Cowles, J R to F. F. Low, May 29, 1871
John P. Cowles, Jr., to F. F. Low
Sir: I have the honor to report that, in obedience to your instructions, I accompanied Captain Blake in charge of a surveying expedition up towards the mouth of Salèe River. Leaving on the morning of the 24th, in the steamship Palos, and with four fully-equipped steam-launches, reached Boisée Island at noon of the 26th. and found there a fine harbor equal to all requirements. It was ascertained upon the trip up, by the thorough investigations of the commanders of the launches, that the Gulf de l’Imperatrice is a shoal bay, which, though reaching far in towards Sèoul, and that too in a direction where the air-line to Sèoul would cross much less elevated land than generally prevails, is yet too shoal to admit vessels of even light draught. Numerous junks were observed in the northeast of this gulf, and it is surmised that in that neighborhood lies the approach to Jén Chùan, a place which should, by the maps, be not less important officially than Kang-hoa, and can lie but five miles or so from Boisée. It is thought by good judges that the track of ships approaching Seoul River from the southward will henceforward not make the Ferrières Islands as their first land, but instead run in for Round Island, only five miles below Boisée. The launches were in some cases shouted to by natives, some displaying bows and arrows, some matchlocks; but the greater part of the population were unarmed, and showed alarm by retreating to the clumps of trees on the hill-tops. The islands are only very sparsely populated, only scattered spots of valley-land being cultivated. The islands were, only in exceptional instances wooded, and water seemed not very abundant. The Tache Blanche, four miles below Round Island, was visited at low water and declared to show many indications of iron.
The French charts were found remarkably accurate, except that not all the barriers to seaward can be substantiated. The navigation in clear weather as far as Isle Boisée would be very easy. Plenty of water can be carried to Boisée. The water there is still salt, supporting the soubriquet given by the French of Salt River.
We saw no indications of fortifications till we approached Boisée; this island and Roze Island, a narrow passage of a mile and a half, existing between the mainland and the large island Tung Tjong to the west. On the eastern end of this island—Tung Tjong—is the village, with a rather Japanese-like wall, with a sea-front of perhaps a mile and a half. The wall is, perhaps, fifteen feet high, but not, apparently, thick. Its age would seem to point back to Japanese tuition. Launches could approach it within a dozen rods at high tide, if the position of fishing-boats lying on the flats under it at low tide be evidence. The inhabitants were spying at us from hiding-places about the wall, as we came before the place with our decks cleared for action. The next morning, (27th May,) the alarm had spread; men were coming in from the neighborhood, and some 200 troops, or armed citizens, paraded under military mandarins, armed with sharpened wood lances, banners, &c. The mandarins are in the uniform described in Belcher’s “Voyage of the Samarang” to Quelpart; peacock feathers in the hat, pink or scarlet cuffs turned back, tunic of gray, and mantle or cloak of dark blue. On the morning of our third day at Boisée, as we left there seemed little or no excitement. A few curious were peeping at the vessels from behind corners of houses in the village, and those who moved more to the front and into our view were warned back by the mandarins. The walls were without guns, so far as we could see; gingalls they may nevertheless have. A ferry crosses to the mainland from the above village, and a path runs from the ferry-landing toward Sèoul.
By ferry is meant a single sampan, making, perhaps, a dozen trips a day. Island Boisée is quite exceptional in being wooded, and it is worth inquiry whether it may not be one of those wooded and sacred islets never disturbed but by robber-Chinese sailors. Toward the northwest of the above island, with the Availed village, exist other villages and weirs for fishing. We saw several Corean two-masted vessels, of from ten to eighty tons burden; they avoided us. It is thought that, had launches gone within bow-shot of the sea-wall of the above village on Saturday morning, May 27, during the great excitement, of especially the military portion of the community, it is probable they would have run great risk of being fired into. The next day when, after taking ineffectual departure, we were driven back for shelter, we found them quiet. It is thonght the eight-mile wall along the river-edge of Kang-hoa Island is probably similar to that about the above village. Also, that the surprised and excited, but soon pacified, conduct of the islanders points to no special influence or command from the court authorities in this instance, but is rather the carrying out of the traditional habit towards foreigners. It is therefore thought that, we shall meet the same surprised conduct in natives till we eventually reach some place where special instructions have been, or shall have been, sent down from court for our either peaceable or hostile reception.
The Palos would appear to be indispensable as a base of supplies, &c., and for the launches which, from their complicated wants, need some reliable store on which to draw to meet emergencies almost hourly arising in their excursions; such as want of water, coal, kindling-wood, and repairs—the latter by no means unfrequently. With such a movable base, a boat force is almost as much at home before Sèoul as at Boisèe.
The temper of the village on the 27th forenoon may prove of value in showing that the meeting of both sides with arms in hand (as was the case in Japan when Commodore Perry sent the President’s letter on shore) may pass off without accident, for their sudden pacification on the morning of the 28th shows it to have been a temporary, excitement, very dangerous while it lasts, but better than a settled line of policy of “shoot whoever lands—cold blood or hot blood matters not,” which we might have anticipated.
We enjoyed most favorable weather. The sun’s heat was never oppressive. The nights were rather cool.
The country appears thus far poorer than North China. Only a small portion of the houses of a village are tiled. The yamên is far from creditable, from a Chinese point of view, and few buildings equal the yamên.
If a collision was the thing most immediately to be deprecated, launch-work, similar to the above, with orders not to land, would seem the safest measure to prevent it, for though the plying to and fro of the launches speedily creates excitement, yet, as they also soon show themselves peaceable, the excitement dies. The numerous trips of the launches, too, make each launch’s total of impression upon the natives perhaps equal to that of a larger steamer. The demonstration of launches into the northeast of the Gulf de l’Imperatrice was not carried out—the weather being too rough to permit the launches to succeed in reaching the east of the bay. The land seems to break down in the direction of Sèoul, as per French chart. Numerous vessels were reported in the northeast bight of the gulf, and it is thought their destination may have been the Jên Chuan of the map, where officials, perhaps slightly inferior to those of Kang-hoa, may be located.
As, in accordance with instructions, intercourse with the natives was rather avoided than sought, I was not called on for any services as interpreter, &c.
As the character of the fine force under Admiral Rodgers has and will come under your own observation, it is unnecessary for me to express my individual admiration of the faithful execution of duty which brought to completion the above reconnaissance and survey; one carried out with no small discomfort to the officers in the launches, and during the rough weather of the 28th at their no little personal risk.
Very respectfully, &c.,