COBEA. 
501 
The ISTaktoDg is a long useful river, with carrying trade from the 
whole southern province, the richest of the eight. 
Boats on the river are very different from those on the sea, being 
flat scows with a draught of only a few inches. They are dragged up 
with tow-lines, and then let down with the current. Flat^ boats 
run as far as Nangchoo, on the Nak tong. The south branch of the 
Han is navigable as far as Chungsuug, only 100 li or so from the east 
coast, the north branch to Nangch’un. The Fatong, in Pyungvang, has 
three branches. The south branch is navigable to Koksan, the middle 
to Yangtuk, the north to Tukch’un ; while the Yaloo, the great river 
of the north, has a carrying trade from the foot of the Ever White 
Mountains. 
I continued my southern trip to Takoo, and reached it in about 
four days, it being 270 li from Fusau. I saw this country in the bleak 
season of the year, which perhaps accounted for my lack of interest in 
it generally. It seemed very poor; wretched huts, rougher people 
worse fare than I had found up north. 
Takoo is situated on a plain some five miles across, built mostly 
of thatched huts, having a wall 7 li in circumference. The governor, 
before whom I was brought with my passport, was a very pleasant 
gentleman, Kim Myung Chiu. He was poisoned the following summer 
by some parties whom ho had offended through a decision of his 
regarding a grave site. They put arsenic in a water-melon, and so 
made away with his life. 
There is in Takoo a paper manufactory. The best Corean paper 
is made of the inner bark of the Tak tree, a variety of mulberry 
( Broussonetia papyrifera). The best noted spot, however, for the 
manufacture of paper is not Takoo, but Aiming, in Kvungkein 
province. " & 
After a few days, barren of any particular interest, I took two 
ponies and started cast for Kyuugclioo, which was the old capital 
of Silla, and a very famous city in ancient days. There were no 
mountains to cross, and three days’ easy journeying took me to within 
sight of its wails. I have heard that tire people here were dangerous 
to travel among, but found them ouiy harmlessly rough. The walls of 
Kyungchoo are built of rude stones, and form a' Square. The situation 
of the place, at the foot of the lulls which extend to the east is verv 
picturesque, especially so by way of contrast with Takoo. A famous 
ball hangs outside the south gate, and near this spot the best crystal 
for spectacles is obtained. J 
From Kyungchoo I rode south along a valley through Unyang 
and Tongna. I tcok other trips into different parts the next spring 
but I am not in love with the lazy poverty-stricken south. 
I found all through that roads were left to take care of them- 
selves. Were it not for the blessing of some passing official, when 
the people are compelled to turn out and do something in the way of 
repairing, I am afraid there would not be even the means of com- 
munication that there are now. Stones are never picked off. Streams 
of water naturally take to the hollows cut by the ponies, and it is 
washed out and tumbled in until the worst possible results in road 
development are brought about. 
As for means of transport, officers have what are called yule or 
post stables usually at intervals of 10 li. Here horses are kept. 
