even a clue could be obtained that would lead to clearing up the mystery that has been so long existing of those now missing. The Toutai assured me all that could be done should at once be set about; but he thought there was not the slightest chance of anything coming to light. I told him it was probable I should pay him another visit within a month, when I should see if he had received any reports. I gave him to understand a man-of-war would be on the coast for an indefinite period, or until we had gained some certain knowledge of the fate of these unfortunate people: this would urge him to carry out his promises to assist. He was quite as ignorant as we were of the Eastern side of the island, inhabited by the aborigines, a savage race, between whom and the Chinese, who live on the West side, a deadly feud exists. He strongly advised me not to attempt visiting the Eastern side; but the advice was probably given not wishing us to know anything of the island. We then took our leave; but could not get out of the canal before 10h. p.m., the tide having left the boats dry on the mud.

Taiwan is a large city, much cleaner than any which I have seen in the North or South of China. The streets are moderately broad, and well paved with square tiles. It is not so densely populated as the generality of Chinese towns. They import many things from Amoy in exchange for rice and sugar, which seem to be the principal produce of the island. We found provisions exceedingly high in price, which I was told arose from the failure of the rice crops last year. The difficulty of access to this fine city, which can only be reached by the canal we went up, would be a great obstacle to commercial enterprise. The only means of conveying merchandise is by rafts, which we saw going down the narrow canal; and the constant surf on the beach is another obstacle.

12th.-Weighed and steamed down to Takow, (Ape Hill,) keeping about three or four miles off shore. At Takow I communicated with a Mr. Rooney, who has a receiving ship inside the small harbour, and carries on a trade with some Chinese who live a few miles inland. I left with him some proclamations, which would be sent to these people. He had often questioned the Chinese with whom he traded if they had ever heard of Europeans being kept in slavery on the island, but they could give no information. From Mr. Rooney I obtained a guide for two places further South.

14th.-Anchored at 7h. a.m. off the village of Pong-li, about a mile and a half off shore. A heavy surf was breaking on the beach, preventing our boats landing; but having obtained a catamaran, I landed with a small armed party, and after a walk of five miles through a rich and highly cultivated country, our guide brought us to the residence of Bancheong or Mancheong, a Chinaman, from whom I expected to gain some information respecting the missing Europeans. But he could give no more than what I had previously heard. I questioned him very closely, and offered large sums for any clue. But he most unhesitatingly stated that all he knew of any foreigners was, that about seven or eight years ago, it might be nine,

he was not certain, a ship was wrecked at or near Lung-kiow, and that the crew were murdered by the aborigines, except three, who were rescued from these savages by some Chinese, who treated them very kindly, and they eventually got back to China. He also said, a steamer came over shortly after the wreck and rewarded the Chinese who had acted so kindly to the shipwrecked people. This statement agrees with one made by a Chinaman who was sent to Formosa by the American Consul at Amoy, in 1851, to make inquiries respecting missing Europeans, whose report I saw in the records of the British Consulate at Amoy. With respect to the articles mentioned in this report, Mancheong denies ever seeing or hearing of them, nor did he see the Chinaman who made the report. This Mancheong has upwards of five thousand men under his control, whom he employs tilling the land, of which he possesses a large extent in the neighbourhood of the hills where he resides, consequently he commands great influence with the people, and at times sets the authority of the Mandarins at defiance, and presents so formidable an appearance that the latter have more than once retired from an attack they have made on Mancheong for the purpose of extorting money from him. Mancheong is in the habit of trading with some of the aborigines through some of his people; and he assures me, from what he knew of their fierce, savage disposition and thirst for blood, no European's life would be spared if one fell into their hands. He says, they are more savage in some parts of the island than in others, especially in the South. I left several proclamations with Mancheong, who would have them conveyed and explained to the savages, whose language is quite distinct to the Chinese, and totally different in sound. I heard there were many Chinese settled among these wild inhabitants of the woods, and had great influence with them, because they were the means of procuring articles from the Chinese which the aborigines themselves could not obtain.

