Korea and the Koreans. 935 
perilous entry into the country, fifteen years ago, during a period 
of severe persecutions. 
The preface of the Korean geographer, which is written in 
Chinese upon one of the sheets, is of interest, as it illustrates the 
object of the work, enumerates the classes of data utilized and 
alludes to difficulties contended with. I therefore quote it here. 
“The geographies of my country are quite numerous, but all 
maps are influenced to a certain extent by the limit of the paper 
employed in their construction, and so distances are very incor- 
rectly given. Thus ten or more ri (Korean unit of distance— 
about 2-mile) are sometimes represented as two or three hundred 
ri; while sometimes two or three hundred ri are represented as 
two or three. The bearings given are also incorrect. Such a 
map offers great disadvantages to people who attempt. to learn 
about their country. Therefore I have taken all care in con- 
structing this one, both as to direction and distances of places, as 
well as to the situations of mountains and rivers. For distances 
I have made a scale in which one hundred ri are taken as one ja 
(Korean foot), and ten ri as one poun (Korean inch, ten to the 
foot). I have laid off distances in all directions from the capital, 
so that the general shape and position of the eight provinces are 
correctly represented. The islands, however, are only placed in 
direction with reference to the provinces to which they belong, 
without regard to actual distances. Where mountain ranges and 
rivers are represented as boundaries, they are necessarily re- 
peated upon the sheets of adjoining provinces. In the measure- 
ment of distances one ja represents one hundred ri in level places, 
and from one hundred and twenty to one hundred and thirty 
rl where the mountains are high.” 
The assumption that the unit of scale represents an increased 
distance in mountainous regions is a peculiarity of Chinese as 
well as of Korean maps. ‘Travelers who employ either are 
obliged in estimating days’ journeys to consider the character of 
the country ahead before applying the unit of measurement. 
_ An examination of the various conventional features of Plate 
IT and II will afford much information concerning the official sub- 
division of the country for governmental purposes, and will serve 
to indicate the facilities of communication that exist in a country 
where there are no railroads, and where almost every important 
route extends in a direction normal to that of the flow of the 
greater number of rivers. The eight provinces of the kingdom 
