2
5th. (24th of 1st Moon). Sunday. Beautiful.
3
Most fortunately, the sea calm and the day beautiful. As the boat steamed smoothly and rapidly with the eastern mountains of the peninsula rising like natural walls on the left and the deep blue Sea of Japan extending far beyond the view, my heart was delighted with the beauty of the natural scenery. Yet the naked hills which were once clothed with forests made me feel sad. It is not likely that God will leave such a lovely piece of his handiwork like Korea long in the hands of a people who persist in transforming it into a hell.
4
Tens of whales, each with a high column of spray on its back, made the morning sea interesting and lively. Japanese and Russians will soon enough exterminate these animals, yet Koreans, to whom they belong, simply throw them away being contented with eating their flesh bought from Japanese or Russian whalers. Korea with its beautiful sceneries and rich resources is, in the hands of Koreans, but a pearl under the feet of a swine.
5
It was about 10 p.m. when the steamer arrived at Wonsan. Came about two hours later, straight to the Kamni's office. I wanted a good bathing and rest, but no! I must eat something whether I liked it or not. So I had to stay up until 3 a.m. Mr. Paing, my predecessor, is a fine talker. He told me how well he has discharged his duties, how insufficient are 80.00 for the running expenses of the office etc.
7
6th. (25th). Beautiful.
8
Up about 10 a.m. Found the rooms, halls and yards intolerably dirty―mud, dirt, dust, urine and night soil everywhere. The smells in the rooms were suffocating. The gutter in the backyard, full of stagnant water, green and black, offended the nose and eyes. The courtyard showed that no broom had touched it for some months past. The treasurer told me that not a cent of the expense money ($80.00) for last month was left. His book confirmed what he said, and no wonder. Chair hires for singing girls, bottles of sake, boxes of cigars and cigarettes, and other sundry items which could have no claim to the public treasury, swallowed up the expense money to the cent. While wasting the office's money in these strictly private and frivolous expenditures, not a cent seems to have been spent in keeping the office clean and orderly. The Chusas and Kamni seem to have decided to spend, no matter how, all of the80.00 within one month, and that if any were, by the merest accident left over, they should pocket it. Shame on them! Yet they complain that80.00 are not enough! Of course not enough for their dirty pockets. The Chusas and the servants owe the office from 4 or 5 to 60 or more dollars. Oh God, the unblushing corruption and shameless thievishness of Corean officers, small or great, disgust me. No wonder that the land is fast passing out of the hands of Coreans. The punishment is just. If I could have absolute power over this country just for ten years, I would place it on a firm basis of prosperity.
9
After taking a warm bath, went to bed.
11
7th. (26th). Tuesday. Beautiful.
12
Agreeably surprised to find the climate so mild here.
13
At about 11 a.m. went to the magisterial seat of 德源 in a grand style with a pair of long trumpets before my chair and a dozen runners dressed out in all the glory of soiled clothes. Felt rather ashamed of these rustic representatives of the magisterial pomp and circumstances. But I had to submit to all the fooleries in silence lest I might arouse the popular indignation and opposition by trying to be more enlightened than the rest.
14
When I reached a resting place near the magisterial residence a band of musicians met me and conducted us to the office with what folks here are pleased to call music. Found the official buildings very badly out of repair. The worthy gentlemen who had preceded me in the office seem to have taken good care to eat up every cent they could get hold of, never bothering themselves the least about keeping the houses in repair. The same story of dung hills and urine pools immediately outside of the rooms! The site of the office is very good, elevated and picturesque.
15
The number of houses in the magisterial capital is about 100. The magistracy itself is composed of 5 counties. The official census reports 2,075 houses, though the actual number is estimated at three times this official figure. Wonsan is the largest village in the magistracy, having at least 2000 houses, though officially the number is stated to be 497.
16
Except the main building which is in good condition, all the other buildings are in ruin―men's hands proving more destructive than the unfeeling elements. Rather let them crumble into dust; it is not lawful to take the timber or tiles down for future use!
