[Illustration:  “The day was passed in much the same manner as the preceding one”]

Breakfast was served in much the same manner as the supper of the previous evening had been.  Of this meal all heartily partook, for a Korean is never guilty of having a poor appetite.

As usual, it took a long time to get the ponies properly loaded and ready to start, and the forenoon was about half-gone when the procession finally left the courtyard of the inn.

A twenty-mile march would bring the party to Rang-chyoen, where it was proposed to spend the second night of the journey.

The day was passed in much the same manner as the preceding one, though of course new scenes proved ever interesting to Yung Pak.  During this day the party had to cross a river which was too deep to ford, and over which there was no sort of bridge.  For the assistance of travellers a ferry-boat had been provided.  This boat was a broad, flat-bottomed, clumsy affair.  It could carry but three ponies at a time, with several men.  The men in charge of the boat were slow and obstinate, and consequently it took a long time for all to get across the river.

It was right here that an unfortunate, yet laughable, accident occurred.

As on the preceding day, the cook rode perched upon his pony’s load of kettles, pans, and pots.  When riding along a good road his position was precarious enough, requiring all his best efforts to maintain his balance.

When his turn came to go upon the ferry-boat, Ki Pak advised him to dismount and lead his pony across the plank which covered the watery space between the bank of the river and the boat.  But the cook was an obstinate Korean, as well as a trifle lazy, and refused to get down, thinking he could safely drive his beast across the gang-plank.  Ordinarily this would have been possible, but on this particular occasion, just as the pony stepped upon the plank, the boat gave a lurch, the plank slipped, and overboard went pony, cook, and all.  For a few moments there was enough bustle and excitement to suit any one.  Fortunately, the water was not deep, and quickly the drenched animal and man were pulled from the water.  The only permanent harm was to some of the provisions that were a part of the pony’s load.  The cook was a wiser as well as a wet man, and made up his mind that the next time he would heed the advice to dismount when boarding a ferry-boat.

The day’s journey was completed without further special incident, and at night they rested in the inn at Rang-chyoen under conditions much the same as at Yong-pyoeng.

The third day’s journey brought the company to Kewen-syong.  On the way thither Yung Pak was much interested in the sights of the country, which grew wilder and more strange the farther they got from Seoul.  On this day numerous highwaymen were met, but they dared not molest the travellers on account of the large number in the party.