136 THE WONDERS OF VEGETATION. 



suddenly, with pain racking his limbs, and blisters 

 and ulcers covering his whole body. If he escapes 

 with his life, it will be to cherish during the remain- 

 der of his days a wholesome fear of the danger of the 

 poisonous properties of the euphorbiacese. 



Everywhere the manchineel enjoys the unenvia- 

 ble reputation of being a most dangerous tree, in the 

 shade of which it is imprudent to repose, since, as the 

 poet says, "pleasure dwells there by the side of 

 death." This evil reputation has its origin in the 

 poisonous qualities of the sap and the fruit of a tree 

 of the same kind, found in Africa the arborescent 

 euphorbia. Like the former, this tree has a magnifi- 

 cent though even more peculiar appearance. The 

 thickness of its branches and foliage, which wholly ex- 

 clude the sun, seem to invite the weary traveller to 

 repose. The negroes have a way of taking advan- 

 tage of the delightfully cool shade and at the same 

 time avoiding the danger from the poisonous drop- 

 pings of the tree. They erect a thatched roof below 

 the lowest branches and repose in peace. 



M. Tremaux, in a narrative of his excursion to the 

 Soudan, has an interesting passage respecting these 

 arborescent euphorbia. 



" While taking a view of Cacane," he says, " I 

 asked one of the negroes who stood near me, to go 

 and seat himself under a great euphorbia which 

 stood in the foreground. At first he hesitated ; then 

 after a little he decided to yield ; but not without 

 raising his eyes many times in apprehension towards 

 the branches of the tree. I was about to climb upon 



