JOURNEYS THROUGH KOREA, 145 



being about 220 Im. The first traverse was made during the 

 coldest part of the year when hailstorms and heav}' snows were 

 experienced. The second was performed during earl}' spring, 

 while the third was during earl}^ winter. 



A. CLIMATE 



As a systematic statement of the climate is deferred to a 

 sequel, I shall here simply give the impressions it made upon 

 me during my journeys. 



Tall bamboo forests begin to appear near Kim-san on the 

 west coast at about 36"^ N. This useful plant, of w^liich of course 

 there are many species, plays an important rôle in the household 

 economy of all Koreans, but it is raised only in the south where, 

 due to its presence, the land -physiognomy diflers markedly from 

 the north. 1 saw it again on the east coast at Ul-chin at about 

 37"^ N., thus showing the difference of one degree ; and this fact 

 unequivocally proves the warmer climate of the Japan Sea coast 

 as compared with that of the Yellow Sea. The mean annual air 

 temperature of Fu-san is 14" C, and that of Moh-pho 13^ C. The 

 isotherms run obliquely through the peninsula, just as the orogra- 

 phic elements do. I saw^ the Camélia japonic a only on the 

 south coast. 



The So-paik-mn range, starting from Ul-chin just mentioned, 



Kyoxg- 



runs obliquely across the peninsula, and this mountain-barrier is ^-^^^^^^ 

 the important factor that differentiates the climate. The sunm^ 

 side of the range is Kyöng-sang-Do, the land of the defunct Sil-Ia 

 kingdom ^\ The region here is clean, and the streams clear. 

 Everywhere there are mountains wdiicli are not very high and 



1) See ante, page 99 et seq. 



Coast 



