242 



COREA- 



sailed from New York harbor, in the Colora- 

 do, to assume command of the Asiatic Squad- 

 ron. The United States squadron left Naga- 

 saki on the 16th of May, and arrived at Far- 

 rier's Island, at the southern point of the Co- 

 rean peninsula, on the 18th. The squadron 

 consisted of the flag-ship Colorado (first rate, 

 screw), 45 guns ; the steamship Benicia (third 

 rate, screw), 12 guns; the steamship Monoc- 

 acy (fourth rate, paddle-wheel), 6 guns; 

 steamer Palos (fourth rate, screw), 2 guns. 

 Proceeding cautiously up the west coast, care- 

 fully verifying the soundings and general ob- 

 servations of the French chart, they arrived in 

 Jerome Gulf on the 20th. From this point 

 commenced a thorough survey of the channels 

 between the various islands which stud the 

 coast northward, which occupied ten days, so 

 that it was the 30th of May when the squad- 

 ron came to a rendezvous in a bay inside of 

 what appears in the French chart as Boise"e 

 (Woody) Island, which affords capital anchor- 

 age. This island stands near the mouth of 

 that outlet of the river leading to the capital, 

 Se"oul, which at the northeast corner of Kan- 

 ghoa Island turns sharp south from the pre- 

 vious northwest course of the river, and is 

 marked on the French chart as Fleuve de Sel 

 (Salt Eiver). 



The twelve days spent in advancing from 

 Farrier's Island to Bois6e Island had afforded 

 the Corean authorities, who appear to have 

 been fully informed of the intended expedition, 

 ample notice of their approach. It was, there- 

 fore, no matter of surprise when, shortly after 

 coming to anchor, a junk, with some official- 

 looking persons on board, came within hail of 

 the Colorado (flag-ship), and those on board 

 raised a shout and displayed a letter. In re- 

 sponse, a boat's crew conveyed Commissioner 

 Drew, who went as one of the interpreters of 

 the expedition, on board the junk. The three 

 officials handed him the letter, and, as they at 

 once began to talk in Chinese, the conversa- 

 tion was carried on without difficulty. The 

 following is a translation of the letter of the 

 Corean King : 



In the year 1868 a man of your nation whose name 

 was Febiger came here, and communicated, and went 

 away. Why cannot you do the same ? In the year 

 1865 a people called the French came here, and we 

 refer them to you for what happened. This people 

 and kingdom have lived in the enjoyment or their 

 own civilization 4,000 years, and we want no other. 

 We trouble no other nations. Why should they 

 trouble us ? Our country is in the farthest East ; 

 yours in the farthest West. For what purpose do 

 vou come so many thousand miles across the sea I 

 Is it to inquire about the vessel destroyed (the Gen- 

 eral Sherman) ? Her men committed piracy and mur- 

 der, and they were punished with death. Do you 

 want our land? That cannot be. Do you want in- 

 tercourse with us ? That cannot be. 



The three officials represented themselves 

 as sent by the King of Corea to ascertain the 

 nature and objects of such a squadron. Com- 

 missioner Drew said that they could best as- 

 certain these by coining on board the flag-ship ; 



and, having invited them to do so, he returned 

 to the Colorado. 



The three officials went on board. But, as 

 they had no credentials, nothing to indicate 

 their rank, nothing even to show that they 

 came from the King, minister and admi- 

 ral alike declined to see them, directing the 

 interpreters to inform them that the minister 

 and admiral would treat only with some high 

 officer bearing proper credentials as the King's 

 plenipotentiary. The interpreters were also 

 directed to inform them that their mission was 

 peaceable and friendly ; that they would take 

 nothing and hurt no one; would not even 

 land ; that, though they came with such a 

 strong armament, they would not fire a shot 

 unless they were first fired at. Their desire 

 was to reach the capital, with the view of es- 

 tablishing friendly relations with the govern- 

 ment. With this view they would send out a 

 party to survey the river in the direction of 

 Se"oul. But, in order to give the officials am- 

 ple time to apprise all the people of the neigh- 

 borhood of their peaceable intentions, they 

 would delay the survey for two days. The 

 officials professed themselves greatly relieved, 

 and made no objection to the proposed survey. 



Next day, May 31st, a party of eight Coreans, 

 apparently men of some standing, came on 

 board the flag-ship and remained fully two 

 hours. They were shown all over the ship, 

 and inspected wistfully her powerful arma- 

 ment. They were very social and communi- 

 cativetold the name of the King, and ex- 

 plained their form of government. They also 

 were told of the intended survey of the chan- 

 nel up to the capital, and were asked to let 

 the friendly character of the expedition be 

 generally known. They seemed perfectly sat- 

 isfied, departing with many friendly assurances. 



All, therefore, seemed tranquil and satis- 

 factory, and, at twelve o'clock on June 1st, the 

 Monocacy and Palos, preceded by four steam 

 launches, got under way to survey the "Salt 

 River " up to the sharp bend where it leaves 

 the main river to S6oul. It was flood-tide. 

 The four launches went in line some hundred 

 yards ahead, taking soundings and hoisting 

 signals indicating their water to the gunboats 

 behind. In the launches were Captain Bos- 

 well, the local pilot of the expedition, and Mr. 

 Cowles, joint interpreter with Commissioner 

 Drew. The launches had each a 12-pounder 

 Dahlgren brass howitzer on the bow. The 

 party told off was about 160 strong. The 

 command of the party was given to Captain 

 Blake, of the Alaska, with instructions to use 

 every effort to execute his survey in a peace- 

 ful manner, and on no account to resort to 

 force unless he was attacked ; in which case 

 he was directed to use his means of defence 

 and destroy the attacking force. About four 

 miles above the anchorage they passed a fort, 

 on a small island, close to the channel, on the 

 west side. Three miles farther up, on the 

 sharp headland which forms the southeast 



