T O N U I N. 73 



ing them a fort of immortality ; the beft is in 'Japan. The 

 reader may fatisfy his curiofity further by confulting 'Thunberg, 

 Flora Japon. p. 121. Koempfer's travels, i. 114. and his Aman. 

 Acad. jgi. fig. 792. Ka/m * found it in North America, and 

 mentions it under the name of the poifon tree. It certainly 

 merits the title, but its effedts are not general ; fome perfons can 

 receive its juice on the body or hands without the leall ill con- 

 fequence, while others are afflidled with violent fwelling, acute 

 pains, and blifters fo numerous that the patient will refemble a 

 leper, and his very fkin peel off; fome people are even ftruck 

 with blindnefs for two days together ; much depends on the 

 conftitutions of thofe affedted. There are men that will handle 

 the tree, or touch the juice with impunity ; while others will be 

 vifited with all the deleterious fymptoms by being in the way 

 of the fmoke, or even of the wind which carries the effluvia or 

 exhalations of this fingular tree* 



It has been obferved that the workers in Laquer or Japan, 

 feel the bad efFe(fts, being fubje6t to violent eruptions, in form 

 of boils or blotches. The laborers can only work in the dry 

 feafon, when the north winds blow. They are obliged to lay 

 feveral coats on, each of which muft have time to drv, before 

 the other is applied. The varnilli is brought to market in great 

 tubs all the working feafon, the natural color is white, and thick 

 like cream, but changes in the air, and becomes blackifli ; Daju- 

 pier fays that the Tonquhiefe have the art of making of it a glue 

 the beft in the world. 



I.v this kingdom are abundance of fir and poon trees, 



^ Vol. i. 77. 



Vol. \IU L both 



