242 KOREA. 



long they pulled up the coast of the large island, wliich 

 forms the outer boundary to the basin, and had by the 

 time the ship was reached gone over eighty-four miles. 



I returned to Japan, and reported my reception by 

 the Koreans, stating I could carry on the work only by 

 using force. Some months elapsed, during which time 

 I continued work in Japan, then again went to Korea, 

 being ordered this time to visit the south-west end or 

 corner, far from the place of my previous contrete7nps. 



The south-west corner of the Korean peninsula is 

 bounded by a labyrinth of islands, extending at least 

 forty-five miles off the mainland. Here the inhabi- 

 tants consist mainly of fishermen living in small 

 villages, and being so far away from officials they were 

 less opposed to us. At the same time each village had 

 a headman, who always requested me to go from their 

 waters. Their orders were to allow no foreigners to 

 land. " We," they said, " have no objection to commu- 

 nicate with you and allow you to land, but our Govern- 

 ment objects to it, and we must obey orders." After 

 being among these outer islands for about three weeks, 

 a few junks with officials arrived from the mainland ; 

 and now the old bother had to be gone through again. 

 All my work was done under arms, and I never felt 

 certain that the boats' crews would return without 



