An Ominous Tree

Inangahua Times, 16 January 1933, Page 4

An Ominous Tree

Four adventurous persons of either sex including preferably a botanist, n mineralogist, and a scientist, are wanted to complete a party about to seek the man-eating tree in Madagascar. \ Captain L. R. De la Hurst, j formely of the 85th Burmah Infantry, who has spent many years in India, I China, and Malay States, and has j travelled through the island of | Madagascar, is organising the expedition. t _ I “ It is a private expedition,” said ; Captain De la Hurst to a Press ! representative recently, Four of us have already arranged to go, including a naval commander, who will undertake a geological survey. We want four more. j “ We intend to explore, from a i botanical standpoint, the forest of the ■ west coast of Madagascar, and to make surveys of the unexplored , rivers there. W T e will make a cinema j tour of the island and exploit its commercial possibilities.” The main idea ot the expedition, Captain De la Hurst said, is to find the ominous man-eating tree, to i which human sacrifices are offered, according to statements made to him by natives during previous expeditions to Madagascar. ” The tree,” he said, “is worshipped by a great number of primitive people in the island. One

night be regarded as a second D j Rougemont if one s.iid too much h u t it. _ “ I can tell you this,” he added, ‘it does eat human brings. Ir is <r .pl a very c'ose secret and natives ire not keen in poiming out the locality. “ Chiefs have told me that sacrifices are periodically offered to the ree. I hope if possib'e, to take cmema pictures of the actual :eremcny. “The tree,” Captain De la Hurst stated, “is said to be rather like a o'ossal pineapple, six feet ro md at he base, and seven or eight feet Vgh. There are a number of long : tendrils about as thick as a man’s! “ I suppose—of course Ido not I know—"that the plants have certain r : nses ; ” said Captain De la Hurst. I “As soon as the tree feels the J proximity of the intended victim the endrils entwine the body ; the large • eaves slowly raise themselves and completely encompass the person. l’res c ure like a vise is exercised by he leaves, and the victim, it appears s almost entirely crushed. “ I understand that the leaves r-main in their closed formation for live or six days. Then they spread •ut again and only the bones are • lund."

Captain Hurst stated that he did iot anticipate that members of the expedition, if they succeeded in finding the tree, would be placed in actual danger of themselves becomHe intends to take his wife with iiim- Mrs Hurst has had previous experience of exploration.