about two and one-half miles from the new town. It commands the whole
western harbor, and most of the eastern, and from the top can be seen
all the fortified positions, including camps and trenches. The
occupation of this hill was the death-blow to the Russians, and it has
been called the key to Port Arthur. It was very strongly fortified, and
the work of occupation was a fearful task, involving a great loss of
life. Early in September the attack began, and it was taken early in
December; the Japanese loss in dead and wounded was 7578, and after the
capitulation of Port Arthur, the Russian remains were collected and
buried to the number of 5400; the real count was supposed to be more
than 7000. The possession of this hill by the Japanese sounded the
death-knell of the Russian fleet, which was practically wiped out of
existence on the 9th of December. We regretted not being able to visit
Port Arthur the following week, when a most interesting occasion was to
occur,--the dedication of the fine monument erected by the Japanese
Government to the memory of the Russian soldiers who are buried there. I
saw photographs of the monument, but could not procure one, as they were
not then for sale. The moral significance of this event was very great,
as the Russians, officially and non-officially, accepted the gift with
grateful appreciation.
A friend sent me an account of the exercises at Port Arthur which
occurred on June 10th. The Russian Archbishop and a number of high
military officials came from Russia, and General Nogi and other Japanese
officials from Japan. There were formal exercises of a varied kind. The
chief feature was the address delivered by the Archbishop. He opened by
saying "that only by the brave can the brave be appreciated. In this
world of ours war seems to be unavoidable; at the same time it evokes
and gives occasion for expressing some of the finest feelings of which
human nature is capable. The many thousands of men who lie sleeping
under the monument just unveiled were heroes who loyally and bravely
laid down their lives in their country's cause. Such men are best
appreciated by men of their own stamp; and the noble action of the
Japanese in erecting this monument to the memory of their fallen foes
showed that the best feelings of which human nature is capable rise
superior even to the most tragic incidents of life. In performing this
beautiful deed, the Japanese had not only shown themselves worthy of
wearing the laurels which they had won, but had also gained a second
victory even more prolonged and enduring. Amid all the horrors of war,
humanity must not forget the opportunities it furnishes for the display
of such traits." The Tokio and other Japanese papers devoted much space
to accounts of the ceremonies and festivities connected with the
unveiling of the monument. Some of them seemed to regard it as an
emotional display, and others found it impossible to read the accounts
without concluding that the Japanese and Russians had wellnigh, if not
altogether, laid aside their feeling of mutual hostility.
[Illustration: _203-Metre Hill, Port Arthur--The last point to be
taken_]
An English gentleman on the train to Dalny spoke of General Stoessel's
surrender in very caustic terms, basing his position on information
received from one of the officers on the General's staff. It occurred to
me that the officer would not be likely to give favorable testimony, as
there was a possibility of his also suffering penalties in Russia. It
will always be a mooted question whether the surrender was justified by
the condition of affairs at Port Arthur; certainly it was in the
interest of humanity, as it was stated on Japanese authority that there
were at least twenty-five thousand sick at Port Arthur.
On the following morning, we left Dalny, or Darien, by the steamer
_Santo Maru_, for Chemulpo, the port of Seoul, Korea.
* * * * *
CHEMULPO, SEOUL, _June 7th_: Chemulpo is an open port and has quite a
foreign settlement; it now can boast of wide streets and some shops,
but twenty years ago it was nothing more than a fishing village. The
Trans-Siberian Railway is the only means of connection between Chemulpo
and London, twenty-one days being required for the trip. The two hours'
railway ride between Chemulpo and Seoul affords quite diversified
scenery.
The situation of Seoul is beautiful. It is a walled city, the entire
circumference of which is twelve miles, and in this wall are eight
arched gateways. While the wall itself is not high, it seems to cling
near to the sides of the foothills and the mountains. These mountains
are quite bare of vegetation, but the little valleys between the hills
are green, rice being one of the products cultivated.
Korea to us was mostly Seoul, as there is no provision for guests at
present in the mountains. We met a gentleman and his two daughters who
were going to the mountains, but they were to be entertained by a
missionary family; in time this condition of affairs will no doubt be
improved, as it is in Java.
