The Wild Tribe of Midu-Tze. 461 



agreeable and interesting intercourse were so fortunate as to 

 obtain information respecting a variety of topics, many of 

 them suggested by Dr. Pfitzmaier, and recommended by him 

 to our investigation. On most of these topics accurate intel- 

 ligence was in the course of our voyage transmitted to the Im- 

 perial Academy of Sciences ; of the remainder elaborate and ' 

 comprehensive particulars are reserved for the scientific pub- 

 lications of the Expedition. 



We may, however, more closely investigate here one topic of 

 universal interest, namely, the latest researches respecting the 

 very remarkable, little known, half-savage tribe, known as the 

 Miau-Tze. 



These extraordinary human beings are usually encountered 

 in the provinces of Kwei-chan, Yun-n^n, Szechuen, Hundn, 

 Kwang-si, and the western part of Kwang-tung. The wild 

 tribes of the island of Formosa belong, on the contrary, to an 

 entirely different race. In the Imj)erial Dictionary of Kang- 

 hi, the sign ^ , midu (a compound of the words ^' flower " and 

 " meadow "), signifies " germinating seeds," '' blades of gi^ass 

 springing from the seed-vessels." The sign -p , tsz, on the other 

 hand, is that usually employed to express son, or descendant. 

 In accordance with this explanation, the Chinese also seem to 

 consider the Midu-tze as children of the soil, as aborigines, or 

 indigenous inhabitants of the country. In their descriptions 

 of this singular people they divide them into "Sang" and 

 *' Schuli." Sang^ ordinarily used when speaking of fruit, sig- 

 nifies " green, unripe," — schuh again means '' ripe," or, when 



