was provided with a mask, or leather hood, and a small box, in which to deposit the poison when collected. The criminals usually waited at the priest's dwelling till a favorable wind set in, under the protection of which they sped away on their fatal course, the old man accompanying them to a certain rivulet, the stream of which they were directed to follow till arriving at the tree. Foersch goes on to explain how desirous he was to obtain some portion of this marvelous tree as a relic; but, after long waiting and many entreaties, he could only procure two withered leaves.

scription we now have of it, other gases than the carbonic acid. Most probably the gas to which its energy is due is hydro-sulphuric acid, or sulphureted hydrogen; but the chemical reader shall judge for himself from the description of Mr. Alexander Loudon, who visited the pestilential spot in July, 1830. This gentleman was fortunate in being able to find natives ready to take him to the poison valley, which they hold in great dread. A previous traveler had heard a very faithful account of it by the natives, but could not find any person who would show him its locality. Mr. Loudon heard for the first time of the poison valley, called by the natives "Gueva Upas," July 3, 1830, during a walk one morning with a native chief, who told him there was a valley only three miles from Batum, which no person could enter without forfeiting his life; and that the bottom of the place was covered with the skeletons of birds, and beasts, and human beings. Mr. Loudon having communicated this intelligence to some of the Dutch authorities, it was agreed that a party of exploration should be made up, and the poison valley should be visited. "I had heard," says Mr. Loudon, "that a lake existed on the summit of one of the mountains, and that it was dangerous to approach very near the banks of this lake; but of the poison valley I had never heard before; the accounts of it now were so very extraordinary that I did not believe them."

Early on the 4th of July, 1830, Mr. Loudon and his fellow-excursionists set out on their exploration. The valley, as correctly stated by the natives, was only three miles from Batum. So far was there from being an absence of vegetation in its vicinity, as had been anticipated, that a Mr.

Well, Mynheer Foersch, there would not be the slightest difficulty in procuring leaves of the upastree now. They are figured in many books as leaves of the Antiaris toxicaria. The juice of the tree is so remarkably poisonous, that all which Foersch has related concerning the effects of punctures with lancets poisoned by contact with it is strictly consistent with what we know concerning the power of this class of poisons. Had the Dutch surgeon not told his readers that he was satisfied from personal experience concerning the existence of the upas-tree, and that the accounts which he had heard respecting it were not overrated, there would be not much to be said against his statements; for Java contains upas-trees, and their juice is remarkably poisonous. Java also contains a poison valley, the air of which is so impure that any living being which finds its way there speedily falls a victim. The poison valley in question, however, is not poisonous because of the upas-tree; its circumference is nearer half a mile than otherwise, and the extent of its influence over adjacent parts of Java may be readily inferred from the particulars I shall presently give. Most people have heard of the celebrated | Daendels-a gentleman in the Dutch serviceGrotto del Cane, in the vicinity of Naples; a grotto so called because dogs are the animals usually selected to show by their suffering and death how dangerous it is. The Grotto del Cane may be entered by a grown-up human individual with impunity, because the poisonous gas, on which its energy depends, is so heavy that it does not rise sufficiently high to be breathed, though a dog's nose and mouth being below the level of the poisonous emanation, the animal soon dies. The poison valley of Java is something like the Grotto del Cane on a gigantic scale. There is a difference, however, between the two as regards the kind of poisonous gas contained in each. That of the Grotto del Cane is carbonic acid gas-the same gas which is evolved from burning charcoal, from ginger beer and soda-water, champagne cider, and brewers' vats; but the poisonous air of the Java valley must contain, from the de

ordered a path to be made through the dense brushwood, to facilitate the progress of the explorers. Mr. Loudon took with him two dogs and some fowls, as subjects of experiment. Arriving at the foot of the mountain, they left their horses, and scrambled up the mountain side, holding on for security by the branches of trees. The explorers were very much fatigued before they got up, the path being very steep and slippery. When within a few yards of the edge of the valley, a sickening, nauseous, suffocating smell was experienced; but no sooner did Mr. Loudon and his companions come close to the place than the smell ceased. Mr. Loudon shall now speak a few words for himself: "We were lost in astonishment," he relates, "at the awful scene below us. The valley was an oval excavation, about half a mile in circumference-its depth from thirty to thirty-five feet. The bottom quite flat; no vege

