The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-19
COREA A VERY STRANGE COUNTRY


CoREA 4 VERY STRANGE COUNTRY.
Notes OF nm Engllsh Traveller aud Botan,st.
| From II. Gnr,in,r, Chronc',.
CoREA. June 1.-Since writing. have trav-
elled 800 miles through the centre OF the coun-
try: the journey was performed on ponies. TAX
ing exactly twenty eight days OF which four
days were devoted to repose or being enter
| tanned. From eight to ten hours day. sone-
| times through unavoidable circumstances
moro. were spent in tho saddle: for ten days
| the sun blazing the whole time and varying
between So and 1902 in the shade. and what
was worse. the nights were nearly as hot as
! the days. The remainder OF the time we had
| some cloudy days. some equally hot. Timed
meats and rice we're my provisions. tho latter
OF excellent quality. l was received Ivy the
highest officials UP to Prince Ming. Governor
| OF the most important Corean province and
said to be the leading man in the kingdom
| next to the King. He told me the hair Of for
| eigners was rcd because they drank sleeps
| milk ] dined with Judge who trusted
would make my ST omach as big as mountain.
| and stayed and iourneyed four days with one
project. who. when he had consumed sufficient
| French prunes. Huntley 4 Palmer's biscuits.
| pyretc saline. coffee. and whiskey-e especially
| whiskey-h oped would not leave him for ten
| or even twenty years. OHlclai runners were
frequently placed at my disposal. causing all
we met to go Off the road. and those mounted
to dismount. was dismissed from one yamea
ofIicial residence! with n blare OF trumpcts.
and received in another lin the projects chair.
surrounded with guards. scribes. and a most
discordant band OF music. with the firing OF
matchbox some centuries old. sawtwo men
publicly whipped lone must have been over
sixty. becau Sc they had not got the lunch OF a
project and myself ready and one prefect.was
put in such good temper that he pardoned
his prisoners Of the day -four wrctched crea-
lures on long boards about five feet in length.
reviewed all his attendants down to his female
slaves drudges-and his army OF
eight men isnch men y. and two officers.
said 1t was magnificent: it ImaGniicently
some miles from the ~ ACC before laughed
Despots az friends are de!iGht'ul; but SEQ no
:, G0yyernment dancing girls. who belong to
the King and his Ollie ia Is. and who entertain
NEIL snG Tha of TnSea IL e OF
tain me during my stay in his city. was Il
curiosity to most. to some startling novelty:
in one place-a big city-when rode down the
main street one morning men ran into houses
and heckoned others out; a lew moments halt
washed for months. Children WOULD stare in
blank amazcment. ana then run away ysl!ng.
Women. except the lowest coolie class or very
old. | never saw. excepting the dancing girls.
only once were WE coldly received. and
UNPLEASANT occurrences were low. once my
Jack OF all trades servant and cooiie-thrash-
FL. &c.. pulled mans hair out. and fists and
feet were sometimes used with freedom. ] in
tervcned as seldom as possible; but when l
thought il best WAS n ways treated with RESPECT:
in fact. they are atraii OF you. not knowing
walked my horse toward q man. and he simply
ran he!ter-sk elter. My interpreter. shame
less scoundrel, was the most dtlicuIt 70 man
right well: he bears the character Of being u
tirst-rate man. and he is. To him is due all the
tIir nI Inf a. | rap IA al nv.
resented me rs a most important parsonage =
once ], was higher thar, General" it all
that l never should have seen and what it is
fuir to sprmise few Euroreans have ever seen
credit of being the irst TO send a man with q
knowledge Of plants through orca. Few. very
iiw seXgfr.nE miss0ntTeS disSet 10y tn" na
have been anywhere in the country, and ii Is
most rare 10 lind resident who has sum
moneu up moral courage to leave the hole
where fate hns placed him. and travel about l
say a hole. advisedly.
and to all that had ,een t"Ii ., It very !itte.
is rich. and much cultivated The vegetation
phn it c TH h"rbacsous ' and sHr"bby. and
al more or less Of horticultural value.
My t&S SeT Sr SsysM
slsiancr OF the missionaries. doubt II would
have done SO wol.
three men. beside the above two-one for self.
ono for Interpreter. one for clothes. bod. &c..
meats coliee. cocoa. whiskey. Nc, OF the Hrst
named l have several dozen. Very pala,Rhls
with rice: to be obtained everywhere Money
special letter. hy which onn can sign Tor the
outlay in each village. ,redeemabie at seo"!.
Consul is unable 20 orllgo me. ain therefore
taxing n pony load Of cash. 10000 pieces
IS I'D. THIS vii last iii reach Gemsaa.
where further supply c~n 10 obtained.
Ihe Iol"hns nre lazy, peaceanlr, iluhy lot. J
IA n k. y IN In f.t I,,iti
curiosity, though contrary from what IS Tho |
case IN China. privacy is moro or lcss respect |
is country yet absolutely uncivIlizad. Nome /
but The women OF the lowest coolies arc seen .
.. dent. one regards her iixedly, one would GER
talnly be attacked. should rather s"Yn or
W snah rSEera Thai Wana not
matter what one did. Mcall regard ourselves
as most en!ighened; laS!"sn nations rGs"ri
all wear tall Black hots with bond hin, Of
hprsehair or bamboo; al are drrhsei n "h!in'
do 1T tho waist. l.eGl!rineM sometimes wear
beautifully colored ,ks. Thes.. clothes ARC
battling ie unknown. and tho nth Of thcrrrr-
sons can 10 imagined. The streets II streets
,hcy can DO called nre very narrow wii4H
positively iii. ii Is n wonder cholera aud y;
japanese. strongly dIsliEed. arc in .re here;
anu lFenuGnt rows IRE sSp iRs TS h n"pc
a nd the tales OF those visiting tho country for
a few week. give n most erroneous Impression
OF their drcsltiul, little character. The heat is
great, and tho rainy season is cNperitd short
IS, | shall get AS Tar i9tu the country Ms pos
tihle. The post is in tho hands Of the JnIg.
and as badly managed as thoirs AZ nomo is
well managed.
The tWri,ros OF this ration are severe Two
weeks ago two men tried tu blow up the Kings
'ather: beinG caught they wer" Huid TO hnvo
crn SAwn in hall. commencing at the skull
Robbers highwaymen. Hc., ARE also f"aIiully
orturrd, rs were the lrst three French Ei-h-
Dps sent here from 1871 to 1851. Clrs;iani-
y Is still prohibited but all Europeans are
we'll and kindly treated now.