The herald., 1922-05-18

prepared by the National Geographi
Society. Washington, D. c.
One Of the most important of tn
"slices of China" taken by outside ma
tions, but one which there has been n
mention Of restoring, is the islam,
which the world knows as Formosa
but which the Japanese, since the,
gained possession Of 1t through tn,
ChinO-Japanese war, have named Tai
wan.
"lhla FOrmOsa"-Beautiful Isle-th,
early Portuguese vOyagers called Il
and never was a more appropriate
name given to an isle of the sea.
If you care to confirm this in one OF
several pleasant ways, sail along the
west coast of FormOSa in a tex PAL, OF
bamboo raft. on a clear day. and
you will witness a pageant of noun.
tain scenery that will haunt the men,
DRY for many day.
Beyond the fertile plain, with its
emerald paddy-fields and its pictur-
esque little villages dotted here and
there on the banks of meandering
streams, foothills with amending varia-
lions of contour silhouette their tree
fringed submits against the paler
screen of more distant mountains. OF
these, sometimes five and sometimes
even six parallel ranges are visible at
once, each separate ribbon Of color
shading from the deepest sapphire to
the palest azure and extending in an
unbroken chain of beauty from north
to south.
On 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 so 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
with their exuberant
5ungles 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
er are plateaus covered with camphor |
laurel, the largest tracts of these valu-
able trees in the world, while still |
higher grow the forests of cOniferous
trees-the giant benihi, similar to the
redwoods Of California, the largest
trees in the East and the second |
largest In the world; the valuable
hinoh or japanese cypress, and the
pine cedar and spruce of the New
England states; and higher yet the
craggy peaks of the tallest mountains.
Of any sort, where eagles build their
nests, and 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
north. Almost any time one arrives
y Kelung the rain will be found COM
ng down in sheets, obscuring the hill
rested harbor.
Board train for Taihoku, the CAPT.
al city, which on most maps still
'ears its old Chinese name of Taipeh
md In about ten minutes you will pass
through a long tunnel, under a noun {
ain ridge on the other side of which
'ou Will In all probability find the j
andscape flooded with sunshine. Rain
Gems as out of place in this new (
World as stars in the broad daylight. c
Here and there the train passes the a
Nv, mud, matched dwelling of some t
hinese homesteader with a pool Of /
water by way Of front yard. where v
uge slate-colored buffaloes take their @
oonday siesta. G
Taihoku Is Fine City.
The distance of 20 miles 10 Taihoku f
covered in little more than an e
our, and there the traveller is sure TO [
amazed at the westernized appear S
nee of the city-the broad streets, the k
eautiful parks, and the imposing pub I
buildings. Only the gateways Of a
lie old wall, which surrounded the p
lcient Chinese city, remain. looking
out of place in their rejuvenated p
tting as the Egyptian obelisk in Gen. m
al park. Even Daltotei. the Chinese fl
ction Of Taihoku. is unnaturally Il
can for a Chinese city. D,