done so, analysis might have settled the nature of it. The chemical reader, however, will be convinced, from various points of the description, that sulphureted hydrogen, if not the sole gaseous poison there, must be a constituent of it to a very large degree. And a very terrible poison it is, too. Some years ago a curious experiment was made with it at the Veterinary College of Lyons. The object proposed was to determine whether a horse could be killed with it by mere absorption through the skin. For this purpose the poor animal was inclosed, all but the head, in an indiarubber bag, containing air mixed with twelve per cent. of sulphureted hydrogen gas. The conditions of the experiment of course permitted the horse to breathe atmospheric air; nevertheless he died. This is the gas which accumulates in grave

tation-not even a blade of grass-but abundance of stones, like river-stones in appearance, and covered thickly with skeletons of human beings, tigers, pigs, deer, pea-cocks, and a great variety of other birds and animals." Mr. Loudon, as soon as his first impressions had abated, began to look about for the cause of the desolation there apparent. He examined for clefts or crevices, through which the escape of gas might take place; but he could not find any. The bottom of the valley appeared unbroken, and to be composed of a white, sandy material. The sides of the valley, from top to bottom, were found covered with vegetation, both trees and shrubs. One adventurous person proposed to enter the valleya proposal, however, which Mr. Loudon considerately declined, and which the proposer himself did not carry into practice. All managed, how-yards, cesspools, and other places where animal matever, by exercising great care, to descend within ter is collected. Accidents originating with it have eighteen feet of the bottom. Still no difficulty been particularly frequent at Paris, where the of breathing was experienced; only a sickly, nau- conditions are such that large amounts of animal seous smell. The deadly character of the emana- matter accumulate, and are allowed to remain for tions of the valley may be judged of from the re- considerable periods in domestic establishments. sult of certain painful experiments made. A dog Surely all who are interested in the sanitary welwas fastened to the end of a bamboo, eighteen feet fare of the community ought to be stirred up by long, and sent in. Some members of the party the reflection, that through our want of caution we had stop-watches, by which the exact duration of are often allowing the very gases that constitute life in the valley was determined. In ten seconds the destructive properties of the upas valley, to the animal fell on his back, overcome by the poi- do their deadly work upon the population in the sonous gas; he neither barked nor moved his midst of us. limbs, but continued breathing for about eighteen minutes. The second dog broke loose from the bamboo, and walked in of his own accord to the spot where the other dog was lying. He then stood quite still for ten seconds, when he fell on his back, and only continued to breathe for seven minutes.

The first of the fowls was now thrown in; it died in a minute and a half. A second fowl was dead before touching the ground. On the side of the valley, opposite to where Mr. Loudon stood, he saw the skeleton of a human being bleached quite white, and lying on a large stone. The skeleton was lying on its back, with the right hand under the head. Mr. Loudon wished to procure this skeleton; but he was unable to do so. This, and other human skeletons existing in the poison-valley, are supposed to have been those of rebels, who, pursued from the main road, had taken refuge here, ignorant of the fatal nature of the place. Till fairly into the valley, a stranger would not be made aware of the character of the spot; and, once in, there is no return.

It is a pity that Mr. Loudon, when he was about it, did not procure a bottle-full of the gas which pervades this poisonous locality. Had he

Were it desirable for any reason to purify the poison-valley of Java, there is reason to believe, from the description of the locality furnished to us by Mr. Loudon, that it could be effected by the exercise of moderate engineering skill. Sulphureted hydrogen gas, like carbonic acid gas, is very heavy; it remains at the bottom of a vessel just as a liquid would do. If, therefore, the poisonvalley were tapped, like a barrel, at its lowest part, all the foul air would run away, and, mixing with the external air, would soon be diluted to such an extent that no practical harm would en

sue.

When sulphureted hydrogen is mixed with air in very small proportions, it may be breathed with impunity. In point of fact, we breathe it every day of our lives, especially such of us as live in cities; nay, it is continually evolved from our hair. A curious point may here be mentioned in reference to this evolution. Sulphureted hydrogen has the property of turning black certain metallic compounds which are brought in contact with it. Among the metallic compounds in question, those of lead and bismuth are conspicuous. If, therefore, hair be smeared with a paste into which litharge-oxyd of lead-enters, and cutaneous exhalation retarded by a cap of oilskin, the

THE HOLE IN THE CARPET.