We continued this day to the Southward, and anchored in the bay of Lang Kiow for the night, intending to visit the village in the morning. I may here mention that this bay forms an excellent anchorage in the N.E. monsoon, being well protected from the N.E. by the high land, which approaches within three miles of the beach. There is a good holding ground in 7 fathoms of water within two miles of the shore, and it is an open bay with no dangers on either side. It requires no directions for entering, but merely to steer in midchannel, and being guarded by soundings. Ships caught in a N.E. gale and near this place would be glad to run there for shelter. A small chart of the bay will accompany the general charts. From Pongli South the coast gradually rises to high hills, at the back of which are still higher ones where the aborigines live.

15th. After some difficulty, owing to the surf on the beach, we landed and communicated with the villagers, who could only give the same information of foreigners as Mancheong did. I saw an old woman who had received some money from a steamer that came to Lang Kiow seven or eight years ago, for kindness which she had shown to

the Europeans spoken of by Mancheong. These villagers, live in dread of aborigines, who were in the habit of descending from these mountains, tearing up the dead for the purpose of extorting ransom from the living relatives. Not being able to gain any more information, and a strong wind blowing in from Southward, rendering our anchorage unsafe, we tripped and stood out to sea. The barometer was falling, and every appearance of the weather indicating a storm. We ran down to the South cape of the island and hauled up on the East side, where it was more moderate; but heavy rains ohliged us to keep well off shore. Towards evening the weather became fine; barometer went up, and wind veered to the N.E. Stood in, and steamed along the coast until dark, within a mile of the shore. No sign of a habitation could be seen. When we stood off for the night, we could see lights about one third way up the mountains, which are too densely wooded to allow of seeing any huts by day.

17th. Steaming slowly up the coast, within one mile of the shore, no soundings with one hundred fathoms. Seeing some people on the beach where the mountains receded a little, I pulled in in the gig with the interpreter, intending to communicate with the aborigines; but a heavy surf which was breaking on the beach, prevented our landing. It was here I had an opportunity of seeing these wild tribes, and the statements I heard from the Toutai of Taiwan and Mancheong were not exaggerated, except that part of the Toutai's when he said he believed they eat people. On the beach were about ten or twelve aborigines and twenty to thirty Chinese; I could not describe the frantic and wild manner in which these savages rushed along the beach, eager to attack us if we landed. The way in which they poised their long shining spears convinced me they throw them with an unerring aim. Their other weapon was a bowie-like knife, fastened to the waist with a sash of linen, the only article of dress on them. Their long straight dark hair flying loosely over their shoulders, added to their ferocious appearance. It was only the heavy surf that prevented them from rushing out to us: more than once they made the attempt. They then prepared a boat, made like a Chinese sampan, but well adapted to go through the surf, and would have launched it, but were prevented by the Chinese, who, strange to say, have settled among these savages. I hailed the Chinese to let them come out in spite of their bloodthirsty intentions, as we were well prepared. But as my object was to conciliate, if possible, these people, we did not show any firearm above the gunwale of the boat. I offered them money and presents, and got the Chinese to explain to them that our object was of a peaceful nature; but they would hear of nothing, and threatened to murder the Chinese if we did not go away. On seeing our carbines, the aborigines became less furious, and as they would not let the Chinese come out to us, a shot was fired over their heads, which had the desired effect of making them retire a hundred yards to the rear, near a few miserable looking huts. The Chinese then launched the boat and willingly came out to us. From these I learnt the neighbouring mountains were inhabited by

upwards of four thousand of these tribes. The Chinese here did not exceed three hundred, who, I suspect, were formerly convicts, as I heard from them they had been sent over a few years back by the Mandarins. They said, it required the greatest precaution on their part to get on at all peaceably with the aborigines. Their mode of living was as wild as their appearance,-potatoes, which they cultivate in a few patches up the hills, and any animals they could kill, were their only means of subsistence. These Chinese had lived with the aborigines upwards of eight years and they had never heard of foreigners being detained on the island. Had seen vessels pass, but none ever came so near as we were (three quarters of a mile). I gave them some proclamations, which they took on shore and explained to the savages, who burst out in great fury, waving their long knives for us to go away. As I could gain no object in landing, even if the surf admitted of it, and the Chinese having willingly come out to us to prevent our attempting to land, which they said would be at the sacrifice of their lives, we came away.

