Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-06
THE WAY THEY SHOT CHINESE.
Formosan savaees Didn't Understand
European Target Practice.
From tho New York SIN

FormOsan Savages Didn't Understand
European Target Practice.
From the New York Sun
The latest news from Formosa announces
the ascent of Mount Morrison. reputed to
be the Hottest summit of the island, by Mr.,
Stoepel, who Is known one of the ex-
plorers of Mount Orizaba in Mexico. He
says that Mount Morrison is Inhabited by a
wild tribe of cannibals, evidently Of Malay
an origin, but distinct from any other
known tribe of that race.
The wild mountaineers of inner Formosa
are still very little known. The few whites
who have met them tell stories about them
that are either amusing or curious. Here
is one of the stories that Mr.. Colbcrne
Baber told a few years ago. He said party
of English officers from a man-of-war
landed on the island, made their way some
distance inland. and met a lot Of natives
who were armed with matchlocks. The
Engishmen had an interpreter. and the ma
tives talked freely with them. AT last the
whites challenged the natives to trial of
skill in shooting, and the offer was &C
cepted.
The Englishmen fastened mark to a
tree about 100 yards distant. The officers
led off, and made what they considered
pretty fair practice, but the natives didn't
seem to be al all impressed. Then the fell
lows with the matchlocks We're informed
that it was their turn, and, much to the
surprise of the whites, every man of them
threw himself on his belly and began to
crawl through the underbrush toward the
target.
They squirmed over the ground to within
about three yards of the target then blazed
away, and of course every man hit the
mark exactly in the center
Look here" said the whites "ths isn't
eaXctly fair, is it? Then they explained to
the aborigines the accepted rules of target
practice. The natives listened with much
interest. and then made this comment: .
We'll, we don't know anything about the
way you men shoot at marks. But we've
just shown you how We shoot Chinese and
why shouldn't we shoot at mark the same
way? We want to hit things when we fire
and why shouldn't we fire the way we can
shoot best?'
Nothing could convince them that they
hadn't won the match, and they walked off
with the small prize the whites had put up
for the best craftsmanship.
Mount Morrison forms part of lofty
mountain range which stretches down the
center of the island like a backbone. Mounts
Morrison and Silvia are supposed to be the
highest points, but they are not very con-
spicuous, for they rise so little above the
general level. Mr.. Beazley said in 1884 that
these mountains We're wooded to the very
top, and the statement is not doubted
though Mr.. Baber saw snow the north
side of the mountains late in June and Dr.
Warbung, who made a botanical explora-
ton in Formosa in 1888, spoke of seeing the
'snow-glstening Mount Morrison" Mr.
George Taylor of the Chinese customs ser
vice wrote in 1885 that in winter the gum
mits Of the higher mountains are often
capped with snow, and that the entire range
Is a most impressive sight from ships as
they approach the coast 1t is not certain
unless Mr.. Stoepel has ascertained which is
probable. whether Morrison or Sylvia is
the higher, but both are known to be over
l2.00U fe ct above sea level