A DOMESTIC SKETCH.

from the same cause. I think you have no stones to throw about red faces. A man that can drink a bottle of port at a sitting-at least with very

THINK this is the result of a burn," said little help-may well have a red face, and a hot

"I Mrs. Wilson, pointing to an injury distemper a

covered in a new carpet. "It appears to me as if some careless servant had let fall a red-hot poker upon it."

"O dear, no; it is not a bit like a burn; it is a cut, most assuredly," said Mr. Wilson, stooping to re-examine it.

"A cut!" repeated the lady, with some energy and surprise.

"A cut, my dear !" reiterated the husband; "it has been done with a knife, and, most likely, while splitting wood, or perhaps cutting sand-paper for polishing the bars of the grate."

Mrs. W. "Why, my dear, the edges of the hole do not meet, as they would do if it were a cut; there is a space where the piece has been burned out. Look again, and you will see what I

mean."

Mr. W. "So far from it, the edges have been raveled out by the action of the broom in sweeping, and they positively wrap over. If you will give yourself the trouble to look carefully, you will find what I say is true."

Mrs. W. "As to trouble, Mr. Wilson, I am not generally very sparing of my trouble; and as to carefulness, I only wish every body in this house was equally careful. But you are always saying these unkind things. Umph! a cut, indeed! why, I can almost smell the singeing now."

Mr. W. "That is quite impossible." Mrs. W. "I suppose you will charge me with falsehood next. Do you mean to say that I tell you an untruth?"

Mr. W. "I mean to say that it is a cut, and nothing but a cut. It is utterly impossible that that kind of hole should result from a burn. Ah! you may look as angry as you please. I say again it is a cut."

Mrs. W. "Angry! did you say angry, Mr. Wilson? I really wish we could see ourselves. You are extremely ready to charge me with being angry. Now, the truth is, I do not care that [furiously dashing a plate of nutshells, which she had been cracking, behind the fire] whether it is a cut or a burn; but I do care to be spoken to in this shameful manner. Angry, indeed! it was not always so you never used to bring such charges against me."

Mr. W. "Well, you are not angry now, I suppose? Why, your very eyes flash fire, and your face is red with rage."

to my cost."

Mr. W. "You know to your cost! you mean, madam ?"

What do

Mrs. W. "O! nothing, sir-nothing at all, I mean nothing, and I care for nothing."

Mr. W. "Then be silent."

Mrs. W. "I shall not; I shall say just what I please, and talk as long as I please."

Mr. W. "Then quit my presence, madam, and talk to yourself, for I will not put up with your insolence; and I wonder how you dare act as you do."

Mrs. W. "Dare! Mr. Wilson, did you say dare? I say, then, in answer, that I wonder, when you take certain circumstances into consideration, I do really, I say, wonder at you. Recollect, sir, my position; you forget yourself."

Mr. W. "I do not know what you mean." Mrs. W. "Ay, ay, it is all very well to pretend you do not know what I mean. Whose money was it that enabled you, when you were— ?"

Mr. W.-Interrupting—" And who was it that raised you from a tradesman's back parlor to the rank of a lady? I am a gentleman, madamwas born such, you will please to remember. Position, indeed! as if money gave position."

Mrs. W. "A gentleman born! ha, ha! And pray who would be clear-sighted enough to select the gentleman born from the beggar, if money were out of the question? A fine sort of figure your gentlemanly birth would have made without wealth, sir-my wealth-my wealth, bestowed upon you."

Mr. W. "Silence, madam, [much excited,] hold your venomous, rattling tongue. You are a disgrace to your sex, and to the name of wife."

Mrs. W. "Thank you, Mr. Elisha Wilson, I thank you; and am glad you have at last given me to understand exactly the esteem in which you hold me. This is your gratitude to my father for the thousands he threw away upon a poor gentleman, and this comes of all your fine promises. I tell you what, sir, I will not put up with it. I will have a separation, if it takes every farthing of my fortune; I will have a separation, I say."

