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CHAPTER III PERSONAL CONTACT WITH THE ABORIGINES

Word Count: 3924    |    Released on: 17/11/2017

ceived by the Taiyal as a Reincarnation of o

ce and of the hydra-headed 'they,' I did not, while in Formosa, confine ei

mes by my son or secretary, sometimes quite alone, I went up into the mountains; going as far as I could by "trolly" (or toro, as the Japanese call it[31])-a push-car, propelled by Chinese-Formosan coolies, on rails laid by the

cessary in the Japanese Empire, in Formosa even more than in Japan proper-I am indebted to Mr. Hosui and to Mr. Mar

e territory now covers almost as much as that of all the other tribes together.[33] From Taiyal territory I sometimes "prowled" over into that of the Saisett and Bunun tribes. This was perhaps not strictly accordi

BED BY GIFTS OF HAT AND CIGARET

H-CAR), GOING UP IN

land. Of this visit I retain a somewhat vivid recollection, for two reasons. One because of the great cliffs of the east coast, a glimpse of which I caught in passing; the oth

n[37] that we passed the great cliffs, said to be the highest in the world. For about twenty-five miles these giant cliffs rise perpendicularly from the sea to a height

" is probably, like other words, a matter of individual definition. Personally I should be inclined to substitute the word "comfortably" for "safely," judging from my own experience, both on this trip and on a subsequent one. That is, as far as the actual voyage is concerned, if one be content to remain on board the steamer from Keelung to Takao, where there is a good harbour. With the exception of one or two who disembarked at Karenko, the other passengers-all Japanese, naturally-seemed glad enough to do t

7

Pinan. The captain tried to dissuade me. He said that no man among his passengers would think of landing; much less should a woman attempt it. Would I not wait until another trip when the weather was calmer, or when I had a companion-one of my own race (on this occasion I happened to be quite alone and the only "foreigner" on board). He really did not like to take the

ilar stormy weather had sailed around the island three times before they had dared to attempt a landing at a Chinese-Formosan village on the coast. I explained that the length of my vacation would not make such a proceeding possible in my case, and that rather than go on to Takao, I preferred

icles which he would give the savages, if they succeeded in reaching the ship when it came to anchor, he would

tame," he explained,[75] when interpreting the expression-and that as far as my life was concerned, this would probably not be in danger, if I succeeded in reaching the shore; that is, so long as I did not venture into the interior. On this point I would make no promise, and the captain did not press the matter. He was probably glad to be rid of a passenger whom he evidently regarded as a missionary of less than average missionary intelligence. To do him ju

canoe with him-and me-began to paddle for shore. The order that the chief shouted was evidently to the effect that the men in the other boats were to[76] wait and get certain things from the steamer, for on looking back, when the canoe in which I was rose on the crest of a wave, I could see bundles being lowered from the ship's side into the canoes. What these contained I do

ld not compare with the Hawaians, the Filipinos, or with most of the peoples of the South Seas; perhaps for one reason, because their canoes carry no outrigge

m for shore. He did this quite coolly, almost as if it were a matter of course, although he had never before seen a white woman; apparently regarding the whole affair from the Oriental, "it is ordered," point of view. The other man in the boat seemed for a moment to be more at a loss, but at an order from the chief he dropped the now useless paddle, wh

and also the cool, matter-of-course calmness of the Ami chief, whose presence of mind undoubtedly saved my life on this occasion, as my own awkward attempts at swimming would never have carried me through those waves. So rough were they that it was wit

ntain trails-to have tramped them since his youth, when as a charcoal-burner he had ventured into the mountains for fuel. Thus had he recommended himself to me. However, perhaps because of the snowy greyness of the day, he managed to lose his way. I had-fortunately-a pocket compass with me. In such Chinese-Formosan dialect as I had acquired-inadequate enough-I attempted to explain the meaning of the pointing needle. My guide declared he understood, and said that in order to regain the trail

carried, and all seemed going well, in spite of the fact that it was growing dark, when, without warning, the man gave a startled, guttural cry-in the unexpected fashion of the usually phlegmatic Chinese when really frightened-shook me from his shoulders, and, stooping until his whole body was submerged in the water, shuffled rapidly to a boulder behind which he

th, "be not angry. It is a seban-a head-cutter-there." With a motion of his he

s must surely go. As it was with our fathers--" The man continued to murmur, growing more incoherent

ls that one knows.... I hailed the seban, and, although he spoke a variety of Taiyal dialect a little different from that of which I knew a few words, he evidently understood the situation. Indeed, under the circumstances, words were scarcely necessary for such understanding. The man's grin of comprehension pleased me. It was so human-so Aryanly human-that it was[81] refreshing after the mask-like stolidity of both Chinese and Japanese to which for some time I had been accustomed; for these two peoples, however differing i

gns he made me understand that he would-if I so chose-carry me in safety to his side of the water, which he had seen I was trying to reach. My clothing was drenched, I was chilled to the bone, my fingers I found too numb to move. I realized that my hold on the boulder could not last much[82] longer. The Chinese I knew could not be depended upon in the proximity of the seban. Indeed, the poor wretch (the Chinese) I feared could sc

me on his shoulders, for I was too benumbed with cold and fatigue to walk, he strode on to a fire a little distance away, around which a number of his people were gathered. I learned later that these were members of a village community higher up in the mountains, whose bamboo huts had been destroyed by recent torrential rains. The homeless people were camping temporarily near[83] the foot of a great tree, in the branches of which the spirits of their ancestors were supposed

ay, or that I had in mind, on either occasion. But a few chance words of some of the people-after I had learned a little of their language-led me to believe that the fact that I had "come to them out of the water" contributed to the esteem in which I was held; made certain in their minds the conviction that I was the spirit of one of the[84] beloved white rulers of old, returned from the elements. (Why a spirit should choose this particularly uncomfortable method of approach-or of return-was not quite clear.) T

egion of the subconscious-were recalled; these even more strongly when one day I overheard a discussion among some of the tribespeople regarding my walk. I neither h

en on her back, freely, with long steps, she walks,

ich this time it was voiced were those of this strange Malay dialect.... The childhood of

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