Korea is a land of great beauty. The inhabitants are lovers of nature,
as is shown in the names they give to their mountains and valleys, such
as The Mountain Fronting the Moon, The Mountain Facing the Sun, The
Valley of Cool Shade, The Tranquil Sea, and The Hill of White Clouds.
The descriptions of the mountains in the extreme North are more peculiar
still: The Peak of the Thousand Buddhas, The Cloud Touchers, and the
like.
[Illustration: _The city wall and gate of Seoul_]
The people of Korea, as they are viewed on the streets, seem to be
contented, with apparently a larger leisure class than we had seen in
any previous city. This was emphasized by the dress of the men,
consisting of a long white costume open in front, made of a kind of
grass lawn; a pair of loose trousers, something like the Turkish
trousers, is worn beneath this. Officials, ministers, and noblemen dress
elegantly, their costumes being made from the finest silk lawn, and they
wear silken girdles.
The dress of middle-class women is even more peculiar than that of the
men. The upper garment is very short, made of white or green lawn or
calico; a few inches below this is a petticoat, touching the ground;
between these two garments there is nothing but the bare skin. It is not
an agreeable spectacle. When on the street, they wear what is called the
chang-ot; it consists of a long white or green cloak, with green cuffs
and collar, cut like a sack. The neck of this garment is put over the
head, and the long white sleeves fall from the ears and are seen
flapping in the wind.
The single or married man may be known by the style of his hair. The
single man wears a cue, but when married it is done up in a twist and
kept in place by a woven horsehair band. We saw a few who had cut their
hair. The women dress their hair rather plainly on the sides, and do it
low on their necks in the back.
The women of the better class lead very secluded lives, almost like the
Zenana; indeed, their customs seem similar to those in India. The
children up to a certain age are seen in a state of entire nudity.
The girls of the lower class are sold as domestic slaves, and may be
seen running beside the chairs of their mistresses. They look, however,
as though they were kindly treated.
The Seoul scenes at night are most peculiar. The women of the upper
class are allowed to take exercise only at this time. Men formerly were
excluded from the streets at night, but now are seen. Some one has
compared this nocturnal city graphically with the old idea of the
resurrection. Many of the men are supported by the labor of the women of
their household. The laundry work of a family in Seoul must be very
considerable on account of the number of white garments worn.
A Korean lady travelling in her sedan chair is quite an imposing
spectacle. The chairs are somewhat heavier than those we had previously
seen.
[Illustration: _A group of Koreans_]
The dress of the dancing-girl is many-colored, worn with a profusion of
sashes and decorations. The head-dress is about three times as high as
that worn by a Manchu woman. The costume consists of a white flowing
under-robe, and over this a colored silk robe. There are very large
sleeves and a sash worn high on the waist. The robe falls apart in front
and shows loose trousers. The dancing-girl and the singing-girl
correspond to the geisha and Maiko of Japan.
Sight-seeing in Seoul is less exhausting than in other cities, as there
are no galleries, museums, or elaborate tombs to be described. The
interest in the city is found amongst its street scenes and in the
peculiar life of its people.
Seoul spreads out over a plain, which extends to the mountains. There is
quite a variety of scenery included within its area. The country near by
is extremely picturesque, quite unlike the outskirts of Peking. There
are small villages and pleasant walks and drives at an easy distance
from the city.
The bazars are placed far out on the street, except in one point where
there seems to be only one central bazar.
The manufacture of brass is the specialty of Seoul; all the ancient
forms are reproduced. Some of our party purchased large collections of
artistic and serviceable articles.
The most imposing building is the Temple of Heaven. It is bare, compared
with the one at Peking, but it has some features that are similar and
is made of marble. It is, however, a combination of the two temples seen
in Peking, opening at the side, and having an open roof over the centre;
adjoining it there is a three-story pagoda, much like a pavilion in many
respects.
The ancient tomb of the old Korean noblemen interested us. It is of
marble, with a peculiar carving on top. At the base is an immense
tortoise.
