172 MR. T. II. HOLLAND OX ROCK-SPECIMENS FROM KOREA. 



in collecting numerous specimens, and in making important observa- 

 tions on the geological structure of the interior of Korea. 



Mr. Gowland traversed the country from Soul, the capital, to 

 Fusan, on the south-east coast — the route thus roughly following 

 up the basin of the Han E,iver to the watershed (which forms a 

 natural line of boundary between the provinces of Chhung-chhong 

 and Kyiing-sang), and then from the pass near Mungyong, following 

 the course of the Naktong River to its estuary on the south-east 

 coast. 



The topography of the part of Korea thus crossed may be roughly 

 ascertained from the list of aneroid-readings made by Mr. Gowland 

 and appended to this paper. Although the country may be looked 

 upon as distinctly hilly, there are no great elevations in the southern 

 provinces. Occasional peaks may attain altitudes of 3000 feet ; but 

 there is nothing comparable to the heights observed in the Pepi-shan 

 mountains of the north. The highest point reached by Mr. 

 Gowland was attained in crossing, at a point about 20 li * south- 

 east of Brambe, the range of mountains which runs the whole length 

 of the peninsula. 



Before the treaties of 1883, by which Europeans were admitted 

 to the country, nothing whatever was known of the geological 

 structure of the interior of Korea ; the only observations made being 

 on the numerous islands in the adjacent seas and on parts of the 

 coast-line. The earliest geological observations recorded were 

 made by Capt. Basil Hall, H.JS"., in 1818, and are set forth in an 

 appendix to his " Account of a Voyage of Discovery to the West 

 Coast of Corea and the Great Loo-Choo Island." Beyond the 

 mention, in 1834, by the Rev. Chas. Gutzlafft, of the occurrence of 

 columnar " bay-salt " on the west coast, nothing more was done with 

 regard to the geology of the country until Dr. Gottsche, taking- 

 advantage of the treaty with Germany in 1883, undertook a tour 

 through the country in the latter part of that year and the beginning 

 of 1884. The observations then made were published by Dr. Gottsche 

 in 1886 J, together with a paper on the petrographical results by 

 Prof. J. Roth §. 



"Whilst a careful study of the specimens in Mr. Gowland's collec- 

 tion has led to a confirmation, in general, of the results obtained by 

 the above-mentioned authors, I consider that, from the fact of their 

 being obtained for the most part in localities not visited by Dr. 

 Gottsche, a description of them might prove of some interest as an 

 /addition to our knowledge of the geological structure of Korea ||. 



* A Korean li is about one third of an Enghsh mile. 



t Op. cif. p. 233. 



\ Sitzungsber. k. Akad, Wissensch. Berlin, vol. xxxvi. (1886) p. 857. 



§ Ibid. p. 875. 



II An interesting account of the general characters of the country and people 

 will be found in a paper by Mr. W. R. Carles, H.M. Vice-Consul in Korea, in 

 the ' Proceedings of tlie Roval Geogranhical Society,' vol. viii. (1886) pp. 289 

 to 312. 