Mr. W. "Do so; do, do, I advise you; better set about it now directly."

Mrs. W. "You think I dare not; but I will show you that I have a spirit. I will go where

Mrs. W. "Not quite so red as yours, sir, nor you shall never discover my abode, and then

perhaps you may wish that you had behaved dif-
ferently, or perhaps you will be ten thousand times
happier without me."
Mr. W. "You choose to say so, you know, and which of you is the aggressor?"
not I."
Both were silent.

aside all that has been elicited in anger during
your quarrel-I do not want to hear that-and
allow me to ask you again, what is the offense,

Mrs. W. "Yes, and I repeat it-I dare affirm that you would rejoice to be rid of me; and if once I did separate from you, I would never return to you again; I would die alone, [sobbing hysterically,] and never plague you with my hateful presence-no, not if you were to go on your knees and beg of me to do so; I would spurn you." [Suiting her action to the words.]

Mr. W. "You would have no occasion to apprehend my going on my knees, I assure you; I should view your conduct then, as I view it now, with calm contempt."

"This is strange," said the father; "surely you can tell me how this disgraceful scene commenced. There must have been some great fault committed."

Silence still prevailed. The simple process of common sense, which the old gentleman had set to work, carried the infatuated couple back to the frivolous origin of their quarrel. Nothing could appear more ridiculously absurd than the reply which was at last elicited; "We quarreled about a hole in the carpet."

"A what?" said the old gentleman, lifting his

Mrs. W. "A very calm state, indeed, you are hands, shrugging his shoulders, as with staring in just now."

The father of Mrs. Wilson, a wise and venerable man, had recently entered the garden near the open window of the room where this dispute took place; and having caught some of the speeches of both wife and husband, the reasonable conclusion he instantly formed was that some dire catastrophe had happened-that one or the other had committed some disgraceful fault, or, at least, had given some serious ground of suspicion. The worthy man's courage began to give way, when he considered how thankless an office it generally is to interfere between man and wife; but they were his children, and he ventured in, pale with apprehension.

Mrs. Wilson was sitting at the extreme end of the room, her chair pushed close against the wall, where it had arrived by successive jerks backward, at every fresh ebullition of passion, while Mr. Wilson was cutting his nails to the quick, seated at the utmost opposite side of the apartment, each casting at the other an occasional glance of vengeance or contempt.

"My dear daughter," the old gentleman began, with an air of deep concern, "what has happened?"

eyes he looked aghast, and turned on his heels. "What a pair of simpletons," said he; "I am ashamed of ye both; go to school again and learn to put off childish things! Truly, as said the wisest of men, 'The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water; therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.""

We are glad to add, that Mr. and Mrs. W. did take the old gentleman's advice, and heartily ashamed were they when they came to calm reflection, that they had allowed so small a matter to kindle so large a fire. As, unhappily, their case is not a singular one in the world, will our readers permit us to conclude with a few words from Mr. Boardman's "Bible in the Family." The author says:

"While marriage is a blessed institution, it is a crucible to character. The great transactions of life are much less trying to the temper than the secluded, intimate, constant fellowship of the family. If there is any badness in a man's-or woman's-disposition, this will bring it out. It has long been proverbial that, to understand a person's character, you must live with him; and the reason is, partly because home is the only place where we are quite free from restraint, and

"Ask him," said Mrs. W., pointing to her hus- act out our real feelings, and partly because we band, with spiteful looks.

The old gentleman turned to Mr. W.

encounter more petty annoyances and perplexities there than elsewhere. It should not be so; but the illusion with which parties set out in wedded life is too commonly dispelled, and that at an

"Your daughter threatens to leave me, sir," was the reply. "But what for?" demanded the father; "where early day. Abraham and Sarah entertained three lies the offense?"

strangers, and were amazed, when their visit was concluded, to find that their guests were angels. The reverse of this has sometimes happened in conjugal life. The parties have been certain at their nuptials that they were marrying each an 'Stay, my children, stay," said the father; "set angel; and have subsequently learned, with equal

Each now began simultaneously to repeat the aggravated expressions which had been used on both sides. "He said so and so." "She said so and so."