The Buddhist temple was also visited. This had an imposing entrance
approached by white marble steps. It was spacious, but architecturally
far inferior to those we had seen elsewhere. The upturned roof was
interesting.
The marble pagoda, rising seven stories above the base, was really very
beautiful. It had a special small enclosure about it, filled with
flowers. This enclosure was in a large park, which contained an artistic
pavilion, evidently for the convenience of people who wished to view the
pagoda.
There are said to be eighteen palaces in Seoul. Some of these at present
are not in use. We passed the new marble palace where the Emperor was
staying. Then we went on to the large old palace which has been vacant
ever since the assassination of the Queen. There were imposing entrance
gates here, and many preliminary buildings before we reached the most
important ones. The Audience Hall is very spacious and very well
proportioned. The approach to it is fine, consisting of many marble
seats where the high officials sat when his Majesty appeared. From the
exterior the Audience Hall seems to have two stories, as there are two
of the peculiar Chinese roofs, but inside it forms one very high room.
The Audience Hall as a building is a great decorative feature in the
palace grounds. There is one other large room in it called, I believe,
the Hall of Congratulation.
[Illustration: _An old tomb of a high official_]
We passed on to the palace of the assassinated Queen. This has now been
torn down by order of the Resident General, on account of its unpleasant
association both to the Koreans and to the Japanese. It originally
covered a good deal of ground and must have been spacious. The grounds
are very large and interesting, containing many lovely trees. One
building therein was raised like an immense pavilion and surrounded by a
miniature lake, very pleasing with its setting of green and at times
covered with water-lilies.
Quite a pretentious building, with its wide projecting Chinese eaves
open on all sides and showing columns, was the one which contained the
monument erected in honor of the Emperor's jubilee.
A picturesque feature of the city consists of the gates of the Wall. We
took drives through these to different points near by. Particularly
noticeable is the Western Gate, or Gate of General Righteousness. This
is massive, showing the thickness of the wall, and the high roof over
the arch is very effective.
All the hills around Korea are considered sacred and are dedicated to
burial purposes. In one alone, seventy-five thousand persons are placed.
The drive presents very diversified scenery. As we approached the tomb
of the Queen, considerable formality was required. It was necessary to
possess a permit, soldiers being stationed outside the grounds. The hill
was very broad and quite steep at places, and on top the large tomb was
composed of marble. We could have visited several others, but preferred
to return home by the way of an old Buddhist monastery, a great part of
the road being lined with trees on either side. We found the monastery
rather dismantled and but few monks in attendance. They have to endure
many privations, and their surroundings looked extremely bare.
After this excursion, we ended the day by attending the Korean Theatre.
The ride there was interesting, as we saw all the particular evening
sights I have described. The arrangement of the room was very simple; we
sat in elevated boxes at the sides. About the stage all the details were
primitive. The action of the play was poor, but the enthusiasm of the
audience was great. We remained but a short time.
[Illustration: _A white marble pagoda in Seoul_]
In the matter of education the women of the higher class are somewhat
above the average, but those of the middle and lower classes are
entirely ignorant. Education is one of the many recent reforms
instituted; the old order of things is rapidly being changed.
Electricity has been introduced, electric trams extend some distances
even into the country, and there is a good postal service. A gentleman
who had been a resident for some fifteen years is my authority for
stating that in his opinion the mistake the Japanese were making in
their protectorate was in pushing reforms too rapidly. The Koreans are
slow in their response to foreign and western ideas.
The deposed King seems to be of a peculiar type. He is described as
having a weakness for intrigue, his early education having been received
under conditions that foster such qualities. He was married at thirteen
years of age to the late Queen; she was said to be unusually gifted, and
an attractive woman, even though unscrupulous and at times cruel.
There are many opinions regarding the immediate outcome of Japan's
protectorate over Korea. Those who have faith in the integrity of
Marquis Ito believe in good results; others fear that the invasion of a
large number of Japanese having business interests will rather
overshadow the Koreans, who are indolent and inclined to take their
ease. On this subject there can be only conjecture; time will decide.
