The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-12-22
A FORBIDDEN LAND.
lights Seen by the First Visitors to
Corea.
An InquisitiVe and Curious People.
Boldness of the Natives---Strange Super
stitions Held by the Women
A State Reception.
New York Herald.

New York Herald
A correspondent on board the Monocacy
sends us the following from Port Lazareff,
Corea: We are now anchored in this far-off
port in the forbidden land"-a land until re-
Gently so closely sealed to the rest of the
world. For several days we steamed rapidly
along the Corean coast, which is green and
mountainous, in rain and fog. For nearly
two week it has steadily railNd. Yesterday
we got in, and to-day several of US went on
shore to visit the villages, which are mostly
6shermen's huts. The harbor is large, with
dne islands and snug berths all around; but
for the grass huts of the natives in the dis
lance it would be a perfect solitude. An ex-
cited crowd greeted us as we stepped on
shore The Corean dress is white in color
when new, but soon becomes and remains
dirty looking. The hair is caught up into a
short topknot, and covered with curious
shaped hats, made of black mosquito netting
stuff of split bamboo. The Corean is much
darker than the Japanese, larger, wears a
thin beard, and has quick, intelligent fea-
lures. They walk with a free stride, have
perfectly unabashed manners, and are regu-
lar thieves One of them this morning went
up to Mr.. T., pulled his moustache to examine
it, and then coolly took toothpick out of
his hand, which he pocketed, and then strobe
away
On landing we were surrounded by curl
GUS crowd, who passed round US, laughing
and chattering like parcel of monkeys Our
Chinese interpreter told them who we were,
and told them about the treaty, of which
they had not heard. After giving them some
articles we started for look about, but were
soon stopped, and especially from going near
their huts. The women, who are generally
ugly, fed at our approach; so we finally gave
it up and went back to our boats after one
savage-looking rascal having intinated rather
graphically what he should do if we went
further by drawing his hand across his neck.
We then pulled up to larger village on the
opposite bank, where hundreds awaited us.
Before landing We sent the interpreter out
first to explain our visit; directly after we
were invited to land Here we made some
presents, but in the midst of the palaver
heavy shower came on, which caused every
body to scamper for shelter A lot of the dirti-
est-looking fellows got under my umbrella,
which was already doing double duty, and kept
their ground despite our efforts to dislodge
them. They appeared to be utterly unman-
nerly, although not ill-natured On trying to
get under the caves of large hut which was
crowded, one of them coolly pushed me out in
the rain. So there we stood in the drenching
downpOur, lot of them crowding under our
umbrellas, and hundreds of them from the
shelter of the surrounding huts watching our
movements Indeed, the situation struck us
so ludicrous that we shouted with laughter
After the rain we smoked pipe with the chief
men, who passed us over very soberly, put
our lips to some villainous stuff called sam
shu, which they passed around, and pushed
through the crowd to the boat Here, as be-
fore, they would nOtlet us walk about or enter
their huts. The women also were invisible |
think, however, had it not been for the rabble
the hest men would have treated us better
Nor is it fair to take this distant fishing village
and its people as a sample of Corea and
Coreans. The Swatara, which took Commo-
dore Shufeldt to the capital, Seoul, was
treated very well A curious phase is that
although they showed the greatest interest in
us they seemed to look upon us as interiors.
A run of two days to the southwark brought
us to the port of Chosan, where the Japanese
have maintained a mil tary garrison for the
past 200 years. Here the governor, a venera-
Bile and dignifed looking parsonage, visited
the ship, having received instructions from
the king to do so. He was so pleased with
all he saw, when was entirely new to him,
that he sent afterward a bountiful present of
pigs, chickens and eggs on board and invited
US to visit him at his capital the next day
Seven of us, in full uniform, with the Japan
ese consul, his interpreter, Japanese naval
captain and several other Japanese officials
composed the party. Diminutive ponies, with
betto or groom TO each, were provided and
the governors aide, with guard of soldiers,
were sent to escort us out.
The whole town was collected at the consul
ate to witness our departure, which proved to
be no small undertaking. DR.. I. s pony, a
fiery little animal, got quite unmanageable
and after curveting on his hind legs for some
time, to the edifcation of the bystanders who
by this time had formed compact mass on
each side of the way, managed to throw its
rider. The doctor pluckily mounted him
again and Immediately took the lead, which
he maintained the whole way, the pony
plunging along broadside on, to the great CON
sternation of the guard. Our way passed
through succession of Corean villages, and
along the hills that border the shores of this
lovely bay The day was all that could be
desired, and a cool breeze modified what
otherwise would have been melting temper
ature in our closely fitting coats. Along the
way thousands of natives witnessed in silence
the astonishing spectacle of seven naval Off
GERS passing through their country Such a
thing had never been known before, and of
all these thousands scarcely one had ever seen
European.
Our visit had been announced the previous
day throughout the country, and the people
had been warned by the governor to behave
themselves and not to throw stones at the for
eigners The huts of mud and stones, with
heavily matched roofs coming down very low.
were completely screened from observation by
high stone walls. Every oil-papered window
and gate was tightly closed 10 guard the
women from observation, yet noticed every
crack and peephole had its quota of peering
eyes. One of the guard had a long bamboo
switch, and his business consisted in going
ahead TO warn the women of our approach
This he did by keeping up constant howl,
and woe betide the unlucky one who fell into
his clutches. l saw him brutally beat one
who did not get under cover in time This
custom of concealing the women is very sin
gular, especially as they are surrounded by
nations who do not practice it. The women
seem to have positive dread of meeting the
eye OF a white man, turning their backs and
covering their heads, if they have not time to
fly / have heard this fear accounted for by
the belief that the eye of a foreigner has the
power of poisoning or bewitching them if
they meet their glance. 10 continue the de-
scription of the way out, after passing a
walled town, which looked very picturesque.
with its messy turrets and grove Of trees in the
center, the road led into the interior, running
through broad valley of rice and barley
fields. 1t was harvest time, and the natives
were busily engaged in cutting and thrasbing
the grain, which latter was done in the fields
with bamboo fails. Our approach to the can
ital, called Tori, and which is walled city.
was heralded by two trumpeters, who ran
sheaa A brow of hill outside the gate was
whit6%ith the crowd
Addison: 1t is folly for an eminent man to
think OF escaping censure, and a weakness to