1791' LITERARY INTELLIGENCER. I-39 



Farewell ! for ever 1" Four days afterwards, that iznhap- 



py and tender wife died in horrible convulfions : and her 

 death fet the gentleman at libeity, whofe defpair has not yet 

 been calmed. 



Kantufa, or AhyJJinian Thorn. 



X LANTS, which are very troublefome or very ufeful to 

 man, are nearly alike interefting to him. The beautifiil 

 plant, which forms the fubject of the prefent article, is 

 of the former clafs, in thofe uncultivated countries of 

 which it is a native. Its branches are fo numerous and 

 flexile, and its thorns fo ftrong and fo much hooked, as 

 to make it an objecl of terror to approach it in almoft 

 any cafe. The natives, if naked, have their flelh fo much 

 lacerated by it, as to make them dread coming near it ; 

 and if cloathed, it catches fuch firm hold of their gar- 

 ments as to tear them to pieces, if they be of a fine tex- 

 ture ; and it buries its hooks fo deep into them, when 

 coarfe, as to flop the progrefs of any perfon it has once 

 laid hold of ; nor is it eafy, even by patience and addrefs, 

 to get one's felf difengaged from it ; for the prickles, point- 

 ing in oppofite direftions, often fmk deeper in one fide, 

 while they are drawn out from the other; and while the 

 imfortunate fufierer is bufied in extricating one part of iiis 

 drefs, the flexible branches, agitated by the flighteft motion 

 of the wind, or otherwife, feize him at unawares in another 

 place, till he is fometimes under the neceility of quitting 

 his garments, and leaving them behind him. •■ Soldiers alone, 

 who are covered with the fkin of a lion or tiger, dare with 

 fafety approach it; for thefe thick hides are impervious by 

 the thorns. 



So troublefome are thefe trees to travellers, that it is cuf- 

 tomary for the Emperor, every year, before he fets out from 

 his capital, to the diftant part of his dominions, to make 

 proclamation to this effeft ; " Cut down the KantufTa in the 



