Un extraño sofisticador fue un singular personaje que tomó el nombre bíblico de Salmanazar y del que se ha ignorado su filiación exacta. Se daba por un japonés nacido en Formosa y traído a Europa por comerciantes holandeses. Este hombre, publicó al principio del siglo XVIII, un libro titulado Descripción de la isla de Formosa. En él, el autor se dedicó a contar una serie de embustes con mucha gracia. Imaginó un alfabeto, una gramática, una religión de los habitantes de la isla. Las descripciones iban acompañadas de dibujos y de un mapa, todo completamente inventado y que no tenía nada de real. El libro pasó por exacto durante mucho tiempo y el autor como una autoridad en la materia, hasta que se pudo demostrar que la obra era un tejido de mentiras.
Pío BAROJA, Desde el exilio, Caro Raggio, Madrid, 1999.
The Island Formosa, which by the Natives is called in their Language Gad Avia, from Gad, Beautiful, and Ivia an Isle, and by the Chinese is called Pacando, is one of the most Pleasant and Excellent of all the Asiatick Isles, whether we consider the convenient Situation, the healthful Air, the fruitful Soil, or the curious Springs and useful Rivers' and rich Mines of God and Silver wherewith it abounds for it enjoys many advantages which other Islands want, and wants none of those which they have.
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Besides Bread and Fruit, of which we have spoken' already, they eat also Flesh, but not of all sorts of Beasts, for the Flesh of several Beasts, as has been formerly observ'd, is forbidden: But they are permitted to eat of Swine's Flesh, of all sorts of Fowl, except Pigeons and Turtles; of all sorts of Venison, except the Hart and the Doe, of all the Fish that swims in the Sea or the Rivers without any exception.
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Since our God requires the Hearts of so many young Boys to be offered up in Sacrifice, therefore lest the whole Race of Mankind, should by degrees be extirpated, he has permitted the Men, at least those of the Laity, to keep more Wives than one: And so some of them have 3, 4, 5, 6, or more Wives, every one according to his Estate, whereby he is able to maintain a greater or lesser number; but if any one takes more Wives then his means will maintain, he is to be beheaded: And therefore to prevent this, before any one Marries a Wife, he is to be examin'd whether he has sufficient means to maintain her: Thus they may have many Wives, that they may beget many Children every Year; of whom some of the Sons are Sacrific'd, but the Daughters are all preserv'd for Matrimony, as will appear more fully hereafter.
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Things are measur'd in Formosa, according to the People's various humors, for some use, a greater, some a less measure; but the price is always fix'd according to the Greatness of the measure.
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Generally speaking all the Animals which breed here, are to be found in Formosa; but there are many others there which do not breed here, as Elephants, Rhinocerots, Camels, Sea-Horses, all which are tame, and very useful for the service of Man. But they have other wild Beasts there which are not bred here, as Lyons, Boars, Wolves, Leopards, Apes, Tygers, Crocodiles; and there are also wild Bulls, which are more fierce than any Lyon or Boar, which the Natives believe to be the Souls of some Sinners undergoing a great Penance: But they know nothing of Dragons or Land-Unicorns, only they have a Fish that has one Horn: And they never saw any Griphons, which they believe to be rather fictions of the Brain than real Creatures.
**
Besides Bread and Fruit, of which we have spoken' already, they eat also Flesh, but not of all sorts of Beasts, for the Flesh of several Beasts, as has been formerly observ'd, is forbidden: But they are permitted to eat of Swine's Flesh, of all sorts of Fowl, except Pigeons and Turtles; of all sorts of Venison, except the Hart and the Doe, of all the Fish that swims in the Sea or the Rivers without any exception.
**
Since our God requires the Hearts of so many young Boys to be offered up in Sacrifice, therefore lest the whole Race of Mankind, should by degrees be extirpated, he has permitted the Men, at least those of the Laity, to keep more Wives than one: And so some of them have 3, 4, 5, 6, or more Wives, every one according to his Estate, whereby he is able to maintain a greater or lesser number; but if any one takes more Wives then his means will maintain, he is to be beheaded: And therefore to prevent this, before any one Marries a Wife, he is to be examin'd whether he has sufficient means to maintain her: Thus they may have many Wives, that they may beget many Children every Year; of whom some of the Sons are Sacrific'd, but the Daughters are all preserv'd for Matrimony, as will appear more fully hereafter.
**
Things are measur'd in Formosa, according to the People's various humors, for some use, a greater, some a less measure; but the price is always fix'd according to the Greatness of the measure.
**
Generally speaking all the Animals which breed here, are to be found in Formosa; but there are many others there which do not breed here, as Elephants, Rhinocerots, Camels, Sea-Horses, all which are tame, and very useful for the service of Man. But they have other wild Beasts there which are not bred here, as Lyons, Boars, Wolves, Leopards, Apes, Tygers, Crocodiles; and there are also wild Bulls, which are more fierce than any Lyon or Boar, which the Natives believe to be the Souls of some Sinners undergoing a great Penance: But they know nothing of Dragons or Land-Unicorns, only they have a Fish that has one Horn: And they never saw any Griphons, which they believe to be rather fictions of the Brain than real Creatures.
George PSALMANAZAR, Description of Formosa.
