The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-16
A GHOST HUNT IN COREA.
TRAGEDY At THE END or A ElVzL
OFFICERS ADVENTURE.
The Result or = Mia.isht watch .. =
Ha-sted House at Cks-uIPs was the
CsPtnre OF = Ghost-A avede,s Fate.

ANSNAhNN HM0WNE ~ IHeAWNHo WAS IN
CsPt-re OF = ehost-A swede's Fate
wAsHiroroS. Dec. 1s.-A Lieutenant in III
navy has a story to tell Of an adventure that be
fell him, Just before the declaration Of war be
tween China and Japan, At the seaport town o
Chemulpo, in Corea. IL was q ghost hunt with
tragedy at the end Of IL.
The Lancaster. Of which I was second vatcl
o%ficer," said he, steamed into the harbor o
Chemulpo for coal after a long see voyage, ant
land. no matter how desolste the coast, was
welcome sight. The prospect, however. was moi
encouraging, and, further than a chance 10 Civ,
ones legs n good stretching and an opportunity q
buy fresh meat and vegetables. the situation did
not promise any enlivening gayety. Nobody ex.
pected the joys Of Paris, but a pouring rain that
Get In soon after our arrival made the chances
for even q lee-stretching seem dubious. and
gave the bleak-looking walls an aspect OF
utter desolation. with the fresh meats
and vegetables and q few new faces
from the shore. spirits in the wardroom
revived wonderfully, and the mess table that
night was sufficiently jovial to seem TO premise
better things. Among the visitors who took
dinner with us was the Swedish Consul. lie
was a fne-looking young fellow. less than thirty,
tall and we'll made, with a rosy. fair skin, very
light hair, and clear gray eyes. the very type, in
fact, of the north country man, and Of the very
good-looking one at that. He spoke English
well, and added his stock Of stories and anec-
dotes to those already in possession Of the mess.
He had a keen sense of humor, and from all
accounts was a wag who usually succeeded In
amusing people when he tried. He was engaged
TO be married to q girl at home, and endeared
himself to us by swearing ct Chemulpo for q
town OF mean antecedents and absolutely no
resources for the mar seeking to be amused.
"'There are pirates and smugglers,' said he.
i had q job several months ago putting to-
ecther the pieces of one Of my countrymen
those fellows, OR one of them, Chi Foo by name.
had hacked up, and shipping him back to his
people. They are horrible wretches those fell
lows, and they are all up and down the coast.
but nobody can catch them-or nobody tries.'
Pirates were interesting, but rs nobody
seemed to know whore TO put . finger on them.
and as a sail at sea meant two weeks In q junk
in cramped quarters of doubtful cleanliness, or
rather, undoubted filth, the pirate hunt was
abandoned.
"'well, we have a haunted house. continued
the Swede. determined to be hospitable and
offer every resource available. This sounded
more encouraging. although watch officers do
not usually look. with favor on propositions that
involve sitting up at night when they can enjoy
that doubtful pleasure every night in the year IL
they wish 1t. From the Consul's story. the pco-
pie OF the town held the house In mortal dread.
none of them ever daring to venture within a
hundred yards Of II, even in daytime. Lights
were said to have been seen at the windows, and
horrible screams were heard between IL and 3
o'clock In the morning. This seemed to
he the correct thing In the ghost line,
ard corrcsponded with our ideas OF what
ghosts should do. OF course. the whole thing
easily set down to Monaghan superstition
aud might readily be explained in a hundred
ways. But seeing no prospect of arousing the
/ ,ssIluttn nf tha blood nn1.aa hv aaon. .",b
means, four OF us consented to form q watching
Iarty who, together with the Swede. would look
into the matter thoroughly. To while away the
Icdium and Keep the drowsy ones awake. a deck
u cards and a box OF chips were to be taken
along and the Swede was to be taught the inter-
sting. II sinful, American game of draw poker
20 that he should have something worth remem-
bering to show the other Consuls when the Lam
.aster sailed away. He agreed to this and was
10 bring a few bottles of old wine.
Although our less enthusiastic
'oGrd our project infantile, tho introduction OF
he poker game enlisted two new recruits before
he evening was over. The evening after next,
to appointment, the six of us went
'shore after dinner and trudged up the muddy
.;rcet to the Swedish Consulate. But on arriv-
ng there we were met at the door by a hugo
who informed us by signs, as well as
ic could. that the Consul was in bed with a
Grained ankle. The fellow grinned the while
II such a way that we thought he might be
wing, for a bad Corean servant Is as bad as
hey are made. We were admitted to the Consul's
Dom. and he really seemed to be suffering much
vain. 1t was seen that II we desired to go on
With the ghost hunt we would be obliged to do
! Without the company. ot the Swede. He
he said. and did not want to spoil our even
lE, but, as We could see. IL couldn't be helped
4; :, FOR one; was for giving up the whole business
tssd, all his Persuasions, and it was finally de-
id dSan to G continue bInS. o the expedition; especially az
he dry and moist varieties.
nd apparently rather rickety concern two
tories in height in the centre OF q scrubby
nee. for it stood on the top OF a slight elevation,
nd the after glow OF the sun, which had been
ooms and made 1t look very much ike a skeiso
On OF what might once have been q respectable .
stS6lissh hp One side of the place looked '
indled a tre-for the air had a nip in it .
nd lighted an enormous ships lantern. as ,
pom was very bright and cheerful. We 1
Tamined the lower floor with scrupulous care. I
angling from their hinges. The interior OF the 9
ooms was much the same as that OF the other I
no rain. which had beaten In through the win =
ows; There were bits OF broken furniture iy-
contained a rickety table in a fairly good =
Of preservation and several chairs OF Jam .
DO with ornaments which had once been OF q
alue. Before our arrival the bluejackets had a
eaned out some of the rubbish and put the =.
,om In shipshape condition. .
." Up stairs the aspect of things was different.
mating, decently clean, although a little mil n
WED, lay upon the floor in the front room. 4
here were two small lacquer tables, several y
lairs and a China garden settee In one corner. I
he room next II, although IL had no mat, was +
abitable, except for the dust. which covered n
I%erything IN a thick layer. which was stirred -
p as we wakes through. The ghosts, whoever
icy were, had not occupied that room recently. v
he part OF the house which | had noticed as n
sing 50 dark looking, and which | had deemed y
% most likely place for the operations OF the
idnight jewellers, was, like the rest OF the 8
,isily through L. sounding the, walls and :,
llege song that one OF the younger fell n
ws came out with. We were all very z
.actical, strong. enough In number 10 v
axe a very good fight II occasion demanded, 81
I'd 50 were troubled with none OF that feeling
awe which overcomes the ia aginaliOn on II
me excursions OF this sort. There was only Il
e fact the least calculated 10 arouse suspicion Ii
DnrnnanRN In this nnrfinR ~ aha Gnuaa !,