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shift of wind at the height of a hurricane that had beaten our souls
sick for forty…eight hours。
We drifted in upon the land in the chill light of a stormy dawn
across a heartless cross…sea mountain high。 It was dead of winter；
and between smoking snow…squalls we could glimpse the forbidding
coast； if coast it might be called； so broken was it。 There were
grim rock isles and islets beyond counting； dim snow…covered ranges
beyond； and everywhere upstanding cliffs too steep for snow； outjuts
of headlands； and pinnacles and slivers of rock upthrust from the
boiling sea。
There was no name to this country on which we drove； no record of it
ever having been visited by navigators。 Its coast…line was only
hinted at in our chart。 From all of which we could argue that the
inhabitants were as inhospitable as the little of their land we
could see。
The Sparwehr drove in bow…on upon a cliff。 There was deep water to
its sheer foot； so that our sky…aspiring bowsprit crumpled at the
impact and snapped short off。 The foremast went by the board； with
a great snapping of rope…shrouds and stays； and fell forward against
the cliff。
I have always admired old Johannes Maartens。 Washed and rolled off
the high poop by a burst of sea； we were left stranded in the waist
of the ship； whence we fought our way for'ard to the steep…pitched
forecastle…head。 Others joined us。 We lashed ourselves fast and
counted noses。 We were eighteen。 The rest had perished。
Johannes Maartens touched me and pointed upward through cascading
salt…water from the back…fling of the cliff。 I saw what he desired。
Twenty feet below the truck the foremast ground and crunched against
a boss of the cliff。 Above the boss was a cleft。 He wanted to know
if I would dare the leap from the mast…head into the cleft。
Sometimes the distance was a scant six feet。 At other times it was
a score； for the mast reeled drunkenly to the rolling and pounding
of the hull on which rested its splintered butt。
I began the climb。 But they did not wait。 One by one they unlashed
themselves and followed me up the perilous mast。 There was reason
for haste； for at any moment the Sparwehr might slip off into deep
water。 I timed my leap； and made it； landing in the cleft in a
scramble and ready to lend a hand to those who leaped after。 It was
slow work。 We were wet and half freezing in the wind…drive。
Besides； the leaps had to be timed to the roll of the hull and the
sway of the mast。
The cook was the first to go。 He was snapped off the mast…end； and
his body performed cart…wheels in its fall。 A fling of sea caught
him and crushed him to a pulp against the cliff。 The cabin boy； a
bearded man of twenty…odd； lost hold； slipped； swung around the
mast； and was pinched against the boss of rock。 Pinched？ The life
squeezed from him on the instant。 Two others followed the way of
the cook。 Captain Johannes Maartens was the last； completing the
fourteen of us that clung on in the cleft。 An hour afterward the
Sparwehr slipped off and sank in deep water。
Two days and nights saw us near to perishing on that cliff； for
there was way neither up nor down。 The third morning a fishing…boat
found us。 The men were clad entirely in dirt white； with their long
hair done up in a curious knot on their patesthe marriage knot； as
I was afterward to learn； and also； as I was to learn； a handy thing
to clutch hold of with one hand whilst you clouted with the other
when an argument went beyond words。
The boat went back to the village for help； and most of the
villagers； most of their gear； and most of the day were required to
get us down。 They were a poor and wretched folk； their food
difficult even for the stomach of a sea…cuny to countenance。 Their
rice was brown as chocolate。 Half the husks remained in it； along
with bits of chaff； splinters； and unidentifiable dirt which made
one pause often in the chewing in order to stick into his mouth
thumb and forefinger and pluck out the offending stuff。 Also； they
ate a sort of millet； and pickles of astounding variety and ungodly
hot。
Their houses were earthen…walled and straw…thatched。 Under the
floors ran flues through which the kitchen smoke escaped； warming
the sleeping…room in its passage。 Here we lay and rested for days；
soothing ourselves with their mild and tasteless tobacco； which we
smoked in tiny bowls at the end of yard…long pipes。 Also； there was
