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m issionary to G re en la n d , 1 721.
T h e m onum ent
b ears also the nam e o f his heroic w ife,
Gertrude
Rasch.
In the g ard en s of Jseg erspriis a B eech T ree
form s a curious object.
Its b ran ch es bent b a ck
w ards to the g ro u n d , and fastened to circu lar
trellisse s, form a larg e and b eau tifu l arb o u r, im
perv io u s to sun and rain. It is said th a t the K ing
an d eighty courtiers once dined "patulse sub tegm ine
fagi.”
W h ilst here, it is w ell w orth w hile to drive or
w alk to a w ood a b o u t three m iles off*
In this
wood, w hich is alm o st entirely o f oaks, stands its
M onarch w ho h a s b rav ed the blasts o f a th o u san d
w inters (such is his age supposed to be).
T h e
tru n k is six y a rd s in h e ig h t, and sixteen y ard s
in c ircum feren ce, hollow and c le ft; bu t still the
ponderous b ra n ch e s, w hich extend a considerable
distance all ro u n d , b e ar le a v e s, p ro o f o f " a green
old age.”
F o u r p easan ts on horseback once found
room in its c av ity , and at another tim e eighteen
m en on foot — a t least so goes the story.
A
sh o rt distance beyo nd the M onarch o f the w ood
stands an o th er m agnificent oak, not so old n o r so
large, b u t a m uch hand som er tree.