Account of a voyage of discovery to the west coast of Corea, and the great Loo-Choo IslandHall, Basil
History
Account of a voyage of discovery to the west coast of Corea, and the great Loo-Choo Island
Hall, Basil
Korea -- Description and travel; Ryukyu Islands -- Description and travel
It was therefore taken for granted, that this sickly looking companion
of the Chief, who, some how or other, got the title of the "Courtier,"
amongst us, was the patient alluded to last night; and no sooner were
the first compliments over in the cabin, than the doctor was sent for to
prescribe. On his being introduced, the Courtier was made to hold out
his tongue, have his pulse felt, and submit to various interrogatories,
the object of which the unfortunate man could not divine, particularly
as there was nothing at all the matter with him. He submitted with so
much patience to all these forms, and the Chief looked on with such
grave propriety during all the examination, that they evidently
considered the whole scene as a part of our ceremonial etiquette. When
this gentleman was released from the doctor's hands, he began to examine
the books with the air of a person who understands what he is about. He
appeared desirous of passing for a literary character; and observing us
hand the books about in a careless manner, ventured to ask for one, by
drawing it towards himself with a begging look. As he happened to select
a volume of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, I was under the necessity of
refusing; but offered in its stead a less valuable, though more showy
book, which he accepted with much gratitude. No return, of course, had
been looked for, and I was for a moment at a loss to understand what my
friend meant, by slipping his fan into my hand, under the table. He did
this in so mysterious a way, when the Chief was looking in another
direction, that I saw it was his wish to conceal what he had done, and
the fan was sent privately away. But unfortunately, my precaution was
fruitless, for a few minutes afterwards, on finding the crowded cabin
very hot, I called for a fan, and the servant, unconscious of the
mischief he was doing, brought the Courtier's present; which no sooner
met the old man's eye, than he rose half off his chair, and gave his
unhappy companion such a look of furious anger, as made him tremble from
top to toe: but he was soon pacified when he saw that we took an
interest in the question, and the Courtier was allowed to keep his book.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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