UNSrCCESSFl'L ATTEMPTS TO LAND. 
177 
of the island, in search of a landing among the savages 
in their own country. This, I regret to say, we never 
found, the whole east coast being one continued line of 
foaming breakers, that carried death upon their rolling 
crests to every thing like a boat. Where were the fine har- 
bours of the Count do Benyowsky ? The roaring of the surf 
was our only answer. More than once, however, impelled 
by our excessive curiosity to learn more of these unknown 
people, did we attempt to land; and more exciting at- 
tempts at shore-going I never participated in. Upon one 
of these occasions we entered upon the dangerous trial 
with two of our best boats; but, upon nearly losing the 
inner one, 'with all who were in her, we wisely returned 
on board. We got more than one near view of the 
savages, however, heard their voices, and answered their 
signs ; but all this only increased our desii'e to know moi’e 
of them, for now we saw that they were veritable red 
men; and what were red men doing on the island of 
Formosa? 
As we pulled back to the ship after our narrow escape, 
we could not but think it providential that they of the 
inner boat had failed in landing through the surf; for, 
even had they succeeded in gaining the beach wuth whole 
bones, their arms would still have been rendered unser- 
viceable by salt water, and, had the crowd proved un- 
friendly, wc in the outer boat would certainly have 
kicked prudence overboard and pulled in to share their 
fate; and the probability is that we should all have “had 
our throats cut, and our bodies roasted for supper, by ^bad 
men who wore large rings in their ears.’ ” 
From what I could see over the distance which sepa- 
12 
