The Dickinson press., 1891-10-17
THE CREEPING PLANT.
FROM cuA,,RER's JOURNAL.

Poor Hammond managed to get a
months leave at the same time as
myself. That was how we came to
Join hands and arrange for the trip
to Formosa. l wish had worked on
for a year longer now, with all my
heart.
We crossed from Annoy to Taiwan,
a big town on the west coast OF For
mosa, and made our preparations for
getting well into the wilds. You see,
we hadbothbeen in China, q matter of
10 years, and could pass muster very
well with our knowledge OF two or
three dialects OF the dreadfully pro-
fuse language OF the Empire. And so
we expected to get along all right
to shoot q variety OF strange quad
rupeds and feathered creatures, and
Hammond to enlarge his already very
copious collection OF plants and
grasses.
Ineverknew a man more enthusiastic
about mis- hobby than was Hammond
about his specimens. 1t cost him
many a groan to leave them on the
mainland. But for the infinite an
noyance they would have cost us both
he would have carried them with him
to Formosa. They filled eight boxes
as big as American travelling trunks
what with their layers Of wool and
thick blotting-paper, and the camphor
wood cases in which the different
species reposedapartfrom each other.
Poor old chap! he might have pleased
himself in the matter. [ wish he had,
for his interest in the things might
have kept him from the craze that
killed him.
For q week we had a very agreeable
time in the bungalow OF q certain
Scotch missionary whose name will
be q familiar memory to every Euro
pean who has stayed awhile in the
island. He was-indeed is-a very
remarkable man, and q credit to the
Anglo-SaXon race. Ii every man had
his due, he ought to be acknowledged
as Governor-General of Formosa,
though l doubt he would refuse the
dignity. This by the way. And yet
l ought to mention him ii only for the
earnest warning he gave us about the
vermin and reptiles Of the interior.
We spent two days in iourneying from
his house to the woods in which we
proposed to camp for q fortnight, as
happy as Adam and Eve before the
fall.
The forest scenery was magnificent,
but the brake of brambles and flower
ing creepers which matted themselves
between the tree trunks made progress
very SLOW. We did not stick to the
tracks otherwise OF course, it would
have been different. And we were re-
paid for our labor by the strange
creatures l shot, and by many a grass
and flower which Hammond was as
elated over as q mother with her first
child.
Two more days psased, and we pro-
nounced our holiday q success. Then
Hammond sickened of a fever or q
sunstroke, | could not determine
which. He became delirious, and /
feared he would die. must say the
native Formosans, for all their savage
look-they were all but naked in this
part OF the island-were very kind.
They brought me various juices and
simples, which they urged me to use
upon the invalid. But l was afraid
to do that. preferred to rely upon
cold sponging and the quinine in our
medicine chest.
On the seventh night of his illness,
when he was so quiet and improved
in tone that l thought l could leave
him in charge OF Wan Tan, our little
native aide de camp, and get a good
sleep myself, | was suddenly awoke
by the boy with the words. He has
gone!" True enough, Hammond had
evaded his guard and run off into the
woods in his 'pyiamas.' l was dread
fully alarmed. Without loss of time,
however, the boy and / set out in
pursuit; and after about an hour we
caught him up as he was returning
with bent head and puckered brow,
but looking as free from delirium al
man could.
"Why, my dear fellow" I said,
"what in the world led you to do SO
mad a thing?"
Hammond gazed at me indifferently
for a moment. 1t was just as if he
had not yet got his senses fully after
q bad night. Then, witha good deal
OF excitement, he babe me congratulate
him
"Upon what?" Iasked.
"Do you not remember" he replied,
chow we two have talked about the
possible existence of plants that move
from one spot to another with the
same freedom as we conceited bipeds?
Well, I've solved that problem. They
do exist. But ] can't Ireally
can't-make out satisfactorily whether
they do it by the exercise of volition,
or whether they are transported in
spite Of themselves. It's not q bit of
use troubling the British Association
on the subject until we have settled
that's it?'
was half disposed to laugh at him
when he said this. But the mysteri-
Gus and quiet unusual kind ofearnest-
ness in his expression while he was
speaking not only deferred me,
but even again made me feel un-
easy about him. "You are not
serious, Hammond?" l said. "And
besides, old fellow, it's very wrong Of
you to run away in this fashion. Not
to speak of the fright you gave me,
you'll catch a chill, and We shall have
that fever business all over again"
"Fever business! What do you
medn?"
"Nvhy, you know you have been i'll,
and you're not we'll yet; and so come
right along to bed again
He said nothing tothis, but allowed
the boy ard me to take care of him. /
must say he looked a strange object
wrapped up in the blue blanket which
l had seized for the purpose when we
the noon shone uponhim through the
teak trees OF the forest. The scurry-
ing among the branches overhead
seemed to imply that the monkeys