The Black-Bearded Barbarian : The Life of George Leslie Mackay of Formosa — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The Black-Bearded Barbarian : The Life of George Leslie Mackay of Formosa
John Stuart Mill · en
Early Monday morning Mackay peeped out of the big warehouse door at the
great calm mountain shrouded in the pale mists of early dawn. The other
two travelers were soon astir, and were surprised to find their young
companion all ready. They were not yet well enough acquainted with him
to know that he could do with less sleep at night than an owl. He was in
high spirits and as eager to be off as he had ever been to start for a
day's fishing in the old times back in Ontario. And indeed this was just
a great fishing expedition he was commencing. For had not One said to
him, long long ago when he was but a little boy, "Come follow me, and I
will make you to become a fisher of men"? and he had obeyed. The first
task was to go out and buy food for the journey, and to hire a couple of
coolies to carry it and what baggage they must take.
Dr. Dickson went off on this errand, and being well acquainted with
Formosan customs and language, soon returned with two Chinese carriers
and plenty of food. This last consisted of canned meats, biscuits,
coffee, and condensed milk, bought at a store where ships' supplies were
kept for sale. There was also some salted water-buffalo meat, a Chinese
dish with which the young missionary was destined to become very
familiar.
They started out three abreast, Mr. Ritchie's blue serge figure capped
by a white helmet on the right, Dr. Dickson on the left in his Scotch
tweed, and between them the alert, slim figure of the newcomer, in his
suit of Canadian gray. The coolies, with baskets hung to a pole across
their shoulders, came ambling along behind.
The three travelers were in the gayest mood. Perhaps it was the clear
spring morning air, or the breath of the salt ocean, perhaps it was the
intoxicating beauty of mountain and plain and river that surrounded
them or it may have been because they had given their lives in perfect
service to the One who is the source of all happiness, but whatever was
the cause, they were all like schoolboys off for a holiday. The coolies
who trotted in the rear were very much amazed and not a little amused at
the actions of these foolish foreign devils, who laughed and joked and
seemed in such high spirits for no reason at all.
They swung along the bank of the river until they came to the ferry that
was to take them to the other side. They sprang into the boat and
were shoved off. Before they reached the other side, at Dr. Dickson's
suggestion, they took off their shoes and socks, and stowed them away in
the carriers' baskets. When they came to the opposite bank they rolled
up their trousers to their knees and sprang out into the shallow water.
For a short distance they had the joy of tramping barefoot along the
hard gleaming sand of the harbor.
But shoes and stockings had to be resumed, for soon they turned inland,
on a path that wound up to the high plain above the river. "Do you ever
use a horse on your travels?" asked young Mackay as they climbed upward.