Having now seen these savages and the determined manner they would have attacked us even under the fire of the ship, I cannot think that any foreigners, if wrecked on the East side, could escape from the clutches of these barbarians. And it is highly dangerous for a sailing ship to approach too near the East side, for if becalmed she must inevitably go on shore. The swell from the Pacific would set her directly in, and no anchorage could be obtained, for at fifty yards from the beach we could not get soundings with twenty-five fathoms, and some little distance further North with one hundred fathoms within a quarter of a mile from the shore. The mountains rise as it were abruptly out of the sea, some to the height of 8,000 feet, densely wooded.

We continued up the coast, keeping close in shore, examining every little bay that appeared in sight, but no habitation of any sort was seen, or any people. Outside of Soo-au Bay we saw several fishing boats, manned by Chinamen, by one of whom I was told there was a good anchorage in the bay. And having heard from various quarters of sulphur mines being in the neighbourhood of Soo-au, we anchored at the entrance of the bay in 13 fathoms. It was too dark to proceed in any further with safety.

The next morning's daylight showed this place to afford a good and safe anchorage, in both monsoons, for fifteen to twenty vessels of large tonnage. Indeed I consider it the only good harbour Formosa possesses. A correct survey was made of it by the able Assistant Surveyor who was lent from the Acteon, assisted by Mr. Clements, the Master of this vessel. It is easy of access, and may be boldly entered without fear, the water gradually shoaling to five fathoms within two cables of the shore. In the centre of the bay is a group of rocks, all above water, with three fathoms close to. They should not be approached within one hundred yards. A good anchorage lies between them and Soo-au Village at the head of the bay, where good fresh water can readily be procured from a rivulet which runs through

that village. There are also two other good anchorages in the bay, off the Villages Pak-hong-o and Sam-hong-o. Coming from the Northward the bay can be easily found by sighting a steep island, from which the Soo-au Rocks bear S.b.W. thirteen miles. Ships should not pass between Soo-au Rocks and the North Cape of the bay, as the reef of sunken rocks appear to extend nearly out to them. The place offers no opening for commerce; rice is the only article grown (in large quantities) except a little tobacco, which the Chinese consume themselves. Only two junks were in the harbour, which had come over from Chin-chew for rice. Provisions were very dear, as at the other places we have visited.

Having visited Soo-au, the Kalewan River, and Kee Lung, I then deemed it advisable to find out the sulphur mines and explore them, as so much has been said about Europeans being held in slavery there. It would at least clear up that part of the mystery attending the fate of foreigners. At Soo-au no sulphur mines exist, the only one is that which we visited.

During our stay at Ki-lung a careful survey was made of that harbour. I consider Soo-au by far the best in point of safety and is easier of access. The coals which we obtained at Ki-lung are good for keeping steam, but the enormous expenditure is the great objection to their use. I directed the chief engineer to test them with Welsh coal, his report I beg to enclose.

A piratical fleet of twelve junks had left Ki-lung eight days before we arrived, taking with them five large merchant junks laden with rice and sugar. I could not find out in what direction they had gone. We anchored off Tamsui, but did not attempt to go in with the ship. It would be dangerous for any vessel drawing more than 12 feet of water. It was blowing fresh, and a heavy surf was breaking over the bar. Coals cannot be procured at Tamsui. I was told small quantities of a very inferior nature were obtained at some distant place up the river: I could not obtain a specimen. We continued down the West coast of the island as close as the lowness of the land would admit. We could discover no harbours nor the appearance of any. There are a few small rivers, all of which are barred, used by small trading junks.

At Taiwan I again communicated with the Mandarins, who reported they had heard nothing, although strict orders had been sent to the magistrates of the different districts to institute inquiries respecting missing Europeans.

Having now made the complete circuit of the island, instituting as strict a search as I possibly could, without success or gaining even a clue, however slight, this proves that either there are no Europeans on the island, or, if there are, that they are secreted away amongst the aborigines, which I can scarcely believe, for I think they are too bloodthirsty and savage a race to spare the life of a white man five minutes after one fell into their hands.

I must confess that I left the shores of Formosa with reluctance, as I entertained on starting on this highly interesting expedition