222 CUBBEER-BURR. 



troop, stood his ground, chattering and menacing in 

 a furious rnanner; nor could any efforts with the 

 gun drive them off. He at length came close to 

 the tent-door, and finding that his threatenings were 

 of no avail, he began a lamentable moaning, and, 

 by every token of grief and supplication, seemed to 

 beg the body of the deceased. After viewing his dis- 

 tress for some time, it was given to him. He re- 

 ceived it with a tender sorrow, and taking it up 

 in his arms, embraced it with conjugal affection, 

 and carried it off to his expecting comrades. The 

 artless behaviour of this poor animal so powerfully 

 wrought on Mr. Hervey and his companions, that 

 they resolved, in future, never more to level a gun at 

 a monkey.* 



The famous banian-tree, {Ficus Indica,) called 

 by the Hindoos cubbeer-burr, is one of the won- 

 ders of their country. + A considerable part of this 

 extraordinary tree has been swept away by the high 

 floods of a neighbouring river, but what still remains 

 is near two thousand feet in circumference, measured 

 round the principal stem : the overhanging branches, 

 not yet struck down, cover a much larger space ; and 

 under it grow a number of custard-apples, and other 



* On the authority of James Forbes, Esq. 

 t James Forbes, Esq. who relates these particulars from per- 

 sonal inspection. 



