Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/311

 COBEA SULLEN. 287 served with a bad grace, for in 1641 they were reprimanded, because that, having been entrusted with the conveyance of ten , thousand dan of grain to Kingchow, where the Manchus were at war with the Chinese, the thirty-two Corean ships, in which the grain had been stowed, had never been seen. The same quantity was again transmitted in a hundred and fifteen ships from the mouths of Daliang and Siaoliang rivers, east of Kingchow, for Sanshan dao,*' on which over fifty ships were dashed to pieces by the wind, or taken by the Chinese. Of the whole, fifty-two made their way across the gulf eastwards to Kaichow, but failed to enter the small river. The Corean officials petitioned to be per- mitted to forward the grain overland, but received an angry reply. To complete the sum of their sins, .three Corean ships, under some pretence, sailed into Chinese waters, where they naturally acted as friends : but it was known to the Manchus that these ships had sailed out of their proper course, and had, therefore, sought, and not avoided, Chinese waters. The Manchus, therefore, wrote an angry disapproval of this conduct, stating that the Coreans were at liberty to do what they would with their grain ; to throw it overboard, or recall it to their own country at their pleasure. The Corean minister, Li Chingye, was terrified, and entreated to be once again permitted to brave the dangers of the sea in transporting the grain. He was allowed, however, to transport it over land. A thousand Corean soldiers, bearing firearms, with five hundred camp followers, were retained in Manchu service, and the rest sent home. But soon thereafter, messengers were again sent to Corea to reprove the ministers, and to make investigation why it was that, after they were long overdue, neither grain, soldiers, nor horses appeared. Several of the principal Corean ministers were apprehended as guilty of treachery. In 1642, after the crushing defeat at Kingchow, the Chinese sent an ambassage for terms of peace, which the Manchus were willing to grant, on terms, however, which the Chinese could not, or would not accept Immediately afterwards, a despatch
 * An island, forty-five li sonth of Kingchow.