sionary 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 t