Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-08-14


How beauteous mankind is! o brave new
world,
That have such people int!
SHAKsPEARE.
How il happened that so interesting a.
portion Of mankind should, for so many
centuries remain unknown to the western
world, may be worth investigating, and tor
aught we know, may be difficult of solution
They unequivocaly appear TO be race o.
Chinese; and though they speak an entirely
different language, use the same character
in writing. That in the constant trade
kept up between the country ships OF Bonn
bay, Bengal and the other British possess
sions IN India, neither accident nor curio-
sity nor avarice nor enterprise, should have
brought any OF the merchants or mariners
within the hearing of these lslands-that
neither through the Chinese, Japanese or
Malayans, any intelligence respecting them
should have been acquired by the Inordl-
nate avarice of the Dutch, the perennial
restlessness of the French, or the Unsuitable
thirst for.speculation of the British traders,
seems most extraordinary. Be the cause,
however, what it may, the truth is unde-
niable, that this is the first time the exls-
tencc of such people was particularly
announced to the world at large. The Co.
rean islands are literally innumerable. 1t
is asceTtained that along the southern
part of the coast Of Corea there exists an Ar
chipelago of more than thousand islands,
forming bays and harbors, in which all the
navies of the world might ride in perfect
security" They are all apparently inha-
bited, generally high, rising like so many
detached mountains, each on its own basis,
out of the sea, and cultivated where prac-
ticable.H The English at first, (says
captain HalD thought of counting them,
and even attempted to note their places on
the charts which they were max ng OF the
coast-but their great number batfled the
attempt. They vary in size from lew
hundred yards in length to five or six miles,
and are of all shapes. From the masthead
other groupes were perceived lying one
behind the other 10 the east and south, far
as the eye could reach. Frequently above
a hundred were in sight from deck at one
moment. The sea being quite smooth, the
weather fine, and many OF the islands wood
ed and cultivated in the vallies, the scene
was at all times lively, and was rendered
still more interesting by our rapid passage
along the coast, oy which the appearances
about us were perpetually changing. Of
this coast we had no charts possessing the
slightest pretensIons 10 accuracy, none OF
the places at which we touched being laid
down within sixty miles OF their proper
places. Only few islands are noticed
in any map; whereas the coast for nearly
two hundred miles is completely studded
with them to the distance of fifteen or twen-
W miles lTOH tne Iidin idHu'
These Islands swarmed with inhabitants
the English landed on several, the ma
tives of which showed the greatest impa-
thence for their departure. Few OF item
exceeded three or four miles in length, and
the spaces between them were from one TO
four miles. On the boats approaching the
land, the women fled with their infant
children, whilst the men hallooed to the
strangers not 10 advance. They alter
wards became somewhat more friendly
brought them water TO drink, and offered
them share OF their humble tare-then, as
if suddenly recolectlng that they were do
ing wrong in holding Intercourse with bar
barians, they would lay hold of some OF
the gentlemen by the shoulders and push
them away, pointing TO the ship. Gene
rally, wherever they landed, they found
the same Impotence TO get rid of ihem-thc
same aversion 10 enter into tratlic-ihe
same jealous sec'usion Of the women, and
the same pacific though repuIsive depot
ment, with The same appearance OF CON-
fort and good order.
Standing TO the southwark from what the
Review calls this garland Of
islands," they passed volcano which they
called Sulphur island, where they could
not land on account of the surf, and came
in sight Of the shore of the great Loo-Choo.
"No people that we have yet met with,
Says captain HalD have been so friendly
for the moment they came along side, one
handed a jar Of water up to US, and another
n haskell of boiled sweet noiatnes without