manner; but the poor man, who had been always accustomed to hardships and dangers from his infancy, made signs to the people that he was their friend, and was willing to work for them, and be their servant. Upon this, the natives made signs that they would do them no hurt, but would make use of their assistance in fishing and carrying wood.

Accordingly, they led them both to a wood at some distance, and showing them several logs, ordered them to carry them to their cabins. They both set about their tasks immediately; and the poor man, who was strong and active, very soon finished his share; while the rich man, whose limbs were tender and delicate, and never accustomed to labor, had scarcely finished a quarter of his. The savages, who began to notice the great difference in their work, thought the basketmaker would be very useful to them; and therefore presented him a large portion of fish, and several of their choicest roots.

On the other hand, the savages considered the rich man of so little use to them, that they gave him scarcely enough to support him. The food they gave him, though coarse, he ate with a better appetite than

he ever felt at his own table. The next day they were set to work again; and the savages observing how much better the basket-maker worked, than the rich man, they highly caressed him, and showed him much kindness; while they manifested great contempt towards the rich man.

The rich man now began to perceive with how little reason he had before valued himself, and despised his fellow creatures; and an accident which happened shortly after, tended to complete his mortification. One of the savages having found something like a fillet, with which he adorned his forehead, and with which he appeared extremely pleased, the basketmaker pulled up some reeds, and sitting down to work, in a short time finished an elegant wreath, which he placed on the head of the first inhabitant he chanced to meet.

This man was so pleased with this present, that he danced and capered with joy; and ran to inform the rest, who were equally surprised and astonished at this elegant piece of finery. It was not long before another came to the basket-maker, making signs that he wanted to be ornamented like his companion; and

with such pleasure were these chaplets considered by the whole nation, that the basket-maker was released from his former drudgery, and continually employed in weaving them.

In return for the pleasure which he conferred on them, the grateful savages brought him every kind of food which their country afforded; built him a hut; and showed him every demonstration of gratitude and kindness. But the rich man, who possessed neither talents to please, nor strength to labor, was condemned to be the basket maker's servant, and cut him reeds, to supply the continual demands for chaplets.

After having passed some months in this manner, they were again brought back to their own country by the orders of the magistrate, and ordered before him. He then looked sternly upon the rich man, and said, "Having now taught you how helpless and contemptible a creature you are, as well as how inferior to the man you insulted, I proceed to make reparation to him for the injury you have inflicted on him.

"Did I treat you as your conduct deserves, I should

take from you all the riches you possess, as you wantonly deprived this poor man of his whole subsistence; but hoping you will become more humane for the future, I sentence you to give half of your fortune to this man, whom you endeavored to ruin." Upon this, the basket-maker, after thanking the magistrate for his goodness in thus tendering him a fortune, replied―

"Having been bred up in poverty, and accustomed to labor, I have no desire to acquire riches which I should not know how to use; all, therefore, that I require of this man, is to put me into the same situation I was in before, and to learn more humanity." The rich man could not help feeling astonished at this generosity; and having acquired wisdom by his misfortunes, not only treated the basket-maker as a friend, during the rest of his life, but employed his riches in relieving the poor, and benefitting his fellow-creatures.

THE POISON TREE.

HIS destructive tree, which grows in the Island

TH

of Java, is called by the natives the Bohon Upas. The accounts of naturalists respecting this tree have been so deeply tinged with the marvellous, that the whole narration has been considered, by the generality of readers, as an ingenious fiction. I must acknowledge, says the writer of the following account, that I long doubted the existence of this tree, until a stricter inquiry convinced me of my error.

I shall only relate simple, unadorned facts, of which I have been an eye-witness, and the utmost confidence may be placed in the fidelity of the account. In the year 1774, I was stationed at Batavia, as a surgeon, in the service of the Dutch East India Company. During my residence there, I received several different accounts of the Bohon Upas, and the violent