Year: 1871

when she first anchored here May 80. They carried
as


A PRESENT


to the American Minister ana officers several young
cattle for beef, number or chickens and quantity
of eggs say several Thousand. Though they had
previously perslstenJiy refused TO sell anything 10
the ships OF The neet they offered these present,
saying they thought the men on board


MUST BE HUNGRY
and ueed them after coming such an i'm
mense distance across the great water
from the larthest nation OF the West. TDis
was evidently intended as "a kind OF peace Offer
ing to atone In some degree for Grlng gun
boats on the lst They SAID In explanation OF that
affair that the narrow strait in SalIee River opposite
Fort de COude, being only about quarter OF mile
wide, was regarded as


THE GATE INTO COKEA,
and that their King had stationed men there with
orders TO allow no one TO pass but TO fire on all tiat
attempted IT; that the fire from our guns had killed
several tens and wounded number; that the
o,,ccr in command of the fort had been
disgraced, and that they were all very
much ashamed-theIr way, most probably,
Alter mature deliberatiOn II was decided not TO
accept the presents. The Coreans appeared 10 re-
greet 1t still more when they learned this decision.
They -
that at least portion OF them some oi the chickens





ter was firm and decided III his refusal being deter
mined to show them that we were not hungry, and
could stay here some time entirely independent OF
any supplies from the Corcans. While the 0liclas
were negotiating foI the acceptance OF their presents
their followers dispersed about the ship looking al
everything with great interest. After staying seve-
raj hours the whole party left, very much detected
at the failure of Their mission aud rejection oi Their
presents,


THE COREAE EQUIPMENT.


The Coreans were armed with clumsy gng3is.-a
long heavy gun somewhat Ike the back woOdsnlan's
rlf ag
heavy that takes two men 10 work. one serving as
"A rest by holding the muLzie on his snorlder while
another man behind fires the piece, not with per
cnssion cap nor even win iint ana steel, but with
a matchbox. The fact OF their being armed with
sucn clumsy awkward concerns may account for
the great disparity between the number of their
Killed and ours theirs being three hundred, ours
only three--0ne hundred To one against them.


THEIR ARTILLERY


consisted mainly OF brass brecch-lOaders OF about
two-lncn bore, and apparently about TWO hundred
wears old. The chambers of these detached.
and entirely separate. Each gun had a number Of
them loaded by II ready for use. The loading IS done
by putting In the ready loaded chamber ana securing
IT with plug. The piece Is not worked with u car
rlagc, but has spike on the under side To secure lt
by having this driven into the ground, and this can
only be made TO bear one fixed point. The range
can only be changed SLOWLY, aud WIN difficulty. it
Is supposed that these were all planted to bear on q
certain point IN the river, and orders were given
q, Dire when our boats across thar.
The tact OF their not going TO the point covered
Just where the Coreans wanted them, may account
for their escaping with so little damage, the only
injury ever sustained by them yet having been iron
the natural difficulties of navigation by running OF
the rocks in the very RAPID currents tnat rush pas
that place.


was severely injured Dy getting upon III,
rocks IN the last expedition, OF June TO- that her In
iurles nave not been tuy repaired yet and Canno
be without gong TO Snanghae or some other por
where she can go into dry lock.
The Coreans viii nave no communication with "
now and things look as II The oXpedsi0n were aDoa
60 end soon.