Sketches from Formosa.

62 SKETCHES FROM FORMOSA
quinine, and a little later he drank off some beef tea
prepared from Liebig's Extract. Both preparations had
to be tasted by myself before the Chief would put them to
his lips. There was little more done that evening. The
prospect outside was anything but inviting, as rain came
on, and the great lonely mountains got covered with mist.
Some thirty villagers gathered into the large apartment
where we met, who were a little shy at first, but more
communicative when my presents were brought out.
These consisted of needles, wooden combs, flints for
striking fire, half a yard of red flannel, some buttons,
and a piece of an old brass chain which had several keys
attached to it this being thrown in because of the
interest it awakened among some of the younger people.
I satisfied myself that none of them had any notion of
so
the marketable value of gold as compared with brass ;
that interest in the chain was not to be explained in that
way, but simply on account of its being a rare object, and
useful to them as an article for personal adornment.
Many of the remarks they made were translated into
Chinese by A-tun, and had more or less reference to myself.
Intellectually, they seem to be mere children. They use
their fingers in counting. For example, a large party
hunting for game or on the war-path would separate
into two companies, and arrange to meet by one hand
that is, in five days. As we ate together that evening,
I was interested to hear some of the girls and lads playing
on a small instrument like a Jew's harp. The twanging
sound it gave was not unpleasant, but soon became
somewhat monotonous. On learning that they had a
collection of native songs, I wished to hear several, but
they seemed bashful to begin, and my invitation was not
responded to. I fear that my own efforts to tell them of
our great Heavenly Father, and of His love for sinful
men, did not amount to very much.