Traveling through the streets of Seoul in style in the late 19th or early 20th century / Robert Neff Collection

On May 15, 1891, Bishop Daniel A. Goodsell and his wife Sarah arrived in Seoul to visit the American Methodist community. Quite surprisingly, apart from their religious duties, very little is known about their monthlong stay in the city. The usual gossipers’ letters and journals are strangely silent — perhaps due to religious differences — and do not even record their visit.

However, Goodsell did leave us an amusing and wonderfully descriptive account of their departure from Seoul, highlighting the troubles and tribulations that constituted traveling in Korea during the late 19th century.

When the Goodsells first traveled from Jemulpo (today’s Incheon) to Seoul, they had done so overland — a grueling and exhausting trek they were determined not to repeat. Thus, in mid-June, they were delighted to learn a small steamer was scheduled to depart Mapo (a river port serving Seoul) the following morning at 11 a.m. Wasting no time, the bishop resolved to secure passage and immediately began making preparations.

A Korean official and his palanquin in the late 19th century / Robert Neff Collection

The Han River was notorious for its many shoals and shifting sandbars, and the bishop acknowledged the risks, noting that he had “heard stories of leaky boilers and long detentions aground.” However, he deemed it the most comfortable means of reaching Jemulpo, where he and his wife would board the Japanese steamship Higo Maru bound for Japan.

When they had initially come to Seoul, Goodsell and his wife had traveled relatively lightly, bringing only a small trunk. However, during their monthlong stay, they had accumulated a considerable amount of curios and knickknacks, despite having been warned that there was nothing of real value to purchase in the city. Among their acquisitions were:

“A lacquered trunk, bound intricately with brass, and inlaid with mother-of-pearl, in beauty beyond anything we had seen; wonderful brass ware, a butterfly brooch of white jade, silver, malachite, mother-of-pearl, red jade and false pearls fit to deceive the wisest; dainty brushes, embroidered satin pillow ends, chains of charms of Indian, Chinese, Japanese and Korean old coins, a venerable matchlock, native silk and grass-cloth, old brass-bound cabinets and dressing cases where again mother-of-pearl painted the birds and fishes of Korea.”

Through the “deft hands” of a missionary’s “white-robed and black-hatted teacher,” the Goodsells’ belongings were carefully packed into “one trunk, three bags, and a box, no more than the stout little pony could well carry.”

Korean straw sandals were cheap and in constant demand by porters and travelers. Courtesy of Diane Nars Collection

Next, Goodsell arranged for two sedan chairs (palanquins) to be ready the following morning. He anticipated that six chair-bearers would suffice for each but the Korean headman........

© The Korea Times