a warm； sourish； milky…looking drink； heady only when taken in
enormous doses。 After guzzling I swear gallons of it； I got singing
drunk； which is the way of sea…cunies the world over。 Encouraged by
my success； the others persisted； and soon we were all a…roaring；
little reeking of the fresh snow gale piping up outside； and little
worrying that we were cast away in an uncharted； God…forgotten land。
Old Johannes Maartens laughed and trumpeted and slapped his thighs
with the best of us。 Hendrik Hamel； a cold…blooded； chilly…poised
dark brunette of a Dutchman with beady black eyes； was as rarely
devilish as the rest of us； and shelled out silver like any drunken
sailor for the purchase of more of the milky brew。 Our carrying…on
was a scandal； but the women fetched the drink while all the village
that could crowd in jammed the room to witness our antics。
The white man has gone around the world in mastery； I do believe；
because of his unwise uncaringness。 That has been the manner of his
going； although； of course； he was driven on by restiveness and lust
for booty。 So it was that Captain Johannes Maartens； Hendrik Hamel；
and the twelve sea…cunies of us roystered and bawled in the fisher
village while the winter gales whistled across the Yellow Sea。
From the little we had seen of the land and the people we were not
impressed by Cho…Sen。 If these miserable fishers were a fair sample
of the natives； we could understand why the land was unvisited of
navigators。 But we were to learn different。 The village was on an
in…lying island； and its headmen must have sent word across to the
mainland； for one morning three big two…masted junks with lateens of
rice…matting dropped anchor off the beach。
When the sampans came ashore Captain Johannes Maartens was all
interest； for here were silks again。 One strapping Korean； all in
pale…tinted silks of various colours； was surrounded by half a dozen
obsequious attendants； also clad in silk。 Kwan Yung…jin； as I came
to know his name； was a YANG…BAN； or noble； also he was what might
be called magistrate or governor of the district or province。 This
means that his office was appointive； and that he was a tithe…
squeezer or tax…farmer。
Fully a hundred soldiers were also landed and marched into the
village。 They were armed with three…pronged spears； slicing spears；
and chopping spears； with here and there a matchlock of so heroic
mould that there were two soldiers to a matchlock； one to carry and
set the tripod on which rested the muzzle； the other to carry and
fire the gun。 As I was to learn； sometimes the gun went off；
sometimes it did not； all depending upon the adjustment of the fire…
punk and the condition of the powder in the flash…pan。
So it was that Kwan…Yung…jin travelled。 The headmen of the village
were cringingly afraid of him； and for good reason； as we were not
overlong in finding out。 I stepped forward as interpreter； for
already I had the hang of several score of Korean words。 He scowled
and waved me aside。 But what did I reek？ I was as tall as he；
outweighed him by a full two stone； and my skin was white； my hair
golden。 He turned his back and addressed the head man of the
village while his six silken satellites made a cordon between us。
While he talked more soldiers from the ship carried up several
shoulder…loads of inch…planking。 These planks were about six feet
long and two feet wide； and curiously split in half lengthwise。
Nearer one end than the other was a round hole larger than a man's
neck。
Kwan Yung…jin gave a command。 Several of the soldiers approached
Tromp； who was sitting on the ground nursing a felon。 Now Tromp was
a rather stupid； slow…thinking； slow…moving cuny； and before he knew
what was doing one of the planks； with a scissors…like opening and
closing； was about his neck and clamped。 Discovering his
predicament； he set up a bull…roaring and dancing； till all had to
back away to give him clear space for the flying ends of his plank。
Then the trouble began； for it was plainly Kwan Yung…jin's intention
to plank all of us。 Oh； we fought； bare…fisted； with a hundred
soldiers and as many villagers； while Kwan Yung…jin stood apart in
his silks and lordly disdain。 Here was where I earned my name Yi
Yong…ik； the Mighty。 Long after our company was subdued and planked
I fought on。 My fists were of the hardness of topping…mauls； and I
had the muscles and will to drive