It was a sacred, or rather a haunted tree, but as its shade was injurious to tea-plant growth I was determined to have it destroyed.

None of my people would touch it; so I sent over to a neighbour and explained the facts to him, requesting him to send over a gang of his men to do the deed.

I was to see that they had no communication with my own people.
Well, his men came and were put to work with axes.

The result?
Two of them died that day and the rest bolted.

Yet this is not more extraordinary than people dying of imaginary snake bites.
Shortly afterwards an incident occurred to still further strengthen the native belief that the tree was haunted.