An interesting book, "In Korea with Marquis Ito," which has been
published during the year, deals with this question fully; George
Trumbull Ladd is the author.
Looking backward, we find that the kings of Korea were the vassals of
China for a long period, but as one of the results of the
Chinese-Japanese war, there was a complete renunciation of the authority
of the Emperor of China. Hence it seems strange that at the close of the
Russian-Japanese war another important change and crisis should have
come to Korea.
* * * * *
FROM SEOUL, KOREA, TO YOKOHAMA: We left Seoul at eight on the morning of
June 9th for Fusan, and the railway journey, an all-day trip, was a
fatiguing one, owing to the dust; but we had glimpses of mountain
scenery and plains. Fusan was simply a point of departure for Japan. We
took our steamer, _Satsuma-maru_, at six that evening for the night
only, as we were due at Shimonoseki early the next morning. The approach
here was through the straits, and was unlike any previous view,--a wide
entrance between two high promontories, with mountains on either side.
[Illustration: _Street scene in Seoul_]
Shimonoseki is quite an important point commercially, but our stay was,
as I say, one of convenience only, since we took the train at 9.30 for
Miyajima and the Sacred Island. This is considered the finest railway
trip in Japan as regards scenery, and our exclamations of delight were
many, for there were mountains covered with verdure and rice-fields, and
from time to time glimpses of the famed Inland Sea. We had long
anticipated this visit to the Sacred Island; we knew Miyajima had a
population of three thousand, and was a fishing village, aside from the
great interest which attaches to the temples; that the island rose
eighteen hundred feet above the sea and was rocky, although covered with
heavy foliage; but I was unprepared for the unique charm that awaited
us.
The approach to Miyajima, as we crossed the lake, gave us a fine first
impression,--the great torii standing boldly forth from its watery base;
the stone lanterns in the foreground; the temple seen dimly through the
green; and the thickly wooded hills in the background all added greatly
to the landscape. At our right, on an eminence, was situated the Mikado
Hotel, which was to shelter us, and which we later found to be an ideal
abiding-place.
We proceeded at once to the great temple, which, with its corridors and
galleries, six hundred feet long, represented something distinctively
unique. One line of galleries extends out into the water at high tide,
and stretches out like so many arms in various directions; a new series
is being constructed. All of these intricate passages centre in the
great temple, large and finely proportioned, but, like all Shinto
buildings, comparatively simple as regards adornment. As we approached,
we were confronted by at least twenty-five priests and ten
dancing-girls, who were grouped together for a photograph; the priests'
robes and the many-colored dresses of the girls produced a striking
effect, as they sat on a platform in front of the temple. Later the
girls went through several of the so-called "holy dances"; we were not
permitted to enter the temple.
Passing through a long corridor, we next ascended a hill and visited the
unique Temple of a Thousand Mats. This is grim with age but of immense
proportions, and having many rows of columns, covered from base to
capital with small wooden mats shaped somewhat like butter ladles, each
one of which is inscribed with the name and residence of the donor; the
ladles are on sale at the temple. Not only the pillars, but every
available place in the temple, is thus utilized, producing a very
grotesque effect. The plan consists in each person writing his name,
residence, and some sentiment on these mats; it originated after the
Chinese-Japanese war in 1894, when pilgrims came to visit the temple and
thus paid tribute to it.
[Illustration: _Torii Miyajima_]
Near the temple there is an imposing pagoda, also of ancient date, and
on an adjacent knoll another shrine. Returning to the hotel, we noted
many more stone lanterns, and still another temple with its attendant
torii. We also passed through the lane-like streets of the village,
thickly lined with bazars; the shops were filled with many tasteful
articles, carved wood being a specialty in Miyajima. These shops
reminded us of Switzerland, as did the heights, a portion of which is
covered with an attractive park.
