posed. We walked for about half a mile up the creek, and finally reached
another road, which appeared to he one of the principal thoroughfares. The
appearance of the interior of the inland was exceedingly beautiful. The
land rose in hold hills, crowned with groves, of a variety of pine which was
new to me, resembling the cedar of Lebanon in its physiognomy. The sides
of the hills were covered with fields of brilliant green, spotted, here and
there, by the white-washed sepulchres of former generations. In the vegetation
there was a mixture of the growths of tropical and temperate climates,
and in no part of the world have I seen a greater richness or variety. A
stone bridge, of rough but substantial workmanship, crosses the creek near
its head. I noticed several of the natives riding over it into the country, on
the Lew Chew ponies—shaggy, little animals, probably descended from the
Chinese stock.
“ We strolled into a temple, from the walls of which several persons, probably
females, had been watching us. They disappeared with great rapidity
as we entered the door. The court-yard of the temple was shaded with fine
trees, but we discovered nothing of interest except two long, narrow boats,
of the kind called ‘centipede’ at Hong Kong, designed for public festivals.
While we sat down upon them to rest, quite a crowd of natives gathered
about us, and soon became familiar, though respectful in their demeanor.
They were very neatly dressed in grass-cloth robes of a blue or salmon color,
and (perhaps by contrast with the filthy Chinese) seemed to me the cleanest
persons I had ever seen. The street vendors had not had time to get out
of our way, and they sat beside their piles of coarse cheese-cakes. There
were some women among them, but they were all old and hideously ugly.
The costume of the female does not differ from that of the males, but they
are distinguished by having a single instead of a double hair-pin. ’
On the 30th of May, the party ordered to explore the interior of the
island, and its eastern coast, set out for the performance of that duty. It
consisted of twelve persons—four officers, four of the crew, and four Chinese
coolies. From the Susquehanna were sent Mr. Taylor and Mr. Heine ; and
from the Mississippi the Rev. Mr. Jones, chaplain, and Dr. Lynah, assistant
surgeon. The command of the expedition was given to Mr. Jones, who was
directed particularly to observe the geology of the island; as, if it contamed
coal, it was a most important characteristic. Mr. Taylor was ordered to
take notes, and write out a detailed account of the journey. I t was supposed
the duty would occupy five or six days, and accordingly the expedition
was furnished with provisions for that period, and with a tent. The men
were armed with cutlasses and carbines, and ten rounds of ball cartridges
each. I t was not, however, supposed that there would be need of a resort
to force on any occasion; still, it was deemed prudent to let the natives see
the power of the party to defend itself; and beside, guns and ammunition
were required for the purpose of procuring birds and animals.
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