Sketches from Formosa.

XIII
ATTACKED BY " CHINA'S MILLIONS "
I ONCE had a somewhat lively time while travelling
among the Ku-a-lut and Baw-tan savages of South
Formosa. The thick brushwood and rocky nature of the
ground in that part of the Island make walking difficult,
and one's eatables are ever liable to run short. On the
occasion referred to, my servant-boy and burden-bearer
ran off from fright and inability to keep moving about ;
but a good bribe induced two young natives to throw in
their lot with me. We wandered aimlessly about for
half a day, and then came in sight of a settlement of
those dreaded Baw-tan whose lawless acts had recently
all but precipitated war between China and Japan.
Several of the tribesmen soon surrounded us in quite a
friendly way and led us to their huts. A feast had just
been concluded, and a number of the guests were lying
dead drunk, whilst others were so effusive that they
shook my hand and attempted to hug me. But a few
were not at all satisfied with this ;
so much so, that one
big naked fellow jumped up, raised his gun, pointed
me, and let
fly. The bullet whizzed past my ear, on
which I signed to the Chief that this was very bad, and
it at
that he ought to show better control over his people.
He replied by laying down a large deer-skin for me to
sleep on, and giving an assurance that he would pass the
night beside me himself.
Next morning, I moved off to another little settlement
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