The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1886-12-06
THE CAPITAL OF C0REA.
SIGHTS IN SEOUL, CHIEF CITY OF
THE HERMIT KINGDOM.
Corean Houses All Face One Way
Scouts Fine Sitc--Signal Fires
and CurccW Ringing.

and Curfew Ringing.
The Corean houses all face south, says
letter from Seoul, the capital OF that
country, to the San Francisco Chronicle.
No matter if the entrance gate is on the
north, there will be a way around to the
reception rooms, which will invariably
omen toward the south. The cities are
50 laid out that, if possible, there shall
be rugged mountain on the north and
green, wooded hill or mountain on the
South. This is in accordance with their
ideas of harmony. Certain it is that 1t
makes very pictures lue effect. The
capital, Seoul, is laid out in the same
way, and they succeeded In tinding
site that exactly suited. Behind the
palace, inside the city walls, rises
rugged peak some 5000 feet in height.
Farther on still whole range of mount
aims pierce the clouds with their crags
and exert On influence upon the city.
On the cast and west sides Of the city
there are also mountains, but the gem OF
the whole collection is the Nam Shan
(south mountain), which meets the gaze
of every householder as he sits In his
parlor facing southwark. This mountain
is green the year round, being covered
with a heavy growth of pine, eEESt 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 Dor
der. in i've directions, whether all is
..o,oof,,I or ofborxuiae
There are certain 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
full blaze Immediately on seeing the
lights from the mountains nearest to .
ward the border. The next station passes
the signal along, and so in less than an
hour /, 900 ri $50 miles, are gone over
and it is known at the capital that quiet
reigns along the border. When the five
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 60 IN
before his majesty and announce "all is
TRANQUIL and quiet; the FIVE fires were
seen on Nam Shan this evening: m>~Hut if
one fire should not be seen; chen they
must report that section toIJe at war, and
hard is their task, for. .p5 one must tell to
the king any but gc,rd news. lie stands
before them theiridea of human perfee-
ton. He acts also as high priest and
sacrifices to heaven for the good of his
people. ./Itis not right, then, in their
opinifn, that he should be informed con-
csrIing any disagreeable or unpleasant
thing. But wars will force themselves
|, upon the recognition of the most care
fully guarded monarch, and many have
been the times when the poor old gray
boards have had to report a. fire miss
ing and trouble on the boarder.
In the center of the capital OF Corea
stands small pagbda. 6build In
rounded by wooden palings and contain
ing only huge bell some twelve feet in
height, which is made to give forth its
music by means of log suspended by a
chain, so that on being drawn back by Il
man and then let 90 it strikes the onter
surface of the bell, which gives forth a
rich, mellow and far-resounding music.
This bell is struck in the evening, vary
ing, as to the hour, from seven to nine,
according to the seasons. Upon hear
inc its rich tones all men hasten Oft the
streets un css 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, go we'll mufled up in their
queer green and red tunics. These
robes, which strike a stranger as being
very singular, are part of every decent
woman's wardrobe, be she ever so poor,
No lady, or wife of even a well-to-d DO az
tisan, will appear on the street unveiled
or unaccompanied by IN elderly duenua,
and if they can afford it they only go out
in the daytime in closed chair; bnt after
the currew has sounded and the men
have disappeared they 60 about freely.
Even then, however, they are 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 muses. on the loveliness thus
concealed Green is the color belonging
peculiarly to the Queen; hence the women
choose it for their veil like garment. The
red sleeves are also symbol of national
loyalty, for these garments are meant III
time of war TO be hastily placed upon
their brave husbands, brothers and sons.
to be used rs 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
making the CORY 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-fearcd creatures the promenaders
run together like hens, and try to hide
their heads beneath each others clothes.
or gaze irtently on the blank wall of the
nearest house. und@r whose caves they
run as though to get as far out of the