200 



SACRED TREES OF THE EAST. 



an Abyssinian variety of Ficus which forms the repre- 

 sentative of the Banyan tree in Africa; some fair 

 specimens of it are to be seen in the Esbekiyeh Gardens 

 at Cairo, where we were informed it was introduced 

 from Central Africa by Dr. Georg Schweinfurth. This 

 tree in many respects closely resembles the Indian banyan, 

 and produces quantities of air roots in the same way ; 

 but there are certain differences in the leaves and fruit, 

 which show that it is an entirely distinct variety. Its 

 immense and curious looking* fruit hangs from its 

 branches like gigantic cucumbers pendant to the end 

 of a string. 



It is, however, not a little remarkable to find that the 

 superstition so prevalent in Asia, respecting the supposed 

 sanctity of the banyan tree, was observed by Dr. 

 Livingstone to be in existence among the native tribes 

 in this remote part of Central Africa, which at the time 

 he visited it was an almost entirely unknown and un- 

 explored region. The circumstance aifords us another 

 instance of the fact that extraordinary phenomena of 

 Nature never pass unnoticed, and never fail to make 

 a deep impression on the mind of the races of natural 

 man, to whose imagination they always present them- 

 selves as special instances of Divine power: as such 

 they are invariably regarded with feelings of awe and 

 veneration, and are supposed to be invested with 

 supernatural powers, as the probable seat of the Divine 

 presence. 



We need not go further to find a notable example 

 of this sort than the sacred Bo-tree (Ficus Religiosa) 

 of India and Ceylon, sometimes called the "Peepul," 

 or poplar-leafed fig-tree, which is universally supposed 

 by people professing the Buddhist faith, to be endowed 



