November 27, 1895.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Young Ik, whom I had met, and who, having | peeped out through opened doors and windows travelled much, knew something of the customs of foreigners.
He showed us some of the beauties of the palace grounds and after our walk around the artificial lake he escorted us to the waiting room and there had us served with foreign food, Korean fruit, and nuts.
Soon a messenger dressed in court costume came for me and, Prince Min accompany- ing me, we started for the audience hall. We first crossed a large open court which I noticed had large potted plants around three sides of it, but not a spear of grass growing in it any. where. Ascending a flight of broad stone steps, crossing the narrow verandah and step- ping over a high door sill, I found that we were at one end of a long, wide hall, the floors of which were covered with the soft, beautiful, figured Korean matting which is such a fine article and so hard to obtain. At the further end of the hall I saw a large number of Koreans, men, women, and young girls. I made my three bows as I advanced and then found myself in front of the company, among whom I soon singled out Her Majesty, and for the rest of that visit I had eyes for no one but her. In later visits I learned to distinguish the gentle- men from the eunuchs, and also the ladies-in-wait- ing by their peculiar head gear and their fine skirts of silk gauze. The immense chignons worn by these ladies are objects of wonder, not only as to size but also as to how the intricate windings and braidings of the glossy strands are accomplished. One evening while witnessing some of the delightful and peculiar posture dancing done by the dancing girls at the palace, I asked one of them if her chignon was not heavy-"Oh." said she, it is very heavy and makes my head ache." These head dressings vary in shape: sometimes they are long and narrow and then again they have large lateral loops.
The Queen, beautifully dressed in silk gauze skirts, with strings of pearls in Ler raven locks, a lady, short of stature, with white skin, black eyes and black hair, greeted me most pleasantly. She had on no enormous head-dress, but only her own glistening locks twisted in a most becoming knot low down on her neck. She wears on the top of her forehead her Korean insignia of rank. All the ladies of the nobi- lity wear a similiar decoration, but of inferior quality and workmanship. To me the face of the Queen. especially when she smiles, is full of beauty. She is a superior woman and she impressed one as having a strong will and great force of character, with much kindliness of heart. I have always received the kindest words and treatment from her and I have much admiration and great respect for her. After first asking if I were well, how old I was. how my parents were, if I had brothers and sisters, and
how they were. she proceeded to tell me that they had been told by Dr. Allen of my arrival in Korea that she was much pleased at my coming and hoped I All of this con- would like the country. versation was carried on through an inter- preter, who stood, with his body bent double, at the back of a door where he could hear but not
see.
Prince Min, who had been standing by: now had a chair brought for nie and i noticed that at the back of her Majesty there was a foreign couch. The Queen telling me to be seated, sat down on this couch and then came the medical part
of the interview.
to see what it all meant. The empty dark streets with the dark low houses on either side, the lantern bearers of the doctor's chair and of mine with the attendant soldiers carrying their rifles made a picture at once interesting and unique. In recent visits we are permitted to go through the large front gate into the grounds and right up to the waiting room door. Upon arriving here tea, coffee, and fruit are served and then we are called in to Her Majesty, who receives us in one of the smaller private apartments. The King and Crown Prince are always present. After the interview we are permitted to proceed home immediately.
had noticed that two gentlemen had seated themselves when the Queen sat and when I got up to leave, they with Her Majesty rose and returned my bow.
Prince Min conducted me back to the waiting room and there I waited for Dr. Allen, who was having an audience with His Majesty. When he returned I learned from him that both the King and Crown Prince had been present during my interview. I was very glad that I had not known who the gentlemen were, for I fear my composure would not have been even such as it Wȧs. Ater being served with more food and fruit We were each given a certain number of soldiers to accompany us home and also, as it was dark, lantern bearers. The sight of the Korean lantern with its outer covering of red and green silk gauze is very picturesque, and as we passed many a dusky head
HONGKONG.
The Legislative Council session was opened on Monday when the Governor delivered an important speech in which be reviewed at some length the events of the past year. During the week there have been two cases in which an armed gang have entered shops, and in one in- stance $1,200 was carried away. The Sahitary Board met on Thursday. On Friday evening the members of the Odd Volumes Society held their annual meeting, which was followed by a very enjoyable smoking concert. On Saturday evening the Philharmonic Society gave its first concert at the City Hall and it was a great success. The first meeting of Oliver's Fredhold Company was held on Saturday.
The Norwegian steamer Framnes, which left Bangkok on the 2nd November. arrived on Thursday, having been delayed by the bad weather. She had to put into Tourane for coal.
The steamer Macduff, which left Singapore on the 7th inst., arrived on Friday. Like other vessels from the South she was delayed by the bad weather and had to put into Saigon for coals.
The master of the steamer Wuotan, which arrived at Singapore on the 11th inst. from Hongkong, reports having picked up three Swatow fishermen in distress sixty miles off Hongkong.
The Shell line tank-steamer Peetan, Captain Hocken, which arrived on Sunday brings out the largest cargo of oil that has ever been shipped in any que vessel. She carries 6,400 tons of oil in bulk, jequal in quantity to 220,000 cases.
