Sketches from Formosa.

66 SKETCHES FROM FORMOSA
A-tun said was a remarkable sign of confidence in me. I
was told that one of these wells was under an evil influence,
and had caused numerous deaths in the village. The
people had been in the practice of firing into it in the
evenings, so that the bullets from their long guns might
dislodge the enemy. The well in question was a beautiful
running spring, with a practically unlimited supply of
the coolest, freshest water I ever tasted. I drank some
of it in presence of the natives, and told them to have no
fear but begin again to use this water. The low, wretched
charnel-houses in which they live when indoors made it a
puzzle to me how many sturdy fellows came to be there.
The scenery round about Tur-u-wan is very grand and
somewhat suggestive of Glencoe, only on a much larger
scale. All the country within view, and for a long day's
walk eastward, is inhabited by aborigines who speak the
same language as A-rek's people. Westward it is more
level, and occupied by a Chinese-speaking population.
In former years A-rek's word was law to the mountain
people for miles in every direction, and thirteen villages
still acknowledge his sway. I visited seven of these,
meeting with many persons who were suffering from
fever, to whom quinine was supplied ; and several who
had very severe spear-wounds, for whom I could not do
anything, except resorting to an application of tepid
water and ground-nut oil. While thus travelling about
I met another Chief, whose territory lies about five miles
south from Tur-u-wan, who rules over thirty villages.
His name is A-ui-a-tan, and we may hear of him again
as our work advances. I presented him with a few
needles of English make, with which he was very much
pleased. He only knew the miserable bits of wire
supplied by the Chinese barterers.
I started from Po-li-sia early on Wednesday morning.
A great many people from the neighbouring villages came