504 Count Vay de Yaya and LusJcod [April 15. 



are a number of ordinary and state sedan-cbairs. Crowds of servants, 

 attendants and coolies are warming tbemselves in tbe sun ; otbers are 

 playing at ball, whicb they kick off and catch with tbeir legs. 



In the middle of the street you meet mandarins hurrying to their 

 offices, magistrates and other men of consequence, most of them in 

 chairs, or rather boxes. These are carried by two servants. The 

 vehicle is covered with a cloth, that of the better class matching in 

 colour the servants' liveries. I have seen grey and yellow ones also. 

 These belong to the Korean aristocracy. 



The most attractive of all was the " carriage " of a noble in 

 mourning. His chair had quite recently been covered with cloth 

 of a yellowish hue, which the two servants also wore, their coats 

 reaching nearly to the ground. In order to give their limbs free 

 play these had been split up as far as the waist. But this can be 

 nothing more than fashion, for not even the whip would make a 

 Korean hurry. They also wear a broad girdle tied up in a bow 

 round the waist. 



When in mourning they wear straw hats, but not black, which 

 are shaped like a fair sized orthodox bread-basket. These have wide 

 brims reaching the shoulders and entirely concealing the face. In 

 such a weird costume they strongly resemble a yellow mushroom 

 sprung up on a summer's day. Straw sandals complete the costume. 



In spite of these strange details and absurd combinations the 

 general effect is good ; the colours, the silk-covered chair, straw hat 

 and sandals blend harmoniously together. Seen from a distance they 

 all have the appearance of ivory knick-knacks, such as you see exhibited 

 for sale in Japanese curio shops. 



A Korean Wedding. 



But I hear a noise in the distance, and from the direction of the 

 western gate a motley crowd comes towards me. It must be either a 

 funeral or a wedding. So far I cannot distinguish which. The next 

 moment two children detach tbemselves from the crowd. They seem 

 to lead the procession. Their dress is glaring, of green, purple and 

 scarlet silk, with their dark hair encircling their foreheads in gleam- 

 ing plaits. They are also decked out with flowers and butterflies. 



Behind them a large box painted red and polished is carried. 

 This is evidently the dowry. Now follow the dancers, in pairs, but 

 widely apart from each other. Their costume — I cannot describe it ! 

 Almost shapeless, it consisted of skirt over skirt, kerchiefs, veils, all 

 pell-mell, and of every colour of the rainbow. 



I take note of many things which to-morrow might escape me. 



Street life is one ever flowing stream. In Seoul, I observe, every- 

 body lives on the thoroughfares. That is probably the reason why 

 its streets are so wide and the dwellings so cramped. In this trait 

 the Korean is like the Spaniard or Italian. He is never so happy as 

 when out of doors. There he stands on his threshold, or basking in 

 the sunny courtyard, or he lights his pipe and strolls up and down 