After dinner, we regretfully bade adieu to the members of the
Trans-Siberian party, leaving only Miss M---- and myself to return to
Yokohama. To speed them across the lake, their guide had arranged for an
illumination, produced by lighting candles in many of the tall stone
lanterns; this we also enjoyed, our guide taking us out on the lake in a
sampan; and as we rode toward the great torii it seemed to assume
immense proportions, while the effect of the lanterns was magical. It
was indeed a fairylike scene.
We were called at four the following morning, breakfasted at five, and
were on our steamer before six for the trip to Onomichi on the Inland
Sea. The island was lovely as we left in the early light; and the whole
landscape, from the towering mountain in the distance, the lesser ones
sloping down to the plateau, to the sea, scintillated in brilliant
color; even the great stone lanterns that were so unique the evening
previous now stood out in bold relief, and the old torii was statelier
than ever. As the little village and shore line faded away, we wished an
artist could have caught the view. We sailed out into the finest part of
the Inland Sea, where the shore was deeply indented with rocky
promontories, which first ended in a high projection to our right; to
the left was a continuous line of low islands. A wide extent of open sea
was the next scene in the panorama, to be succeeded by a picturesque
island, clad in verdure; then two small, boldly defined, rocky islands;
next a low range of five islands slightly connected, seeming like a tiny
range in mid-ocean; a higher chain of islands was crenellated and
presented the appearance of being scooped out and showing a light yellow
soil. The scene now narrowed, and the mountains on either side showed
signs of cultivation, the terraces running almost to the top. The guide
told us that barley was the principal cereal raised. A marvellous island
to our left now presented itself; this had a high, rocky base, from
which seemingly sprang a miniature forest, the tall towering evergreens
lending a fringelike appearance near the skyline. And so the panorama
continued with ever-increasing variety.
[Illustration: _Stone lanterns, Miyajima_]
We paused at Ujima, the port of Hiroshima, where perhaps is located the
most wonderful garden in Japan. Ujima is a place of twelve thousand
inhabitants, and the taking on of cargo consumed an hour. Soon after, we
came to an island which had been transformed into a magazine; the side
presented to us was a solid wall of rock. This was the precursor to our
arrival at Kore, the most important naval station in Japan. The steamer
touched anchor, which gave us an opportunity to note the many
war-vessels in the harbor, three of which had been captured from the
Russians.
Our next point for landing passengers was Tukehare, in the narrowest
part of the Inland Sea, with the Pass of Oudo in Sato-See. Here
something unexpected occurred, as the steamer ran aground; and, after
persistent efforts to effect our release, a naval craft came to our
assistance and had to tow the steamer through.
The scene now widened so that the shore seemed distant; this gave leeway
for shipping of various kinds, large and small, and at one time I
counted forty-five craft around us. Small sampans with three or four
sails predominated. Our interest now centred not so much on shore as on
boldly defined islands that occasionally came into view. In another
place there were five promontories apparently in a direct line,--the
first, dark green; the next, pale green; the next, brown in tint; the
next, rocky; the fifth, foliage,--a veritable poem in color. We stopped
for passengers three times before reaching our destination.
Our lovely trip on the Inland Sea ended at the little port of Onomichi,
where, you will remember, we passed the night at a Japanese inn. We left
at once, and visited some of the temples for which Onomichi is famous.
We first went to a very old Buddhist place with an equally ancient
pagoda, Sinkokuji; this was at quite a height above the street, and was
in decay. Interest centred chiefly in the Senkiji Temple, rudely formed
of huge blocks of granite which seem to spring from the soil; to reach
this, we climbed a succession of tiers of stairs, each landing affording
an extended view of the hamlet. The shrine and the details of this
rock-bound temple were very simple, but there was a weird impressiveness
about it.
At five we took the train for Kobe, arriving there at nine, this time
staying at the Mikado Hotel. Having been there twice before, the visit
was simply in order to break the trip to Yokohama; so a jinrikisha ride
and a visit to a few shops the morning following sufficed in the
sight-seeing line; and in the evening we took the night train for
Yokohama, arriving there early on the morning of June 12th. Yokohama was
to be our headquarters until the homeward sailing, June 29th.
[Illustration: _Islands of the Inland Sea_]