Fifteen Years Among the Top-Knots; Or, Life in Korea

by Lillias H. Underwood

On April 26, 1890, the books were finished, and we started at once for Korea, reaching here in May. Soon after our return from Japan we were visited by Dr. and Mrs. Nevius. We all recognized Dr. Nevius as a king among men, with a mind so clear and broad, a spirit so genial, a heart so full of charity and with a record of such long years of faithful labor that we were glad to sit at his feet. The sense of ignorance, incompetence, inexperience, combined with a realization of awful responsibility, is almost overwhelming to the young missionary on a new field, and it is only by constantly leaning on the almighty arm that he is kept from despondence and despair. At such times the advice of such an elder brother is invaluable.

The little missions had by this time been reinforced by several arrivals, and the following summer, which was very warm, many of them went to Namhan (Southern fortress) to spend the hot months. Seoul lies in a basin, encircled by mountains, and is extremely unhealthy in summer, its festering pools and ditches overflowing with filth, steaming a very witches brew of evils upon the sickened air, with odors unspeakable and undreamed of in civilized lands. Namhan is about seventeen miles distant from Seoul, on top of a mountain, not quite two thousand feet high. It lies on the further side of the Han River, but is fairly easy of access, reached by a steep road winding up the mountain.

Dr. Heron had taken his family there, and frequently traveled back and forth to his duties in Seoul, which was doubtless too much for his strength in those hot and humid days. He was soon attacked by dysentery, which did not at first seem serious, and was consequently ignored too long. It finally developed into the most malignant form of the disease, which resisted every effort of the physicians, Drs. Scranton and MacGill, who were unremitting in the struggle in which they were steadily worsted. As soon as the symptoms began to look grave Mrs. Heron was sent for. In great distress and alarm, she set off that very evening, in a terrible storm of rain and wind, a very carnival, no torch or lantern could be kept alive, the wind howling around the frail chair as if to tear it from its bearers’ hands. The roads, steep and difficult in pleasant weather, were really dangerous when slippery with mud and water, in darkness so absolute that not one step in advance could be seen, while in the woods and valleys the coolies were sometimes up to their waists in water. Drenched to the skin, this poor afflicted young wife arrived at her home near morning, after traveling all night in this terrible storm, to find her husband fatally ill. After a little more than three weeks’ sickness and great suffering, Dr. Heron passed away, to the grief and loss of the whole foreign community, as well as that of the Koreans (and they were many) with whom he had come in contact, to all of whom he had endeared himself by untiring kindness.

GATE IN THE WALL OF NAMHAN. [PAGE 98]

The government had never set aside any land for a foreign cemetery near Seoul, although in accordance with the treaty they should have done so long before. A strong superstition and very rigid law forbid the burial of the dead within the city walls, and hitherto the few Europeans who had died had been buried in the cemetery near Chemulpo. But to carry remains thirty miles in the heat of July, to the port, with no conveyances but chairs, to be forced to bury our dead so far away, was unnecessary, inconvenient and expensive, as well as an additional trial to hearts already sore. As soon, therefore, as Dr. Heron’s death seemed inevitable, a request was made that the government would set apart a place near the city for this purpose. This, with characteristic procrastination, they failed to do.

On the day of Dr. Heron’s death they offered a place which we found altogether impossible, beyond the sand beds across the river, a long distance off, in very low ground. It was then decided that as something immediate must be done, we would make a temporary resting place on a piece of ground belonging to our mission, where there was a small house, occupied just then by Mr. Underwood’s and Dr. Heron’s literary helpers. As soon as they heard of this plan they objected most strongly, saying it was against the law, and as the body must be carried through the streets to reach there, there would probably be a good deal of excitement and trouble.

We then ordered the grave dug on Dr. Heron’s compound, back of his house, sending word to the Foreign Office that as they had provided no other place, we were forced temporarily at least to make this disposal of the remains. The time for the funeral was set for three o’clock, and about a half hour before the literary helpers again came to us in a state of the wildest excitement and terror, tearing their hair, weeping and trembling. They averred that the people in that quarter were planning to mob us all, to burn down their house, beat and kill them, and very likely kill us too, if the body was buried within the walls.

It seemed cruel that no place could be found where we could lay our dead. Our hearts were torn with grief for the poor burdened sister, who ought to have been able to claim a quiet and decent burial for her dear one’s remains, as well as the sympathy of every one, that she must be refused a place for his repose, and assailed by all this wrangling and confusion. We were hotly indignant with the teachers, who we thought ought to have risen above heathen superstition on their own part and kept the secret from the people. It was now uncertain where Dr. Heron’s remains could be laid, and they were therefore embalmed and hermetically sealed. The Foreign Office, however, on hearing that it was our intention to bury on the compound, at once came to terms and gave us a large field on a fine bluff overlooking the river, about five miles from Seoul. This was obtained through the indefatigable efforts of Dr. Allen of the United States legation, who besieged the foreign office and insisted on this concession.

During all these months the work was steadily going forward; more than we had dared to hope were added to the number of believers and inquirers; a Bible translating committee, of which Dr. W. B. Scranton of the M. E. Mission and Mr. Underwood were members, had been appointed; a girls’ school in each of the two missions had been started long before, and both were steadily growing (though the Methodists were far in advance here), the boys’ orphanage had been changed to a boys’ school, and hospital and dispensary work in both missions was flourishing; with an increase of confidence of the people in our friendship and trustworthiness.