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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 





Photograph by B. Boning 



PASSENGKR PUSH-CARS IN FORMOSA 



ducing an anti-climax, I might add the 

 cackle of hens ; for so numerous are these 

 denizens of the barnyard that it seems to 

 the nervous onlooker as if some one has 

 either just stepped on one or just avoided 

 stepping on one. 



I shall never forget my first night in 

 Daitotei. I was tired out by an arduous 

 day, but my determination to retire early 

 was dealt a sudden blow by the outbreak 

 of a Chinese orchestra in the narrow 

 alley at the back of our house. Its irritat- 

 ing discordances, repeated fortissimo in 

 rapid, monotonous succession, not only 



drove away all idea of sleep, but inci- 

 dentally nearly drove me mad. 



Our servant, upon being questioned, in- 

 formed us — but not in just these words — 

 that our next-door neighbor, a wealthy 

 Chinese money-lender, was about to give 

 up the ghost. After repeated objections 

 on my part as to the advisability of ac- 

 celerating his end in this violent manner, 

 I was assured that the music was intended 

 only to drive off such evil spirits as might 

 be lurking about the house. 



There is no doubt that the music was 

 admirably adapted for this objective, and 



