The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-22

called /, Hernosa. and the Engiish-spssk-
ing world has substituted for that name
the Latin equivalent. RecIus. the french
geographer. has described the pn5sicaA
features OF the island with something IKE
enthusiasm. The Chinese sefzec points on
the coast IN the fifteenth century. put
never really conquered the isiann. ana
there was great danger OF war DcA"eeH
China and Japan twenty years ago. De-
cause the latter landed troops on the ISL
and 10 punish the oufrages perpesrated
by the eavages Of the interior. The story
OF many conauesrs In written In successive
zones Of inhabitants in the island. peoples
that became fhe victims OF one conQuering
tribe after another, and were driven to-
ward the interior because the last con-
queror never held possession OF any part
but the coast regions
The most savage people OF Formosa are
the mouutaineers called Izorrotes. or by
the Chinese Song Fan tsavage mem. They
are head hunters, like their supposed re-
latives IN Luzon, and their arms are
spears bows and arrows. and great knives.
The people of the plains are called Pepo-
hoan They resemble the Igorrotes. but
the latter are usually smaller, though
some OF the savage mountain tribes are
noted for stature and agility Their arms
are very long. and their feet enormous.
They step upon the ground only with the
front half OF the foot. and seem to seize II
In running There Is much variety OF
pfysiognomy among them, and their great
rolling eyes Inspire terror. They love 10
adorn themselves with copper bracelets,
collars and belts OF coarse glassware disks.
The men pierce the ears TO insert cylinders
OF bamboo. and warriors bear their his
tories rattooed upon their breasts and
faces b. means OF lines and figures
m "A r1as nj
ferocity. and they resort 10 ingenious stra-
tagems for the discontinue of their enc
mics. They have for the coast jewellers
traditional hatred. like that OF the high
lander for the iowlander, and their de-
scents are like those Of the Welsh and
Scotch mountaineers OF early days upon
the more civilized people of the lowlands.
The sayages keep watch from their mount
ain tops for the approach Of imprudent
coast jewellers In search Of wood or coal.
When the lowlanders are seen y work the
savages glide down behind them by paths
unknown TO the strangers and fall upon
them with lance and knife The heads Of
the victims are cut off and their bodies
are left lying at the scene OF the butchery.
The heads are treated so that they may
be kept as trophies. and when one OF these
people has taken certain number OF
heads he obtains by way OF honor. the
wood representing the human head. They
are decorated with Bits OF copper.
The Igorrotes do not possess written
alphabet. but besides expressing some
things by tattooing they keep the calendar
by means of knotted strings. They thus
keep tally OF the seasons and the years.
But in spite OF their ignorance of mat
tiers civilized. they have a deep cunning
that aids their ferocIty, and this they use
IN. Infr co. ~
civilized brethren Of the coast and upon
tho Chinese strangers. The island waters
are especially rich In fish, and this has led
to the formation OF Chinese fishing vii
iages upon the coast. These villages are
apart from the settlements of the
Pepo-hoan, though the latter and the Chi
nese are ordinarily at peace. The Igor
rotes some years ago formed a plan of at
tack upon some Of the people of the coast.
It was decided at a council OF the savages
that they should divide themselves into
two bands one to attack the Pepo-hoans.
who seemed TO be too much In league with
the invading Chinese. the other to destroy
a Chinese fishing village. The descent was
made In the middle OF the night, the Pepo-
hoans were slain or taken captive, all the
crops were destroyed. and the savages re-
treated with their prisoners In order that
none might be left al the scene OF the mas
d
nese fishing village, I'VE leagues away.
was attacked and burned. So sudden was
the descent that the fishermen living in
boats had not time TO cut their noorings
and escape. Only those absent fishing re-
manned alive. and they did not dare TO re-
turn 10 the burning village. Before ieav-
ing the Pepo-hoan village the savaees had
dropped IN various places articles that
could be identified as of Chinese origin
At the Chinese village they likewise left
relics OF the Pepo-hoans, such as a gun OF
ancient pattern. rice measures a hat made
of bamboo leaves. and other such articles
Then after cannibalsftic feast the saw
ages returned TO the mountains. The OBJ
tect of this stratagem was TO spread the
belief among each group or enemies that
the other and not the mountaineers had
perpetrated the butchery. So well did the
device work that for six months the Pepo-
hoans and the Chinese colonIsts were in a
state OF hostility