Formosa--Description of the Island--Its productions--Coal
Mines--Metals--The Dutch Possessions--Their Expulsion--Proper
policy of Civilized Powers.
The island of Formosa--from going on which we so narrowly escaped--is
destined from its position and importance, to become, at a time not long
future, a place of considerable trade for both Europeans and Americans,
as it is now indeed with the Chinese of the neighboring provinces of
Fo-Kien and Che-Kiang on the main land.
As its name implies, it is a "beautiful" island, especially on its
southern extremity, which has been described as a fruitful garden,
producing delicious fruits and grain of every description, and exporting
vast quantities of rice, sugar, tobacco, and camphor.
The Chinese call it Te-wan; it extends between the degrees of twenty and
twenty-six north latitude, is about fifty miles wide, and is separated
from the province of Foo-Kien, of which it is a dependency, by a channel
of from eighty to ninety miles in breadth.
It is equidistant from Japan and the Philippine Islands, being about one
hundred and fifty miles from each, and appears to have been placed
directly in the highway of commerce.
As yet it has been but little explored, and of its harbors, with the
exception of Kelung, not much is known. This harbor is on its northern
extremity, in latitude 25° 9' north of Greenwich, by a late observation.
There is a good anchorage here for vessels drawing not over sixteen
feet, and water and supplies can be obtained from the town, which
contains about two thousand inhabitants, said to be very civil and
obliging. They are principally engaged in fishing and the cultivation of
the land, which is set down as luxuriant in the extreme.
Coal is said to be very abundant in this neighborhood, and many
excavations have been made in the surrounding hills, some of them having
been tunnelled over forty feet, and a distinct stratum exhibited of
about four feet thick, hard and easily detached, lying between blue soft
shale and sandstone. The quality of this coal was described by a person
who visited the mines, to be very good, heavy, easily detached, igniting
readily, and burning with a bituminous gassy flame, leaving a very small
quantity of ashes of a reddish white color. From specimens which I
have seen, do not suppose it equal to the English Cannel or our own
Pittsburgh; but have known coal of a not much superior quality to have
been produced from the first workings of mines in the valley of the
Ohio, and who can say but that much better veins exist, of which these
are but the openings?
In this however does not consist entirely the mineral wealth of this
prolific island, and in the range of mountains which run through its
centre is found gold and silver, iron ore and copper. Whilst in the
valleys at their feet, the labors of the husbandman are bountifully
rewarded in extensive crops of sugar and rice, so easily produced from
the luxuriant soil of a southern latitude.
The Pang-hoo or Pescadore Islands, which lie between it and the
province of Foo-Kien, compose with Formosa, one Foo, or department
of that province, and are subject to its Foo-yuen or Governor. These
dependencies are divided into six districts, five of which are within
the limits of Formosa, the sixth comprising the Pescadore Islands.
But although the Chinese government asserts supremacy over Formosa, and
subjects its inhabitants to tribute, yet amongst the aborigines are
several tribes, which it has never been able to subdue, and who as yet
successfully dispute its authority, overrun the peaceably disposed
districts, and prevent this extensive island from being more thoroughly
explored, and its vast resources fully developed. It was upon their
inhospitable shore that we came near being cast, and from their tender
mercies made so narrow an escape.
In the year 1624, the Dutch, being then powerful at sea, made an attack
upon the Portuguese settlement at Macào; from which being repulsed,
their Admiral sought refuge on Formosa, and taking possession of the
Pescadore Islands, attacked Chinese junks, trading in those waters, and
plundering them, disposed of their cargoes on the neighboring island of
Japan.
By permission from the reigning dynasty of China, then tottering to its
fall, they were allowed to establish a factory on the S. W. coast of
Formosa, where they erected a fort, which they named Fort Zealand.
This settlement became quite flourishing, from the fact that the
disturbances on the main land drove numbers of the more peaceably
disposed Chinese to the security of this new retreat on the beautiful
island.
A number of Spaniards from Manilla, noting the advantageous position of
the island, attempted a settlement on its northern side, but it was soon
broken up by the Dutch, who drove them away, and held undisputed sway
over it until 1644, when the Tartars conquered China, who naturally
becoming jealous of this band of foreigners so near their shores, made
arrangements with the celebrated Coxinga--son of him who had been
educated by the Portuguese and baptized Nicholas--to repair to Formosa,
and root out this growing power.
Having, by professions of peace, induced the Dutch Admiral sent for its
protection to withdraw his forces and return to Batavia, he approached
the settlement with a large force, and landing, was immediately joined
by his countrymen the Chinese who had emigrated thither. With these
added to his command, Coxinga demanded Formosa from the Dutch, requiring
them to depart at once or "hoist the red flag," that is, prepare to
fight. This they did, and after sustaining a siege of nine months,
surrendered the fort, and were allowed to proceed to Java.
Had they conciliated the Chinese, who had come to live amongst them,
they might have had their support, and retained possession of the
island, but by barbarous treatment they had alienated them, so that
Coxinga found in them willing allies.
Since the expulsion of the Dutch, there has been no attempt at
settlement on this desirable island by any European power; which, when
its fertility and position are considered, is somewhat remarkable. As I
have before stated, its productions are distributed by Chinese junks, of
which between two and three hundred are engaged in carrying rice to the
neighboring provinces, and nearly one hundred are said to be employed in
transporting the article of sugar alone to one single port in China,
that of Tein-tsin. The trade between it and Canton is also said to be
considerable, camphor being the principal export thence.
But if gain will not induce civilized powers to occupy this as yet
undeveloped island, the cause of humanity should interest some such
maritime nation as England or America, to at least chastise those
barbarous savages who overrun its eastern shores; it is from these that
many a peaceful mariner, coasting them in trading voyages, having been
caught in those dreadful Typhoons which ravage those seas, and thrown
helpless into their hands, has met with a cruel and torturing death, and
from the fact of numberless shipwrecks along that coast, of which no
survivors have remained, it is but fair to judge that the hapless crews
have only escaped the angry waters, to meet a more violent end on these
inhospitable shores. An instance occurred in the crew of the "Larpent,"
an English merchant vessel, which went ashore here, about the time we
passed the island, of which but four escaped, and these by a miracle.
They saw their unfortunate shipmates lanced, and decapitated, and
themselves, being hotly pursued, escaped in their boat, and landing at a
point unobserved, were, whilst pushing their way to the interior,
captured and sold as slaves, from which condition they were released by
a chief from another part of the island, and put on board the
"Antelope," an opium clipper, which brought them to Shanghae.