Wells Williams to William H. Seward, March 13, 1868

Mr. Williams to Mr. Seward

Sir: Referring to Mr. Burlingame’s dispatches Nos. 137 and 142, and their inclosures, I have now the honor to forward to you General Legendre’s report of his visit to the southern part of Formosa, and his interview with the chief of the aboriginal tribes in that region, by whom the crew of the Rover was destroyed. The narrative is well worthy a perusal, and the success of this effort to enter into direct communication with them may lead to the repetition of similar negotiations as the most promising means of preventing similar tragedies in future. I am sure that you will appreciate the perseverance and tact exhibited by the consul in carrying out his design, while his final arrangement and compact with the chief was doubtless owing as much or more to the impression made upon the savages by the energetic proceedings of Admiral Bell with his squadron, than to any other one cause.

I have no knowledge of the occurrences referred to by the Chief Tooke-tock, at the interview on the 10th of October last, wherein he excused his cruelty to the Rover’s crew by alleging that “a long time ago white people had all but exterminated the Koolut tribe, leaving only three who survived to hand down to their posterity the desire for revenge.” No such raid upon this region is recorded as having taken place in modern times; but it may possibly have been some proceedings of the Dutch troops in Tai-wan before the year 1683, (when they were driven from the island,) which have left this heritage of enmity. I have never heard of any expedition of Spanish colonists from the Philippine Islands to the southern end of Formosa; their settlement was at the northern end, at Killon or Ki-lung. Several foreign crews have been cast ashore, not far from where the Rover’s crew met their fate, during the last 20 years, from which few persons have survived.

I would have forwarded this narrative sooner, but it reached me only last week. The communications between Peking and Shanghai during the winter are slow, and one of the couriers going to Chinkiang with the foreign post-bag last month was killed in Shantung province by the insurgents and the letters lost.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,