The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-16

view Beck en- Csrea.
The veli.known traveller. Mrs. IsABELLA BIRD
HrnHoP. whose "Unbeaten Tracks in Japan"
oaused her TO DO chosen . Fellow Of the Royal
Biographical Society. now offers US an account
81 her visit 10 the neighborinR peninsula in the
book entitled Korea and Her Nefohbors u. H.
Revell Company A preface, contributed By Sir
W. q. Hilysr, who was for many years Britinh
ConsulGeneral for Corea, vouohes for the 40
.eurncy Of Mrs. Bishops observations and for the
corraotness Of her differences. We also learn
from him that her facilities for acquiring knowl-
edge were exceptional. she having possessed
the confidence of the King and Of the
late Queen TO an extont never before ex-
hibited toward o foreigner. She has also
had access 10 valuable sources OF intorma-
ton. placed at her disposal by the foreign COM
munity in Seoul, and tho assiduity with which
phe turned these and other opportunities to ac-
count explains, doubtless. why her conclusions
differ, in many particulars, from those arrived
at by less fortunate visitors. We should add
that, having resided in Corea during and since
the late wal between China and Japan, she 10
able not only to discuss the character, intelli.
.Rence, social condition and political prospects of
the Corenn population, but also to throw light
on cortain recent events in Eastern history
which have been either incorrectly described or
misinterpreted. We may say at once that her
observation of the Corean settlers In Russian
territory has convinced Mrs. Bishop that the In
habitants OF Independent Corea arc capable OF
improving their condition indefinitely under
wise and patcrnal rule. that they are still. In
abort, the Same people who. at one time.
achieved o relatively high civilization and
transmitted 1t to Japan.
In an introductory chapter the author tells
MS that, until lately, when the establishment
of q carefully edited monthly periodical. the
Korean Repository, has stimulated research.
the one authority concerning the history,
geography, ethnology. and sociology OF the
Hermit Nation. has been the introduction
to Father Dialects Historic de FEglise de
Korte, parts of which, however. are now OBJ
solete. 1t is Baron Richthofen, however, who,
in his work on China cites the first notice of
Corea in the literature Of the West. a notice for
which we are indebted to Khordadbeh, an Arab
Igeographer of the ninth century A. ID. The cur
rent legends regarding tho aboriginal inhabi-
tauts of the peninsula are passed over by Mrs.
Bishop, but she necessarily accepts the fact that
It W inhabited when Kite or Ki.ja, whose tomb
is still preservedin Phy6ng-yang, introduced the
elements Of Chinese civilization in the twelfth
century Il. G. Inevitably that Chinese invasion
and the subsequent immigrations from Man.
churia have left some traces on the Coreans. yet
bQ0y II bbTlhihBly CIO ooth VI biiOi
nearest neighbors. the Chinese and the Jap
anese, while. among themselves, there is a re-
mRrkable variety of physiognomy. all the moro
noticeable because ofthe uniformity of costume.
The difficulty OF Identifying people which besets
and worries the stranger in Japan and China Is
not encountered, it seems, in Corea. 1t is true
that the obliauity Of the Monaghan eye
IL always present. as well as a trace of
bronze in the skin. but the complexion
vnrfau from n avarthy Oliva tn n yery
light brown. Nor 10 this, by any means. the
only way of discriminating individuals. There
are, for instance, straight and aquiline noses,
as we'll as broad and snub noses. with distended
nostrils. Tho hair varies in texture from wiri-
ness to sickness, and, although the COW
eted color Is black, it is often q russell brown.
Somo men have full mustaches and large
goatees; many. again. have full, strong
boards, while. on the faces of others. a
few carefully tended hairs, as in China, do
duty for beard and mustache. The mouth 10
either the wide, full.lipped, gaping cavity. con-
otantly seen among tho lower orders, or It 10
. small, though full feature. or 1t may oven
DO thin-lipped and refined. as 10 almost al
ways the case among patricians. Tho eyes,
though dark, vary from dark brown to hazel:
the cheek bones are high; the brow. SO far as
fashion allows it to be seen. is frequently lofty
and intellectual; the ears are mall and we'll set
on. Tho usual expression Is described al cheer
full. with a dash of bewilderment. In its best
aspect, the physiognomy indicates quick intelli-
CONGO rather than strength of will. On the
whole. Mrs. Bishop assures US, the Coreans arc
q handsome race. Compared with that of their
neighbors. their physique Is good. The average
height of the men is 8 feet 4la inches. and the
average size around the chest 81 inches;
the average height of the women can
not DO ascertained. but 1t Is dispropor-
tionately less. while their figures. the
faults Of which are exaggerated by the
uRliest dress on earth, are squat and broad.
Tho hands and feet, however. of both sexes and
all classes arc very small, white, and exqui-
Sitely formed. and the tapering, almond-shaped
finger nails are carefully attended to. The men
are very strong. and, as porters, carry heavy
weights, q load of ono hundred pounds being
deemed q moderate one. They walk remarkably
well. which. Of course, indicates that their
lower limbs are we'll made. 1t Is certain that
the Coreans are prolific; their families are
large and healthy. If the Government estimate
Of the number of houses be correct, the popula-
uon must be from twelve to thirteen million. 70
males heing in the minority.
With regard to the mental qualities of tho
Coreans. foreign teachers bear witness to their
adroitness and quickncss OF perception and to
their talent for the quick acquisition of Ian
EuaEes. which they speak more iuently and
with o far better accent than either the Chinese
or Japanese. They have. on the other hand. the
Oriental vices of suspicion, cunning and I'M
truthfulness; there is no such thing as confidence
between man and man. Women are secluded,
and occupy q very inferior position; to this mat
ter we shall recur hereafter.
The geography of Corea. or Chosen (Ch'ao
Hsien-"Morning Calm'D, is easily grasped. 1t is
Apeninsula shaped like an indented rectangle,
projecting enthusiastically from the mainland
Of Asia. the base of the rectangle lying to the
northeast of China. 1t measures, roughly. six
hundred miles from north to south. and one
hundred and thirty.nve from east to west.
Tho coast limo 10 about seventeen hundred
and forty miles. Tho peninsula stretches
from "a IT. N. to AZ n. latitude
and from 1874 49, K. to 1889 So Z.