324 
POISON TREE. 
ready settled at a greater distance, of their lands. 
With this they were obliged to comply ; but the 
consequence was, that in less than two months their 
number was reduced to about three hundred. The 
chiefs of those who remained returned to the mas- 
say, informed him of their losses, and entreated his 
pardon ; which induced him to receive them again 
as subjects, thinking them sufficiently punished for 
their misconduct. I have seen and conversed with 
several of those who survived, soon after their return. 
They all had the appearance of persons tainted 
with an infectious disorder ; they looked pale and 
weak ; and from the account which they gave of 
the loss of their comrades, and of the symptoms 
and circumstances which attended their dissolution, 
such as convulsions, and other signs of violent death, 
I was fully convinced that they fell victims to the 
poison. 
u This violent effect of the poison, at so great a 
distance from the tree, certainly appears surprising, 
and almost incredible; and especially when we con- 
sider that it is possible for delinquents who approach 
the tree to return alive. My wonder, however, in a 
great measure ceased, after I had made the following 
observations : 
“ I have said before, that malefactors are instructed 
to go to the tree with the wind, and to return against 
the wind. When the wind continues to blow from 
the same quarter while the delinquent travels thirty 
or six-and-thirty miles, if he be of a good con- 
stitution he certainly survives. But what proves 
