3 AN ESSAY ON THE OOPAS, OR 



tion detailed in the following sheets, will refüle 

 the falsehoods that have been publisjied concern- 

 ing this subject at the same time that it will 

 remove the uncertaintj in which it has been 

 enveloped» 



The literary and scicntific world has in 

 few instances been more grossly and impiident- 

 Ij imposed upon than by the account of the 

 Pohon Oopas, pubiished in Holland about the 

 year 1780. The history and origin of this cele- 

 brated forgery still remains amystery. Foerscli,, 

 who put bis name to the Publication^ certainly 

 was (according to infornniation I have received 

 from creditable persons who have long resided on 

 the ïsland) a Surgeon in the Dutch East India 

 Company's service, about tbc time the account of 

 theOopas appeared.* It wouid be in some de- 

 gree interesti ng to become acquainted with bis 

 cbaracter. I have been led to suppose that bis 

 literary abilities were as mean as bis contenipt 

 of truth was c-onsuramate. 



Having bastily picked up some vague infor- 

 mation concerning the Oopas, he carried it to 

 Europe, wherehis notes were arranged, doubtless 



* Foersch was a Surgeon of the thhd class at Samaran^ ia the 

 year 1773. Ilis accomit of the Oopas Tree appeared in 1783. 



