e juice, when prepared as a poison, is sometimes mixed with black
pepper, and the juice of galanga-root, and of ginger. It is as thick as
molasses, and will keep for a long time if sheltered from the action of
the air.

The upas does not grow as a gregarious tree, and is nowhere found in
numbers. Like the precious treasures of nature--gold, diamonds, and
pearls--her poisons, too, happily for man, are sparsely distributed.
Even in the climate and soil congenial to it, the _antiaris toxicaria_
is rare; but wherever discovered is sure to be frequently visited, if in
a district where there are hunters or warriors wishing to empoison and
make more deadly their shafts. A upas-tree in a well-known
neighbourhood is usually disfigured by seams and scars, where incisions
have been made to extract its envenomed juice.

That there were no such marks upon the one where they had made their
camp, was evidence that the neighbourhood was uninhabited. So said
Saloo, and the others were but too glad to accept his interpretation of
the sign.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

STARTING FOR THE INTERIOR.

Reclining on the soft silvery sand, inhaling the fresh morning breeze
blowing in from the Celebes Sea, every breath of it seeming to infuse
fresh blood into their veins and renewed vigour into their limbs, the
castaways felt their health and strength fast returning. Saloo's
prognosis was rapidly proving itself correct. He had said they would
soon recover, and they now acknowledged the truth of his prediction.

Their cheerfulness came back along with their returning strength, and
with this also their appetites. Their dinner-supper of roast hornbill
had done them little good; but although for a time scared by such diet,
and determined to eschew it when better could be had, they were now only
too glad to resort to it, and it was agreed upon that the old hen,
stewed as intended, should supply the material of their breakfast.

A fresh fire was kindled far away from the dangerous upas; the huge
shell, with its contents, was hastily snatched from the deadly shade,
and, supported by four large pebbles to serve as feet for the queer
stew-pan, it was placed over the burning embers, and soon commenced to
steam and squeak, spreading around an odorous incense, far pleasanter to
the olfactories of the hungry party than either the fresh saline breeze,
or the perfume of tropical flowers now and then wafted to them from the
recesses of the forest.