The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-12-29
A FORBIDDEN LAND.
Sights Seen by the First Visitors to
Corea.
An Inquisitive and Curious People.
Boldness of the Natives---Stranse Superu
stitions Held by the Women
A State Reception.

New York Herald.
4 correspondent on board the Monocacy
sends us the following from Port Lszareh,
Corea: We are now anchored in this far-on
port in the forbidden land"-a land until re-
Gently 80 closely sealed TO the rest OF the
world. For several days We stesmed rapidly
along the Corean coast, which il green and
mountainous, in rain and fog. For nearly
two week it has steadily rairSd. Yesterday
we got in, and to-day several Of us went on
shore to visit the villages, which are mostly
6shermens huts The harbor il large, with
6ne islands and snug berths all around; but
for the grass huts Of the natives in the dis
lance it Womb 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 q
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 .
thin beard, and has quick, intelligent fea-
lures. They walk with free stride, have
perfectly unabashed manners, and are regu-
lar thieves. One of them this morning went
up to Mr.. T., pulled his nloustache to examine
il, and then coolly took toothpick out Of
his hand, which he pochstsd, and then strobe
away.
On landing we were surrounded by q 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 intimated rather
graphically what hs 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 q
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
tssevp They appeared g - utte~l- Gnr.&n
nerly, although not ili-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 r, in 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 not let us walk about or enter
their huts The women also were invisible.
think, however had it not been for the rabble,
the best men would have treated us better
Nor is it fair to take this distant fishing village
and Its people IS 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.
run of two days to the southwark brought
us to the port of Chosan, where the Japanese
have maintained military garrison for the
past 200 years. Here the governor, a venera-
bic and dignifed looking parsonage, visited
the ship, having received instructions from
the king to do 90. He was so pleased with
all he saw, whieM was entirely new to him,
that he sent afterward q bOuntiful present of
pigs, chickens and. eggs on board, and invited
as to visit him at his capital the next day.
r. fHIlT Se1.e
ese consul. his interpreter, Japanese a~al
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.. r. 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 a compact mass or
each side Of the way, managed TO throw ltt
rider. The doctor plucBily 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 cool breeze modified what
otherwise would have been me ting 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 Z
! thing had never been known before, and o.
all these thousands scarcely one had ever seer
| European.
| Our visit had been announced the previOuI
! 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, will
| heavily matched roofs coming down very low
| were completely screened from observation b,
high stone walls. Every oil-papered windoT
and gate was tightly closed 10 guard tn
women from observation, yet noticed ever
crack and peephole had its quota of peerin
eyes. One Of the guard had long bambo
switch, and his business consisted in goint
ahead 10 warn the women Of our approach
This he did by keeping up q constant howl
and woe betide the unlucky one who fell int
his clutches. l saw him brutally beat on
! who did not get under cover in time. Ibi
/ custom Of concealing the women is very sin
gular especially as they are surrounded b
nations who do not practice it. The wome
seem to have positive dread Of meeting tn
eye of white man, turning their backs an
covering their heads, if they have not time t
! fy. have heard this fear accounted for
the belief that the eye of foreigner has th
power of poisoning or bewitching them
hey meet their glance. To continue the de
scription of the way out, after passing
vailed town, which looked very picturesqu,
with It's messy turrets and grove Of trees in Ii
center, the road led into the interior, runnin
through broad valley Of rice and barle
fields. It was harvest time, and the natiy,
we're busily engaged IN cutting and thrashi1
the grain, which latter wac done in the fielC
with bamboo fails. Our approach to the cal
ital, called Tori, and which is walled cit
was heralded by two trumpeters, who "a
ahead brow Of hill outside the gate WI
whitesRith the crowd.
Addison: 1t is folly for an eminent man
think Of escaping censure, and weakness