262 ADDITIONAL NOTES.

ſerved, that the delinquents, who were going to the tree, were generally drefled in their beſt apparel.

This however is certain, though it may äppear incredi- ble, that from fifteen to eighteen miles round this tree; not only no human creature can exilt, but that, in that ſpace of ground, no living animal of any kind has ever been diſcovered. I have alſo been aſlfured by ſeveral per- ſons of veracity, that there are no fiſh in the waters, nor has any rat, mouſe, or any other vermin, been ſeen there; and when any birds Ay ſo near this tree that the eMuvia reaches them, they falla ſacrifice to the efeds of the poiſon. This circumſtance has been aſcertained by different de- linquents, who, in their return, have ſeen the birds drop down, and have picked them up dead, and brought them to the old eccleſiaſtic.

I will here mention an inſtance, which proves the fact

beyond all doubt, and which happened during my ſtay at Java.

In 1775 a rebellion broke out among the ſubjets of the Maſſay, a ſovereign prince, whoſe dignity isnearly equal to that of the Emperor. They refuſed to Pay a duty im- poſed upon them by their ſovereign, whom they openly oppoſed. The Maſlay ſent a body of a thouſand tr0oPs to diſperſe the rebels, and to drive them, with their families,

. 8.0.../ out of his dominions. Thus four hundred families, con-

=>

-. .Z2