17
The Coufucian temple is located in a very pretty corner.
18
The annual revenue of the magistracy is Yang 26,523.86 ($5,304.772) . Out of this, Yang 13,610 ($2,722.00) go to support clerks and underlings. Yet this expensive establishment is not only unable to keep the buildings in order but absolutely hurtful to them! With such a miserable system of government by thieves, for thieves, of thieves, one can ruin any country under the sky.
20
8th. (27th). Wednesday. Pretty.
21
Received in the afternoon an official communication from the Home Department asking me to proceed to Anbyun to in vestigate into the charges of corruption made against the magistrate there, Kang Chan Hiu replied in a telegram that I could not conveniently leave the place.
23
9th. (28th). Thursday. Rainy.
24
After paying an official visit to the Confucian temple returned to the Kamni's office, almost swimming through mud.
25
About 4 p.m. a message from Home Department urging me to proceed to Anbyun at once. Sent a message to Foreign Office asking to be excused from going to Anbyun as I am unable to leave the office here.
27
10th. Tuesday. Beautiful.
28
A heavy snow last night. Beautiful sun today. At 2 called on the Japanese Consul, Mr. Ahrench of the Customs, the Commander of the Japanese garrison. There are about 250 Japanese soldiers here. Had a delightful visit to Mrs. Gale Found her a handsome woman of fairest complexion and of refinement. Her mother, Mrw. Gibson stays with her.
29
By the way, when I was in the States I tried to see Mrs. Gale at her home in Jonesboro, Tennessee, but I failed to meet her there, never expecting to see her in this corner of the world! The old lady is as handsome as an old lady can be. Mr. Gale's house, situated on a high hill, commands a most beautiful view over the bay and the settlement.
30
The Japanese settlement is laid out in an approved style. Wide and clean streets. From Mr. Gale's, went to bid good-bye to Mr. Paing. Had to stay until 12. Music and singing refreshed me a great deal. Oh, the filth of the Korean village of Wonsan! Simply unspeakable.
31
A message from the F.O. tells me not to go to Anbyun.
33
16th. Thursday. Windy-cold-sunny.
34
Suffering from insomnia and homesickness, my Darling and the dear children―I can almost hear their sweet voices.
35
Mr. Paing, my predecessor, seems to have been as bad a thief as any of the crowd who are now squeezing the people to death all over this infernally misgoverned country. He, to my certain knowledge, sold four local positions for300.00. He ate up some months in advance every cent of the money set apart for the running expenses of the magisterial office. He invented, no doubt, for pecuniary considerations, two or more illegal taxes. In order to serve a friend of his, he forced Kim Won Jik, to give up the position as a collector of rents on a piece of property belonging to the Kamni Office. Paing condemned a man named Kim Hong Sik, to 15-year penal servitude for having forged certain title deeds, but on receiving200.00 he pardoned the offender. Am told, however, that Kim broke his promise after the release. A thief well served. When Paing was relieved of Kamni's office he suborned his minions to petition the government for his retention! During the 5 or 6 months of his stay here the official buildings in both Tokwon and Wonsan were let go to filthy, filthy, filthy ruin while every cash of the money intended for keeping the offices in repair went into the dirty belly of the man who was sent and paid150.00 a month to look after the interests of the offices and of the people! This Paing is the right-hand man of Cho Byong Chik, of Yi Wan Yong etc. They are all the same!
36
The servants here seem to be astonished to be ordered to sweep the floors and keep them clean.
37
Kim Ik Sung, who was the Kamni here in '95, or thereabout, seems to have been the best of the gang. Yet I have already found certain things which prove some of his corrupt practices while in power here.
38
No use attempting and reform, for the simple reason that I don't know how long I may be in office.
39
Yu Bi In(劉庇仁) , whom I brought from Seoul with me to help me in my new duties, told me this evening: "You had better send up your resignation now. Your efforts to enforce justice will not only make many an enemy but also injure your reputation. The Chusas here are already dissatisfied because you would not let them spend the office money for buying their cigarettes and wine!!!"
|