Monday's meeting of the Legislative Council was attended by a large number of ladies and gentlemen, among whom were Major-General Black and Mrs. Black. Surgeon-Colonel Preston, Mrs. Preston and Miss Preston. Lady Clarke, and Mrs. J. H. Stewart Lockhart.
The Hon. Treasurer of the Alice Memorial and Nethersole Hospitals begs to acknowledge with thanks the following donations to the funds of the Hospitals:-
Choi Tse Mei Arion.
Der A Wing
:
$25 10
A new rule under the Dangerous Goods Ordinance is notified in Saturday's Gazette. The object is to prevent boats with dangerous goods lying alongside the wharves for long It will be remembered that a short periods. time ago the Magistrate found that under the old rule it was impossible to convict in a case in which a boat lay alongside a wharf selling kerosine by rectail.
413
Her Majesty's approval of the River Steamers Ordinance is announced in the Gazette. The captain of the Germani steamship Petrarch was fined $25 at the Police: Court on Monday for anchoring in the central fairway on Sunday. The defendant pleaded that the ship had been in Aberdeen Dock and when dis- charged she was towed out by the Dock Com- pany and dropped in the central fairway. He did not have steam up at the time, and he was not aware that the vessel was anchored in an unauthorized place, as this was his first visit to Hongkong.
A correspondent wishes to call the attention of the Sanitary Board to the filthy condition of the Chinese hotels or eating, houses in the colony. He gives a list of establishments fre- quented by well-to-do Chinese, which he says have never been washed or whitewashed, and the smell from the sharksfins which they keep in stock is, he says, not only sickening but dan- gerous to the public health. He suggests that the houses should be visited by officers of the Sanitary Board to see that they are kept in a state of cleanliness.
At the Police Court on Saturday a Chinese quartermaster on
the Loosok was charged with being concerned in the robbery of $1,400 belonging to Captain Jackson. Last Tuesday a cash box and a dispatch box which were în the captain's cabin were broken open and money. notes, and other valuables, worth altogether $1,400, were stolen. Three quarter- masters who had obtained leave were suspected, and when the prisoner, who was one of them, knew that a warrant was out against him he surrendered. It was clear, how- ever, that he had had nothing to do with the robbery, and so Captain Jackson asked for his release, and the application was granted. The missing quartermasters must have had know- ledge of the affair; indeed it is most likely that they committee the robbery themselves. police are now anxious to find them.
The
On Friday night the following crews were picked for the German Cup at the forthcoming Regatta of the V. R. C.-Shamrock: D. F. McCarthy A. H: Barlow, H. J. Gedge, G. C. Klinck, J.H. Hance (cox). Kornblume: J. B. Grimes, G Mollison, O. Stewart, L. A. Rose, W. Bischoff, W. A. Stopani, A. A. Alves, F. W Hardwick (cox). Leek: R. F. Lammert, E.
Potts, J. C. Cameron, H. E. Hayward, B. White (co). Victoria: G. C. Hayward, G. H.
H. Skött, E. Henderson (cox). Thistle : August, T. Meek, F. H. Kew, A. E. Alves (cox). The following coxswains were selected for the Chairman's Cup crews:-E. D. Sanders' A. E. Alves, J. B. Grimes' P. Hyndman, G. C. Hayward's R. Henderson, P. Skott's F. W. White, B. F. Lammert's F. H. Kew. Practice will take place as follows:-Monday, Chairman's Cup; Tuesday, German Cup: Wednesday, open; Thursday, Chairman's; Friday, International, Saturday.jopen.
Chan Kong, an expectant district magistrate, came down on the Kwonglee from Shanghai on his way to Canton. When the vessel reached this port she was boarded by excise officers, who found twenty-five taels of prepared opium in Chan Kong's cabin. The gentleman was ab- sent at the time, and it seems that he suspected the visit of the officers, and went ashore. He then entered a licensed opium shop, bought a dollar's worth of opium, and took away the certificate which was given to him. This he altered in order to make the officers believe that it referred to the opium An organ recital was given at the Union he had on board, but unfortunately for him this Church on Monday afternoon by Mr. George impudent frand was easily discovered by re- Grimble, and although musical events have ference to the counterfoil, and he was thereupon been somewhat frequent in the colony of late, locked up. He became very indignant at this the church was packed, amongst those present treatment, said he was a mandarin, and threat- being his Excellency the Governor, Sirened to cut off Police Constable Langley's head should that officer pay a visit to Canton. When William Robinson. Mr. Grimble chose some most excellent selections which he played to before the Magistrate the first time he denied the best advantage, and won the praise of his the offence of smuggling the opium and he was hearers. He was assisted by Miss Lammert, remanded in order that he might call witnesses. Dr. Meadows, Mr. Gilchrist, and Master Charles While in gaol he attempted to hang himself, Plinston, the last named being a boy chorister but this method of depriving the Chinese service who possesses a ringing soprano voice. The of a worthless officer failed, and so he was again Mr. T. Sercombe Smith on vocalists created a most favourable impression, taken before and altogether the whole performance (which Saturday. The defendant appeared very-sub- was given in aid of the organ fund) was most missive then and said he did not wish to call any witnesses. He was accordingly fined $150. successful from a musical point of view, and we
The money was paid. hope it was also a substantial financial success.
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