WE ARRIVE AT THE LOO-CIIOO ISLANDS. 
179 
friends, when captured, were made to work until needed 
for culinary purposes. 
We were surprised at this air of comfort among half- 
naked savages, and could not but wonder how they coulci 
have built such nice-looking liouses, until we finally con- 
cluded that their prisoners had been made to turn their 
hands to masonry as well as gardening. Thus ended our 
second and last visit to Formosa, and all that we learned 
in regard to it may be condensed into a few words, viz.: — 
We found it two hundi'cd and five miles long by about 
sixty average width. It runs iST. by E. and S. by AY., has 
a range of mountains running along its entire east coast, 
and is peopled by two different races of men, — Chinese 
and red men. Tlie former possess the north and west 
side of the island, the latter the east and south, and they 
exist in a state of constant hostility. The country in the 
possession of the former is undulating or low, that of the 
latter rugged and mountainous. There are harbours on 
the north and west side, and none on the east. All else is 
conjecture. So much for Formosa and its ni^'sterious red 
men. AYe continued our survey, and arrived at the port 
of Nappa, island of Great Loo-choo, on the 9th of April. 
Neither the Vincennes or the Cooper had yet arrived. 
