‘The perillous and most unhappy voyages of John Struys, through Italy, Greece, Lifeland, Moscovia, Tartary, Media, Persia, East-India, Japan, and other places in Europe, Africa and Asia. Containing, I. Most accurate remarks and observations of the distinct qualities, religion, politie, customs, laws and properties of the inhabitants: II. A due description of the several cities, towns, forts and places of trust, as to their site and strength, fortifications by nature, or art, &c. with other things worthy of note: and III. An exact memorial of the most disastrous calamities which befell the author in those parts (viz) by ship-wrack, robberies, slavery, hunger, tortures, with other incommodities and hardships’ [‎57] (100/470)

"X
C hap. XL The Voyages of lohn Stmys. 57
they inhabit. Their men are moftly well bodied and lufty 5 efpecially u^tr,
thofe in the Valleys, and Champane Countrey> but thofe that keep
themfelves in the Hilly part of the Ifland j not fo big of ftature.Their
Women are but fhort in Comparifon of the Men, yet are ftaring beau
ties } having a Full face, great Eies , a flat Nofe , long Ears with Fonwo:
breafts hanging down like a flitch of Bacon, and would have hand- %*'***■
fom beards too , if they did not pull up the hair by the roots. The
tips of their ears they bore through, and fcrew them flat with a horn,
made for the purpofe, which they think ftands wondrous neat. Final
ly, I hold it uncertain whsther^this Ifland has had the name Formofa,
ferioufly from the Land it's felf, or Ironically from themonftrous
People that Inhabit it.
During the time thatlwasat Fomo/i, I heard often of Men with
Tails: to which I never gave much heed, looking upon it as fabulous.
Yet I-will aflure the Reader by all lawfull afleverations, that I found
it truth. For it happened that a Formofan of the South-Countrey was
apprehended for an inhuman Murther , committed upon a Clergy
man. After the matter was examined and the Party pronou need guil
ty, he received Sentence to be burned. The day of Execution being
come j the Murtherer was brought forth, and tied t o a pale 5 As foon
as his cloaths were ftript off, we faw his Tail, which was about a
foot long, and all grown over with Hair } fome of my acquaintance
out of their curiofity, went to fee him , before he was executed,
having heard that he had a Tail, and learned frbm him, that all, or
moft , of the South Inhabitants had Tails. But as to the certainty of
that, I can not fay much , for that, not underftanding his Diale6t,
they might be miftaken; only of this I folemnly aver that I am an
eie-wktnefs to it, and would be loath, to impofe it upon any man's
beleef if it were not truly fo.
Upon Feftivaldays when the For mo fans go to prefent themfelves
before their Idols they hang great round, boards almofl: like Trenchers
to their ears, which are artificially painted : others hang Shells full
of Small holes , which loll over their breafts : but upon other days
they let their ears be naked, and without any ornament at all.
Their Hair is jet-black and long: fome of them wear it as we do in
Europe j others tie it up above the crown of the head, after the old
Chim falhion , or plated. Their complexion is of a Swarthy yellow,
H or