[29]

Trans. from Struys' voyage

The Voyages and Travels of John Struys translated by John Morrison 1684

[29v]

[Chapter XI, p. 57]

During the time I was at Formosa, I heard often of men with tails, to which I never gave much heed, looking upon it as fabulous. Yet, I will assure the reader, by all lawful asseveration, that I found it truth.

For it happened that a Formosan of the South Country was apprehended for an inhuman murder committed upon a Clergyman. After the matter was examined and the party pronounced guilty, he received sentence that he should be burned.

The day of execution being come; the murderer was brought forth and tied to a pale, As soon as his clothe were stript off, we saw his tail, which was about a foot long, and all grown over with hair; some of my acquaintance out of their curiosity, went to see him before he was executed, having heard that he had a tail; and learn from him, that all, or most, of the South Inhabitants had Tails. But as to the certainty of that, I cannot say much, for that, not understanding his Dialect, they might be mistaken; only of this I solemnly aver that I am an eie-wittness to it, and would be loath, to impose it upon any man's belief if it were not truly so.