf 'degree, up’on the sized'of the vessel'« wOunded?. and on the quantity d f
«\piri|ofi earrie'di^tMhe circulation’.' In thefirst experiment, (which is that above'quote®),
“ 'induced'death in twenty-six minutes-:-iw the.seB'a'nd,*' which was made with the sap-feofle’eted
« | t p f ig a rS ith h te e n toinutes, The -poiSon from different parts of-the island h i s been found
1' nearly ^ u a i- in a'ctivity.~'The 'common train df symptoms-is; a Trembling arid' shivering of
'•<fifths extremities', 'restlessness; erectiori^qf' the-hair, discharges from the bowels, 'drooping and
«_, faintness, «slight spasms land^poSwiisioris,' «hasty breathing, • rin increased flow df saliva,
‘spasmodie'contractions-of the-«-pectoral? and abdominal muscles, retching? .Vomiting, excre-
“ mentatious- vomiting, ftothy" vomiting, giekt agony, laborious breathing, "repeated cd®-
M wflSidns,' arid' death. ‘.Tlid 'dffdcts-are nearly the !same on quadrupeds, id whatever' part df
“ ’th d body t h ^ wound is made. ‘Tt- sometimes acts with so r&uch force, that h o t all the
i “>Sympfqms enumerated are observed. L f these Scapes,'after the1 premonitory symptoms
s<r(tremors, twitdrings', faintness, an increased flow 'o f ■saliva)/ th e convulsions come on kud-
^ detdy,,and" are qnickly ToUowe'd-bjr death. -The upas appears to affe'eVquadrupeds swith
“ nearly equalifotce, proportionate bin«soriie' degree to ifeSh'siae'.-afid-' disposition. To' dogs it
■“ provedmortal. in most,experiments within an hour';, a mouse«died in, ten'mmutes-; a monkey
•« in seven; a cat in fifteen - a buffalo, one -of the largest '(quadrupeds of the island, died ih
« two hours arid ten minutes.
“ I f the simple or unprepared sap is mixed with, the extract of tobacco instead- of the spices
“ mentioned, it is rendered equally, perhaps more active. Even thelpure jtrice, tinmixed and
“ unprepared,: appears to act with a W e e equai to that which has uffdergbrie the preparative
g process?, "girds are ve|y«diff«rently affected bjr tiris poison. Fowls haVe a peculiar eapkeity to