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Corean Dawn excerpt (Page 2)
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this hidden kingdom. What pressure it took to goad the Japanese into presenting the American papers to the Coreans! And China, who had not given a half-wit’s baker’s dozen about Chaoshien in the past, was clearly worried about the Japanese presence and thus, suddenly supportive yet not coopera¬tive. “If there’s trickery, we’ll know soon enough. We must prepare for the worst.”
Renegades abound in Asia, thought Jewell, nodding as the craft closed towards the Pusan shore. He had sailed many a trip escorting American merchant vessels past the island of Formosa, where attacks from the great Japanese and Taiwanese pirate fleets still posed threats to foreign shipping, the Japanese sphere of interest and influence dominating the southern half of that island. French forces had actually occupied part of Formosa a few years back for several months, but decided to withdraw because a continued presence sapped resources they needed elsewhere in Asia.
‘No choice but to come back into Corean waters on a mission of peace,’ thought the tall Naval officer. ‘What else since we’ve become the runt of Western fleets in Asia, puny and obsolete compared to the British, French, German, Japanese and even the Chinese fleets? It’s been downhill since Kangwha. But can Shufeldt accomplish with peace and diplomacy what no efforts of any foreign nation has been able to achieve by force?”
Jewell suddenly rose in the boat, with shock, recognizing the features of the swarthy, Asian-clad Westerner on shore whose stoic facial expression, although not facial features, bore a startling resemblance to those of the Asians beside him.
“My God, is that you, Timothy?” He called, as the party prepared to put foot on Corean soil.
“It’s me, Lieutenant Jewell,” replied the Westerner, evenly. “Welcome back to Chaoshien.”
“Thank God you’re alive, son!” Said the massive foreign officer clasping Tubert on both shoulders, impulsively shaking his one time ship mascot, the joy in seeing the former galley assistant genuine and concealing his shock at seeing the mutilated ears of this grown man. “The world thought you were dead.”
“The world was supposed to, Mister Jewell,” said Tubert, sensing his face rising before the Corean officials, surprised that the old bonds between them were still intact, relieved at the familiar face among the arriving foreigners. “Good to see you, sir. We’ll talk later. Excuse me, I’ve got to stay close to the prefect.”
The opening session consisted of introductions and agreements on protocols and proce¬dures, Tubert frequently being called upon to interpret before the long-winded official Chinese translators could render their flowery versions of what was being said. The first break was two hours later.
“Thank you for the help, Mister Tubert,” said the commodore, approaching the odd Westerner in the refreshments tent next to the meeting hall. “Unexpected blessing, finding one of our own here. These Coreans are certainly clear about what they don’t want: no opium, no missionaries, and no Corean rice goods to be taken from the country.”
“Yes, the prefect has guidance from the court,” said Tubert, sipping a cup of boiled barley water, his strained English coming back with difficulty. “Drink, commodore?”
“What is it? Looks like mud water,” said the American officer, his head level with
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