1904.] on First Impressions of Seoul. 507 



Canine Street Police. 



I was wandering further on, when in front of a gate some dogs 

 nearly knocked me down. 



The streets of Seoul, like those of Pekin and Constantinople, are 

 full of them, but the dogs here are well kept and strong. If a single 

 one of these starts barking, this signal of some approaching danger 

 is in a minute responded to throughout a whole quarter. It was so 

 in my case. As I came too near the threshold the guardian on duty 

 there was under the impression that I intended to encroach on his 

 domain. His attitude towards me was anything but friendly, and 

 not being armed with either stick or umbrella I instinctively stooped 

 down to pick up a stone. This movement on my part, however, was 

 sufficient to make him drive me summarily into his own courtyard. 

 Apropos of the Korean canine race, the subject is worthy of a few 

 words, because they are some of the most typical figures in the streets 

 of Seoul. I must confess I never have seen better trained dogs than 

 these. In the streets they are the meekest of quadrupeds and as 

 quiet as lambs. 



A single word is quite sufficient for the Seoul dog to make him 

 scamper home to his doorway. He knows that it is his duty to be 

 there. He will lie in the little yard for hours and hours, but prefers^ 

 best of all, to take his ease on the doorstep with his head in the 

 street, so as not to lose sight of anyone approaching. He hardly 

 takes any notice of you as long as you walk in the middle of the 

 road. The farthest he would go is to stare at dark-clothed people 

 with other than yellow faces,, to the sight of whom he is not accus- 

 tomed, as ever since he came into this world he has seen none other 

 thau white kaftans. 



But the moment we direct our steps towards the house he gives a 

 growl or two, and upon your approach barks as loud as he can. He 

 reserves his attack until you are about a yard within his range. By 

 that time the auxiliary forces from the neighbourhood have concen- 

 trated, and you have the whole brigade snarling and yapping at your 

 heels. This fearsome pandemonium brings the master of the house, 

 or a member of his family, to the seat of the disturbance, and a 

 single word or merely a sign suffices for the Cerberus to retire to a 

 corner wagging his tail. 



The Evening. 



Darkness has set in. Calmness reigns supreme. The fresh 

 autumnal night is silently spreading its grey veil of mist over the 

 white city. But behold. Is it not the northern light that breaks 

 through the dark ? In the direction of Puk-Han it begins to dawn. 

 The sky unexpectedly flashes up ; its grave red light is getting more 

 and more acute. Now flames of hundreds of torches illuminate the 

 atmosphere. Another surprise. As if the many strange phenomena 

 of the day had not yet reached their climax. A torchlight proces- 

 sion, the- like of which I have not seen before. Pedestrians, sedan- 



YoL. XVII. (No. 98.) 2 m 



