Connecticut western news., 1886-12-15
THE CAPITAL OF COREA.
SIGHTS IN SEOUL, CHIEF CITY or
 THE HERMIT KINGDOM.
Corean Houses All Face One Way Scours Fine Site-Signal Fires and Curfew Ringing.

Corean Houses All Face One Way
 Scours Fine site-Signal Fires
 and Curfew Ringing.
 The Corean houses all face south, sAys a letter from Seoub ths capital of that country, to the San Francisco Chronicle No matter if the entrance gate is on the north, there will be way around to the reception rooms, which will invariably open toward the south. The cities are so laid out that, if possible, there shall be rugged mountain on the north and a green, wooded hill or mountain on the south. This is in accordance with their ideas of harmony. Certain it is that it makes very pictures tue effect. The capital, Seoul, is laid out in the same way, and they succeeded in finding a site that exactly suited. Behind the palace, inside the city walls, rises a rugged peak some 5000 feet in height. Farther on still whole range of mount. nns pierce the clouds with their crags and exert an influence upon the city. On the cast and west sides of the city there arc also mountains, but the gem of the whole collection is the Nam Shsn (south mountain), which meets the gaze of every householder as he sits in his parlor facing southwark This inouhtaih is green the year round, baing covered with a heavy growth of pine, except on the top where the trees have been re- moved to make place fir signal fires. In the absence of telegraph lines the Coreans, from ancient times, have been in the habit of signaling from the bof- der, in fivo directions, Whether all is peaceful or otherwise.
 There afe certa; n high mountain peaks happily situated at appropriate intervals In each direction. Upon the tops of these mountains quarters have been built for signal officers, whose duty it Is to have the fire all ready to ..kindle into t full blaze imm mcdsately cn beeing tho lights from the mountains nearest to ward the border Tho next station passes the signal along, and so in less than an hour 1000 ri (350 miles) are gone over and it is known at the capital that quiet reigns along tho border. When the fiSH lights have been seen by the station on the south mountain of Seoul, the watch quickly lights his five fires in little oven like Structures open at the top, and so placed as to be easily seen from the pal ace. Every night body of venerable gray bearded officers of high rank go in before his ma 'csty and announce 'all is tranquil and quiet; tho five fires Wete seen on Nam Shan this evening"" But if one fire should not be seen, then they must report that section to be at war, and hard is their task, for no one muet tell to the king any but gccd news. He stands before them theit idea of human perfec- tioa. Ho ccts also as high priest and sacrifices to heaven for the good of his people. It i, not right, then, in their opinion, that he should be informed con corning any disagreeable or unpleasant thing, But wars will force themselves upon the recognition of the most ca:e- fully guarded monarch, and many have been tue times when the poor old gray heacds have had to report fire miss ing and trouble on the boardcr.
 In the center of the capital of Corea stands sm Il pngcda like building, Sur rounded by wooden palings and contain ing only a huge bell soh,e Twelve feet ill hei ght, which is made to give forth its music by means of log suspended by s chain, so that on being drewn back by man and then let go it strikes the outer surfa 0 of the bell, which gives forth a rich, mellow and far-rcsounding music. This bell is struck in the evening, vary
 ing, as to the hour, from seven to hine, according to the seasons. Upon hear ing it's rich tones ell men hasten off the streets uh ess they be officers or official messengers, for the woman's hour has arrived and the men must stay indoors Soon many little lanterns begin to fit along the narrow streets, each one held by the fair hand of timid female; who, even in the darkness and quiet of the night, Bo well mu He'd up in their queer green and red tunics. These robes, which strike a stranger as bcing very singular, are part of every decent woman's wardrobe. be she ever 50 poUf. No lady, or wife Of even wcll-to, do ar tisan, will appear on the street unve led Of unaccompanied by an elderly duenna, and if they can afford it they only go out in the daytime in closed chair; but af:er have disappeared they. go about ire ly. Even then, however, they arc yelled in this long gown, which, supported by the head, hides the face and the most of the body, leaving only an eye to spy out the way and steal sly glances at the strange foreigner who muscs on the loveliness thus concealed Green is the color belonging peculiarly to the Queen; hence the women choose it for tn irveil like garment. The red sleeves are also a symbol of national loyalty, for these g .rmcnts arc meant in time of war to be hastily placed upon their brave husbands, brothers and sons, to be used as their outer garment, and the sleeves are made of red that the brave defenders of their homes may wipe their bloody swords upon them without mak ng the gory traces too noticeable. Though the curfew's call clears the streets and leaves their darkness to the women alone, yet they seem to be in great fear lest they should be seen of men, and on the approach of one of these much-fcared creatures the promenaders run together like hens, and try to hide their heads beneath each others clothes, l or gaze irtently on the blank wall of the nearest house. und whose caves they run as though to get as far out of the reach of danger as is possible. Some of these women arc richly dressed, and it is therefore great temptation to the law less to waylay and roo them, notwith- standing the fact that, in addlt on to vio- lating the lav in not obeying the curfew call, the punishment for theft is dccapita- tion. At call from one of these distressed women all of the ad .oining householders must rush out and lend their assistance. But for two reasons the woman will not call if she be a person of wisdom and fore- thought. The first reason is that these robbers arc known to carry long, sharp swords, which they wield with uncrrin 2 skill and the strength of desperation, knowing as they do that capture means death, and murder is their only escape. The second reason is moro powerful than the first, in that it touches what is more dear to woman than life, be she of what ever nation. Society with her is so con- stituted that to be detected in companY