Frederick F. Low to Homer C. Blake

ON BOARD UNITED STATES FLAG-SHIP COLORADO, May 23, 1871

Sir:
　Herewith I beg to hand you a sealed letter, written in Chinese and directed to the King of Corea, which I desire you to forward to its destination by an official of the highest rank you may meet, if you find such a course practicable. If no official makes his appearance during your explorations south of the island of Kang-hoa, you will retain the letter until you reach an anchorage opposite the city of the same name upon that island. If, upon your arrival there, no officials make their appearance, through whom you can communicate with the capital, it is my wish that you shall write a note in your own name, with your rank attached, to the highest officials resident at Kang-hoa, informing him that you are the bearer of an important dispatch from the minister of the United States to the government of Corea, which it is desired shall reach its destination without unusual delay, asking him at the same time whether it will be more convenient for him to forward the letter, or whether, by declining this service, he will leave the United States minister free to seek such other means of communicating with the capital as shall be by him deemed advisable.
　If an official undertakes to deliver the letter, you will endeavor to procure a proper acknowledgment, in writing, of his promise, and, if practicable, get him to name the time when and the place where the answer will be returned.
　If, during your trip to Kang-hoa, you find no one who will undertake to perform the service, you will return the letter to me with a report of your proceedings.
　It is not unlikely that you will be visited by natives, both official and unofficial, who will make inquiries concerning the visit of the squadron, and the objects we have in view. It is my desire that neither you nor the officers under your command shall hold conversations with any except officials, with reference to the object of my visit or that of the squadron. In conversation with officials, and in reply to the inquiries they will probably make, you are at liberty to say that I am sent by the President of the United States to arrange important matters with the government of Corea, the particulars of which will be fully and frankly made known when a person of suitable rank and station is duly appointed to meet and confer with me; that I desire nothing but what is reasonable and proper, and which I cannot doubt will be agreed to after the government shall be made acquainted with my requests; that I do not expect this can be done in a few days, and therefore I have come prepared to spend a considerable time upon the coast, in order that a thorough understanding may be arrived at which will render the friendship of the two countries firm and lasting; that considerable delay will undoubtedly be necessary in order that the difficult channels may be explored and sounded, and thus rendered safe for the larger vessels to approach nearer to the capital, where it is my wish that negotiations may be carried on; which delay will afford ample time for the government to consider and discuss the matter, and enable it to give an answer, probably, by the time I shall have reached the capital or some point in its vicinity.
　If they ask why so many ships of war have come on a professedly peaceful errand, you can reply that a minister of my rank does not travel except in a dignified manner befitting his mission, with force sufficient to repel attacks, and chastise all who may molest or insult either the minister or the flag of the country he represents.
　Mr. John P. Cowles, jr., acting assistant secretary of legation, will accompany you as interpreter.
　Relying upon your good judgement and tact to successfully carry out my wishes, I(Sic) I am, &c.,

F. F. LOW

Frederick F. Low to H. C. Blake

ON BOARD FLAG-SHIP COLORADO, May 23, 1871

Sir:
　With this you will find a general letter which I had prepared for your guidance during your preliminary trip to the northward. Inasmuch as you will not proceed as far as the island of Kang-hoa before returning to the flag-ship, I do not send the letter for transmission to the King of Corea. I shall retain it here; and if you meet any officials desirous of learning the object of our visit to the coast, you will be guided by the tenor of the general letter accompanying this in your conversations with them. You will further inform them that I am on board the flag-ship, and have a letter which I desire to send to the government.
　Respectfully, yours,

F. F. LOW

John P. Cowles, Jr., to F. F. Low

UNITED STATES FLAG-SHIP COLORADO,
Roze Roads, Corea, May 29, 1871

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 with 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 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 Jèn 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 Sèoul 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 walled 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 thought 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 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 Boisée.
　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 for 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.,

JOHN P. COWLES, Jr.

Translation of note in Chinese, undirected and unsigned, brought by four Coreans to the Colorado at Isle Boisée, from three officials, on the afternoon of the 30th May.

　A day or two since, on the transmission of your honorable missive from Nam Yang Foo, the court for the first time recognized that your honorable ships are [the ones] sent from America to enter our humble confines. Thereupon the officers [who are the writers of this] were sent forward to ask particulars [of your mission]. Your vessels lie at anchor out in the sea, and as ours are not used to going to and fro in the stormy waves, we remain temporarily on the sea shore of Jên-Chûan Foo. We first make this announcement and awit a few words in reply.
　Fourth moon, 12th day, (30th May, 1871)
　True translation:

E. B. DREW

English version of note in Chinese handed to four Coreans in reply to a note brought by them to the Colorado at Isle Boisée, from three officials, on the afternoon of 30th May.

　A note inquiring into the circumstances of the American ships coming into these waters has been received, and the purport communicated to the minister and the admiral.
　His excellency the minister instructs me to send a reply, saying that the ships have come to bring a high envoy, who has important business with the government of this country; that he does not doubt that persons of high rank will in due time be appointed to confer with him, to whom it will be proper to make known his business; that he will remain on board the ship here for several days, to wait for any communication the government may make; but in the mean time the smaller vessels of the fleet will make explorations further on, in order that the large ships may move nearer the capital, in case the minister deems it necessary; that the common people need not be afraid of the ships harming them so long as the people on board are treated with civility and kindness; and the minister and admiral hope that such instructions will be given to the people, so that no trouble may occur.