The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-04-21
Visit to the Savsges in Formosa.


Mr.. William Hancock's report to Sir Ro-
bert Hart on the trade of Tamsui for 1881.
has just been issued from the Customs
Printing office. 1t possesses many features
OF Interest respecting FormOsa, not the
least important of (which is an account writ
ten hy Mr.. Hancock of Il visit lie paid to
the Island.
Several ccounts nave from time to time
been written CONCERNING the sa wages of For
moSa. their ceremonies, customs, etc, ac-
cOmpaHied by lists of words and phrases.
Such. however, have been principally de-
rived from the south of the island, in the
neighbOrlI0Od of T~aiwanfu, where the ma
.tlves would seem to have been more access
sible than in other parts. Various opinions
regarding their origin have been put for
ward thar they differ widely from the in
digineS of Hainan there can be no doubt.
One eminent authority refers the latter to
the Cochin Chinese family, and the FormO-
sans to The POlynesian. On this oint, I
am not competent to offer an opinion; but
Il short sketch of personal experience de-
rived nom u visit to them i'll their native
forests may not he altogether uniuteresting.
Often when walking over the TamSui noun
tains, looked in tie direction of the lofty
forest -ciad ranges of the a~borigineS, Il mys-
FERROUS and unknown region. From various
sources l learned the following facts: First,
that some of the sa vages come out 10 the
border to barter with the Chinese; secondly,
that III Consequence of the entertainments
of the latter OH the edges of the forest, seek
ing camphOr-wood, etc, encounters fire.
quently take place, or rather that the Chi
ilese, when engaged in cutting down the
trees, are surprised by heir wary antago-
nists and killed, and their heads cut off and
carried away as trophies; thirdly, that
these acts are not always done 10y the
savages of the particular place where they
occur, but by Others brought from Il distance
for the purpose and, fourthly. that anyone
entering the forests and coming upOn the
savages without previous warning would
almost certainly be killed. these particulars
NrarA Knf 50. IN Dna L.
sirous of exploring their businesses how
ever / decided to endeavOr to get a look at
them outside, at some bartering place, and
thus perhaps gain additional information
regarding their habits and customs.
On the 10th of February, 1882, [ started
from Tamsui, steaming ten miles up the
river to Banka, where L proceeded to pur-
chase such articles as | thought might find
most fay or as presents. From Bamka | went
south and crossed the plain till | entered
the mountains at Simtiam. The situation
OF this place is very pretty the .iver ii few
hundred yards up is a brawling mountain
stream, which, after passing over "A rapid,
flows smoothly in front of the village under
the base of rocks projecting, like the but
tresses of Il Cathedral, into clear green
water 90 feet deep, whilst, reaching far up
behind, the hillside forms Il canopy of
hanging wood interspersed with miniature
bamboo dells.
Ferrying over the rapids, 1 traversed a
stony tract of waste and, which is sub
HIGISeu II heavy nbOISt anu Iletl crossed
The river again, and, ascending q hill 500
feet high, devoted entirely to tea, dropped
dow into a small semi-circular shut i'm the
valley, and put up at the village of Kochu.
y few year ago the river at this place
was the boundary between the savage and
Chinese territories, and although a few tea
plots are now established on the other side,
it was only last September that Il China
man, while at- work, was surprised and
killed by savages who crept over the hill
from the back and shot and beheaded him
within half a mile of KOchu whilst at
another spot rather more than Il mile off,
live days before / arrived, three Chinese
had been pounced upon, and their heads
cut OF and carried away. BY the side of
the river is a curious little hamlet perched
on the summit of Il mOund-like hill this
place was attacked Il few years ago by 80 or
W savages, but the inhabitants were able to
iefend themsolve-, and beat them off.
My object now was 10 find a Chinese go
between, and induce him to bring out some
u the natives for me to see. Hearing that
such a man was to be mel with further up
the river, | started for his cottage. The
path lay by the side of the water, which
was fast becoming hemmed i'm by noun
taIns which descended i'm perpeud. cular
Precipices, 80 that the only footing to be had
was cut out of the rock, III the style of paths
IN the Andes Il little further on and the
river had to he crossed, and then the walk
ing was along the face of Il smooth rock
the base of Il mountain which shot down at
II steep angle. Along tins was Il crack which
served as a path, allowing in some places
almost the width of ones foot but hat,
coat, and boots had to be dispensed with,
and 1t became necessary TO cIaw the rock
with both hands and edge along, picking
ones steps with care, as the river below
was swift and strong. AT length, after a
good deal of scrambling, | reached fair
ground, and, mounting II very steep hill,
came To The cottage of the gO-Oetween, and
set To work regulating.
1t was arranged that he should bring out some
savages and l would give them n fe st of pig and
stmshu their special fancy } ut the bartering
house by the river. My friend forthwith changed
his clothes and put on n striped tunlc of savage
cloth. tied on a huge knife, and threw round his
neck q gay arrangement Of colored beads from
which hung shot and powder pouches snd all
the necessary paraphernalia for the long-barreled
matchbox which he had taken down from its
rest on the wall. He was now transformed into
a typical I" Hawk-eye,' and having Int his fuse,
he sailed forth, passed over the mountain by q
winding path and disappeared. This was in the
morning,
At about half-past 6 in the afternoon there
was q cry from the door of the cottage where l
had remained. They are coming > and going
out to see, I beheld three men and a girl slowly
ascending the path from the river, "Hawk-eye"
having preceded them and laid aside his gun.
Five of the savages had originally started to
come out, but hearing the roaring or bowling OF