The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-05-10

~ the National Geographi,
society. Washington. D. C)
Une OF the most important Of tn.
suces OF China" taken by outside ma
tions, out one which there has been M
mention Of restoring. is the islam
~nicn the world knows as Formosa
oue which the japanese, since the,
gained possession Of 1t through the
contemporaries war, have named Tai
wan. "a
"lhla Formosa"-Beautiful Isle-tbe
early portuguese voyagers called II
ana never was more appropriate
name given to an isle of the sea.
II you care to confirm this in ona n
several pleasant ways, sail along thu
west coast Of Formosa IN a tex pai. O,
bamboo raft, on clear day and
you VIII witness pageant Of noun.
tain scenery that viii haunt the mem.
cry Tor many day.
Beyond the fertile plain, with its
emerald paddy-felds and its pictur.
esque little villages dotted here and
there on the banks of meanderina
streams, foothills with unending varia.
ions OF contour silhouette their tree
frlnged SUBMITS against the paler
screen OF more distant mountains, OF
these, sometimes Ave and sometimes
even SIX parallel ranges are visible at
once, each a separate ribbon Of color
shading from the deepest sapphire to
the pslest azure and extending in an
unbfoken chain Of beauty from north
to south.
IN the east Of the island you can
See the highest coastal cliffs known, at
some places rising abruptly to an ele-
walton OF about 5000 feet, and afford
Ing an impregnable wall Of defense to
the Wild aboriginal tribes living in the
mountains back of them.
All Kinds Of Vegetation.
Formosan scenery is unusual in its
diversity Of vegetation within such
narrow confines-the greatest length
of the island from north to south is
about 264 miles and 80 miles is its
greatest width.
From the palms and tropical fruit
trees of the western plain 1t is only a
short step to the slopes Of the lower
mountains, with their exuberant
jungles Of various growths-the beard
ed banyans, the graceful tree ferns
which in sheltered hooks attain the
height Of palms, and the ubiquitous
bamboo grass.
Here, among moss-strung trees, is
found growing the beautiful butterfly
orchid, while in exposed spaces, nes-
ting among the rocks, rose-pink azaleas
flaunt their gay blooms. A little high
sr are plateaus covered with camphor
aurel, the largest tracts of these valu-
able trees In the world, while still
higher grow the forests Of oOniferous
trees-the giant benih, similar to the
redwoods Of California, the largest
trees In the East and the second
largest in the world; the valuable
hinoki or japanese cypress, and TIE
pine cedar and spruce Of the New
England states; and higher yet the
.raggy peaks Of the tallest mountains,
,ut sparsely covered with vegetation
Of any sort. where eagles build their
nests, ara which for the greater part
of the year lie beneath a mantle of
snow.
The usual approach to the island is
The port Of Kelung. in the extreme
forth. Almost any time one arrives
h Keiung the rain will be found COM
Inc down in sheets, obscuring the hill.
crested harbor.
Board a train for Taihoku, the CAPT.
tai city, which on most maps still
bears its old Chinese name of Taipeh,
and In about ten minutes you will pass
through long tunnel. under noun
rain ridge on the other side Of which
YOU will in all probability find the
landscape flooded with sunshine. Rain
seams as out of place In this new
world as stars in the broad daylight.
Here and there the train passes the
low. mud, matched dwelling Of some
chinese homesteader with a pool OF
water by way Of front yard, where
huge slate-colored buffaloes take their
MONDAY siesta.
Taihoku is Fine City.
The distance of 20 miles to Taihoku
is covered in a little more than an
honr and there the traveller is sure to
he amazed at the westernized appear
once of the city-the broad streets the
parks, and the imposing pub
liz buildings. Only the gateways OF
tho old wall, which surrounded the
a c,ent Chinese city. remain, looking
a. out Of place in their rejuvenated
.etting as the Egyptian obelisk in Cen
+,,, mark. Even Daitotei, the Chinese
.aI.Ion OF Taihoku, is Unnaturahy
,lesu fer Q Chinese city.