Few subjee's present more of interest to a foreigner in Corea than the coolie. He it is who exhibits in his person those peculiarities of race hat have b-en smuthered out of the gentry by fumes of Confucianism The latter, having inhaled this teaching from childhood, have gradually lost their natural traits its and have become mors and more artificial, ever striving to mortify the man that they are by birth, and to put on for new man a ghost of antiquiry. The coolie, however, is not in any such bondage, but exhibits a host of characteristics that make him in s: me res-pests the most interesting figure in the Land of Morning Calm.
From the frst glimpse you have of him you recognise that he is a creature of repose. Nothing should be more restful to a nervous, impatient foreigner, than the sight of coolie by the wayside, his heels, or as we say squatting, sometimes long rows of them, motionless as seafowl, indifferent to the heat of the sun, to the flies that congregate upon them, yr to the pestiferous gutters that crawl beneath their While other mortals are in constant commotion, fearful of this and that, yet aching for change, the Corean coolie continues throughout the ages to squat on his heels, never growing tired, snifting all the while odours that would depopulate a western city, or by way of diversion, rating melons, rinds and all, in the face of cholera and other plagues of Ezypt.
Tt is an atmosphere of repose, rather than indifference, that envelopes him. Indifference suggests an environment with which one is not in harmony, while repose indicates perfect agreement. "N-t only can he sit in a painful position for ages, but he can sleep with head downwards, and mouth wide open under the fiercest sun of the Orient, and rise as refreshed s though he had jind a night on a spring mattress and a morning bath. This is proof that it is not a matter of indifference with him, else he should have had sun-stroke. The fact that he rises refreshed to enjoy his pipe, proves the repose.
Undoubtedly ho is the greatest living example of the absence of all excitement or animated interest of any kind whatever, He can eat an astounding dish of pep (rice) and be asleep with his head on a wooden block, in less time than a foreigner would trim his tooth-pick. Nothing short of a bow! of kuksn (vermicelli) or the crack of door, can create the slightest interest in him, or prove that he has nerves at all.
This characteristic, while highly to be commended in some respects, has frequently proven a source of difference between the coolie and the foreigner. The latter, proud of his watchword, action, runs full tilt into the coolie wh heavy in repose. It is like the rai train taking a header for a mud embank-mont, when newspapers announce next day, "Smash up," not of the embankment, but of the railway train, In view of this danger to the foreigner, the coolie has, of late years, done considerable to change his ways, though of course, even in foreign employ, ho still feels old sensations come orer him, and falls at times into his native repose.
Only once do I recollect seeing marked animation in a coolie's eyes. - It was at a stone fight such as they used to indulge in in the brave days of old. Several hundred of the best marksmen of the capital chose sides, and armed with stones, weighing one and two pounds, assembled for the fray. When Larrived, missiles were flying through the air, any one of which, had it struck, would have done for a man as easily as 3 fifty-pound projectile. They were all awake to dodge these, and the rush and scramble to escape was like a stampede of wild beasts. The throwing was magvi6- cent. It seemed in truth a little war of giants. The fight grew fast and furious. Grimy with dust and sweat each side drew in the closer and sent rocks flying among the enemy in a way simply appalling. Then came a shock of cessation, and shout, as though a goal were scored. ' One of the best marksmen of the enemy h-d been struck squarely and was killed. His body was carried off the field and again the fight began. Before evening closed one had fallen on the other side, an! thus the score was even.
Such is the coolie, and yet a gentler, more lamb-like creature neve? lived. Apart from this one ancient custom he is peace itself, even his p-sonal wars are merely threatenings. One of the amusing sights of the street isa fight, the combatants of course always being coylies, as no gentleman would soil his garments who has a servant to engige for him. It begins usually in dispute, passes through different stages, each marked by a special pitch of voice and rapidity of utterance, and at Inst ends ina climax of fury. A perfect stream of invective is poured forth, accompanied by appeals to men and angels to behold the object of depravity. The foreigner is horrified, convinced as he that nothing short of one life can relievo the pent up condition of affairs, when suddenly the whole case collapses, and the combatants are seen on each end of the piazza, smoking as peacefully as if ull within the Four Seas were brothers.
The question has often arisen—Is the Corean coolie an arrant coward. or is he the bravest man "live since Jack the Giant ier? Evidence is nor lacking for the support of either supposition, On the first announcement of the Japan-China war, we saw him, with personal eff-cts on his back and considerable animation in his. foet, making for the hills. We have seen him, too, in the capacity of trespasser, being whipped out of a compound with a small willow switch, and writhing under the blows as though they lad been sword cuts repeating with imploring look: 'I go! You' ye killed me! You've killed me 'A small foreigner of hasty temperament once resided in the Land of Morning Calm. I had the pleasure of seeing him shalling his men ona journey. The coolies he had were noted for strength rather than agility, and as speed was the chief consideration friction resulted, Matters came toa climax at Ins', and the small foreigner made a round of those coolies with his right foot, spreading consternation at every kick. Nogreat damage was done, as a Corean's padded dress serves much as a bird's plumage would under a similar form of at: tack. The group bowed t" the inevitable, simply remarking, of the foreigner that an offspring of that kind was a caution (Kew nomenti chsik maknanio). as to the coolie's pluck. He will undergo But there exists joe as strong evidence a surgical operation without flinching, where a foreigner would require an assistant to administer an ancesthetic. It has been said that he has no nerves, and so does not feel it, but he felt the willow switch as keenly as you or I would. Considering his weapons, avd opportunities, he gave a good account of himself in the old days, in the defences at Kangwha, Often still with a wretched flint-lock or case gun he will steal his way among the rocks and beard the tiger, capturing his game, and returning home in triumph.
Not being able to find a definite example of more than ordinary courage, I referred the matter to my Corean friend and he told me the following which in his mind, bespoke a heroism rarely seen among mortals. A number of coolies had imprisoned a huge rat in a grain bin. Now the question was, who would venture in, barehanded, capture, and despatch the rat. One stout-looking fellow smiled broadly and volunteered to go, amid tha
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.